Accessibility Statement for Investigative approaches in biology and chemistry (S285)

Mode of study

All of this module’s study materials are online. Online materials are composed of pages of text with images; audio/video clips of 0.5–14 minutes (all with transcripts/subtitles); diagrams; interactive media; animations; and multiple-choice self-assessed quizzes. Online materials also include links to external resources, online forums and online tutorial rooms.

Tuition strategy

This module provides a range of learning events, online tutorials, journal clubs and workshops delivered by tutors. Although not compulsory, tutorials will help you consolidate your learning.

Working with others

You’ll be required to work with other students, and we assess this. This includes working together with fellow learners on a task.

Practical work

Online practical work forms a required component of assessment. This includes some collaborative group work.

This module also includes home-based practical activities as well as practical work that extends your knowledge of the use of an online laboratory and practical techniques. We’ve prepared alternative study materials and/or advice on accessing the practical activities to enable students to complete the module.

Mathematical and scientific expressions and notations

You’ll be required to use mathematical and scientific symbols and expressions throughout the module and within assessment.

Diagrams and other visual content

The study materials contain a considerable number of diagrams, graphs, photographs as well as video content. Reading, interpreting and producing examples of these is an important part of the study of this module, and we assess this. We provide descriptions for all essential figures. We provide transcripts and/or subtitles for most videos.

Finding information

You will be required to search for, and make use of, third-party material online. We can provide alternatives for required/assessed research material to enable you to meet the learning outcomes of the module.

S285 uses an online database of 3D structural data for large biological molecules, the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, or simply PDB. The interactive tool allows you to examine the 3D structure of the relevant proteins in detail. We will provide alternatives based on your needs to enable you to meet the learning outcomes for this activity.

S285 also includes an Online Journal Club where you will have an opportunity to find and share an article from scientific literature relating to food safety. You will use the OU Library databases and journal websites to locate an article that interests you. We will provide alternatives based on your needs to enable you to meet the learning outcomes for this activity.

Specialist reading material

In this module, you’ll be working with specialist reading material such as mathematical notation and chemical formulae. We’ll present these online.

Assessment

This module has tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and an end-of-module assessment (EMA) that you must submit via the online TMA service.

Feedback

You’ll receive feedback from your tutor on your submitted Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs). This will help you to reflect on your TMA performance. You should refer to it to help you prepare for your next assignment.

Schedule

We structure all University modules to a set timetable and you’ll need time-management skills to keep your studies on track. We’ll support you in developing these skills.

Specialist software

The module materials and assessment ask you to use the following specialist software: StatsCloud – and may not be fully accessible as a result. If required, alternatives will be provided to enable you to achieve the learning outcomes.

This module also uses specialist symbols that are not covered by standard accessibility tools. The module materials use the following specialist software/symbols: MathML and LaTeX, ChemDraw and Jmol, and may not be fully accessible as a result. You will not be assessed on your ability to produce any of these formats; only to read them.