CASE STUDIES OF PRACTICE: PSYCHOLOGY
Title of Practice/Project: Animal Cognition
Contact: Professor Stephen Lea (S.E.G.Lea@exeter.ac.uk)
Published: March 2008
Reason for selection: This module engages with students through an attractive WebCT package that outlines
detailed information in relation to everything that a student will need to know in order to study the module, for
example, all content to be covered, staff involved in teaching, forms of assessment, and so on. One of the
requirements of the module is a presentation for which the assessment specifically emphasises presentation
techniques and skills, and the WebCT package provides guidance and explicit criteria against which students will
be marked.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
1. School
PSYCHOLOGY
2. Subject
PSYCHOLOGY
3. Module Title (if applicable)
ANIMAL COGNITION
4. Module Code
psyM127
5. Web reference:
6. Level
Masters
7. Duration
10 weeks, 2 hours per week
9. Lead person
PROFESSOR STEPHEN LEA
8. Date/s of Practice/Project
10. Others involved
ABOUT THE PRACTICE/PROJECT
11. Type of activity, eg.
Single session, project,
module, other
12. Focus for activity,
eg. Active Learning
Independent learning
Students as researchers/
Enquiry-led learning
Key skills Other (describe)
Module including: Seminars, student presentations, group discussion, private reading
and written essays.
Students learn in active, critical and participatory ways about the processes of
research. The module will:
Provide students with an extensive and deep knowledge of research in animal
cognition such that they are able to contribute to the further development of the subdiscipline;
Enable students to evaluate research and appreciate how theoretical issues can be
investigated empirically;
Allow students to develop their critical faculties and their ability to debate theoretical
and empirical issues by their participation in seminar discussion. They will also
develop their oral presentation skills
13. Size of student
group, eg. 1-10/ 10-20/ etc.
14. Full description of
practice (ie. what
happens?)
The module will consist of a weekly 2-hour seminar. It will cover a range of topics such
as comparative cognition, learning, risk sensitivity, discrimination, memory, navigation
and theory of mind. Extensive reading lists will be provided and students will be
expected to read a set of core and additional reading each week in preparation for
presentations in the seminars.
Student presentations play an important role in the module seminars and hence
account for a quarter of the final module mark.
15. What was the
rationale for
introducing the
practice?
The aim of this module is to provide students with the essential background to
previous research within the field of animal cognition, and to enable them to keep up
to date with current research. The specific requirement of a presentation is considered
to be a means of actively involving students in learning from each other, and being
able to use a variety of skills that are potentially transferable to employment.
16. Resources/support
required (technical
A screen shot of the title menu of the module’s extensive WebCT pages for students
is included here:
assistance, specialised
equipment etc)
A screen shot of the lecture notes made available to students, via WebCT, prior to
teaching:
ASSESSMENT
17a. Assessment Formative
There is no formative assessment, but students are expected to learn from each
other’s presentations and it is anticipated that quality will improve during the course of
the module.
17b. Assessment Summative
One essay (2,500-3,500 words) counting for 70% of the module mark.
One presentation (including designing a quiz) for 25% of the module mark.
8 quizzes for 5% of the module mark.
Presentations are assessed on content, but also on presentation techniques such as
audibility, style and clarity, and empathy with the audience; on organisational and
management skills such as pacing, response to questions or interruptions, and
teamwork; and on discussion skills, such as being able to raise points that stimulate
the group to work and think, as well as having the ability to handle discussion well.
17c. Assessment
criteria (web link if
available)
FEEDBACK
18a. Feedback –
Student comments
18b. Feedback –
Staff comments
18c. Feedback - Others
(External Examiner,
Professional Accrediting
Body etc)
OTHER MATTERS
19. Issues/difficulties;
improvements
20. Benefits of practice
A screen shot is included here of the module’s WebCT pages showing the link and full
criteria/mark breakdown for the module assessment, including advice for students.