Outline:

In this module student will undertake a challenging extended open-ended project in a small group. The technical skills exercised in the collective solution of the set problem rely on practical and computing skills developed in courses in the first two years of the programme. Students take part in training in group interaction and management. They then practice these skills in small groups by addressing a complex technical problem in physics, which requires group co-operation for its solution.

Aims:

The course aims to teach students to function effectively as a member of a project team in a group situation, simulating the kind of working environment they will encounter in the course of their professional careers, whether as physicists or in other fields.

Teaching and Learning Methodology and Indicative Course Structure:

Project: Each group will have an assigned team project, with a project brief produced by the member of staff (Board Member) who has commissioned the group to undertake the task, and which will form the basis of the scientific work on the project.

Initial Meeting: Each team should arrange as soon as possible after the initial teaching session a meeting with the Board Member who has commissioned the project. At the first meeting with the Board Member, students should familiarise themselves with the nature of the project, the background to it, the kind of work that they will need to do to successfully complete it, intermediate milestones that may be set by the agent, the resources available to their group, source material, and other information that they feel they need to begin their work.

Organisation of the work: This is up to the team to decide. Students may find it sensible to identify sub-tasks that individual members might tackle and report back on to the group (the Board Member may have suggestions, but it is students’ responsibility as a team to decide on any sub-tasks). However, students break down the work, they will need mechanisms to ensure effective communication, both within the group and with their Board Member. Students will also need to set up, and observe, appropriate deadlines.

Meetings with Board Members: The course requires groups to hold meetings with their Board Member approximately fortnightly. Groups will be penalised if they hold fewer than 5 such meetings, including the initial one. At these project meetings, groups will be required to report on progress, raise any problems, and set up actions and milestones for the following work period. Each team will be responsible for preparing and circulating appropriate documents in advance of the meeting, including agendas, and for making and keeping an adequate record of the meetings, including any action lists. Although your Board Member will act as Chairman for the initial meeting, students should decide on a chairman and secretary for the second meeting. Copies of all documentation of these meetings must be submitted as an appendix to the final written report. All team members are expected to attend all of these project meetings. Attendance must be recorded and any unavoidable absences covered by apologies in advance with reasons, and actions taken to ensure that the absence of a team member does not adversely affect the conduct of any meeting.