Welcome and What It's All About

Hello... this is the first blog post for the Open University course SXR103, better known as Practising Science. The course starts on Saturday at the University of Sussex, and yes I am starting to feel nervous!

It will be the longest that Alan and I have been apart in the whole of the (nearly) ten years that we've been together. I know that I will be able to get a huge amount out of this course, and I will be extremely busy during the long days, but I'm not looking forward to the nights in a single bed many miles down south.

So what's this course all about?

SXR103 is designed to give students experience on field trips and in using laboratory equipment and chemicals. I can do no better than to quote from the university's own website:

Summary

This one-week residential school provides hands-on experience of working with laboratory and field equipment, and builds your confidence in practical techniques across a range of science disciplines – biology, chemistry, Earth sciences and physics. It introduces the skills of recording, reporting and interpreting data; and literature and web-based research. You’ll also develop team-working, problem solving and oral communication skills. There is some pre-school preparation, and an end-of-course assessment afterwards. The school is normally held in Edinburgh and Brighton (Brighton only in 2010), with a choice of dates in July – register early if you have a preference, as unfortunately we can’t always offer your first choice.

Course content

Throughout the school you will be working in science laboratories and at a field site, with students who have similar interests to your own. There will also be a programme of evening tutorials and workshops.

Before the school there is some preparatory study to do (working through the Practising Science Study Book, attempting self-assessment questions, and looking at workbooks used at the school), so that you have the theoretical background you need to participate satisfactorily in the investigations. After the school you will be required to complete an end-of-course assessment (ECA) based on some of the work you have carried out during the residential week. This ECA is submitted at the start of September.

The school will be held in July at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) and at the University of Sussex (Brighton) in 2009 (the course will run only at Brighton in 2010). You will be asked to choose your preferred week and site when you register for the course. Places are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so you should register as soon as you can.

Entry

Practising science complements the 60-point introductory science course Exploring science (S104) (and the discontinued course S103), and is particularly suitable if you’re taking that course or have already taken it.

You should have basic mathematical skills (including drawing and interpreting graphs, and measurement and use of angles, using degrees). You should also have an understanding of basic scientific concepts, especially in chemistry and biology. Both skill sets are covered in S104 Exploring science (and the discontinued course S103).

It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the course, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. The Science Faculty has produced a booklet Are You Ready For SXR103? to help you to decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the course or whether you need a little extra preparation. This can be viewed or printed from the Science Faculty website at www.open.ac.uk/science/courses-qualifications/are-you-ready-for-science/index.php. If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.