PATCH ONE: INTERPRETING STUDENT WORK

A response to the Thought Vectors and Nuggets Activity
created by Phillip McGregor (@PMcGregor)

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Taken from PATCH ONE: INTERPRETING STUDENT WORK

“One important theme that emerges from discussion is always the goal of the labs themselves. What do we want students to learn? What are the transferable skills that we want students to take away?”

This section got me thinking, what did I learn and take away from all those labs I did in university? What transferable skills did I gain, if any?

Technical skills? Yes. I’m pretty certain that I can still pipette and use a scale. However, a gas chromatograph would definitely require a refresher. But I came out of the experience by not being intimidated when learning new technology.

Professional skills? Yes. We had to make our notes in a specific format and no erasing! Crossing out only. But more importantly we learned to listen and ask questions. Our TAs gave instructions, and we also asked questions and asked for help if we needed it. And we worked with our lab-mates and promoted a collegial atmosphere.

Producing the desired result? Sometimes even the best of us fail, or so I hear! Labs are a safe place where you can make mistakes and learn how not to repeat them. And practice, practice, practice. Not a single experiment, but the whole process of lab work.

However, being able to admit to mistakes is the best transferable skill of them all.  Once you do that, you suddenly make fewer of them

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