{"id":2379,"date":"2021-06-08T16:05:37","date_gmt":"2021-06-08T15:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microsites.ncl.ac.uk\/casestudies\/?p=2379"},"modified":"2025-07-15T11:39:38","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T10:39:38","slug":"embedding-the-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs-within-first-year-biosciences-skills-teaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microsites.ncl.ac.uk\/casestudies\/2021\/06\/08\/embedding-the-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs-within-first-year-biosciences-skills-teaching\/","title":{"rendered":"Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within first year biosciences skills teaching"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr Sara Marsham, Senior Lecturer<\/strong><\/h4>\n

School of Natural and Environment Sciences<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n

Who is involved?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

All Stage 1 Biology, Zoology and Marine students<\/p>\n

Dr Sara Marsham,\u00a0Senior Lecturer (Teaching\u00a0and\u00a0Scholarship); Marine Sciences Degree Programme Director<\/p>\n

Dr Heather Sugden, Lecturer<\/p>\n

\n

What did you do and how did you do it?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The\u00a0MST1204 Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences\u00a0module is worth\u00a020 credits over two semesters. It is taken by all Stage 1 Biology, Zoology and Marine students (~240) and semester 1 is based around the\u00a0SDGs.<\/p>\n

We\u00a0introduce\u00a0students to\u00a0SDGs and why they are important. We\u00a0have selected three goals that best align with our degree programmes:<\/p>\n

\"3<\/a><\/p>\n

Goal 3, Good Health and Wellbeing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"14<\/a><\/p>\n

Goal 14, Life Below Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"15<\/a><\/p>\n

Goal 15, Life on Land<\/strong><\/p>\n

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss<\/p>\n

For each goal, we have also\u00a0identified\u00a0a number of\u00a0targets (3-4 per goal) to help students focus their ideas. We provide them with a\u00a0resource pack\u00a0for each chosen goal and target that includes\u00a0UN\u00a0materials and scientific literature relating to each target \u2013 we use these in the taught sessions.<\/p>\n

The semester 1 materials are delivered as a series of academic skills activities\u00a0using non-synchronous online (NSO)\u00a0materials,\u00a0workshops\u00a0and tutorials.<\/p>\n

Workshops\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have a core teaching team that develop the materials and deliver the workshops that are focused on academic skills and semester 1 is literacy and scientific writing.\u00a0During the workshops, students undertake tasks to practice the theory delivered in the NSO materials and develop their skills.<\/p>\n

Tutorials\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

After each workshop,\u00a0students are\u00a0given\u00a0a\u00a0tutorial\u00a0task to work on and take along to their\u00a0tutorial\u00a0the following week. The tutorials are either delivered by their personal tutor or the core teaching team. During the tutorials they get\u00a0formative\u00a0feedback on their progress and by undertaking each task, they work towards completing their assessments.<\/p>\n

Assessment\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout the semester\u00a0students\u00a0work on their assessments, which are a\u00a01,500\u00a0individual\u00a0report on the SDGs and a\u00a010 minute\u00a0group presentation \u2013 they also do a\u00a0formative\u00a0group poster to get feedback ahead of\u00a0submitting\u00a0their\u00a0summative\u00a0assessments.<\/p>\n

Colleagues can take a look at the\u00a0 assessment briefs for the report, poster and presentation below:<\/p>\n