Enhancement of Student Skills Through Authentic Learning In a Continuously Assessed Module : a Research-in-progress Report

This paper describes the initial findings from a redesigned module in the School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology. An authentic learning environment is provided for the module which allows students to work collaboratively in teams to ensure that critical aspects of industrial quality management systems and validation are fully explored. Module activities support the development of graduate attributes that will assist in preparing students for work as professionals in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The students’ perceptions of their own technical knowledge and skills prior to undertaking the module have been assessed using a survey instrument. The methodology used to re-develop the module and the initial survey results are discussed