SBBS Masters 2022-23
Topic outline
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Module announcements
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What is Learner Engagement Analytics and what does it have to do with me?
Let’s begin with the basics! Learner Engagement Analytics is a term that is used to describe the data the University holds about your engagement with various services, as well as your demographic data. Learner Engagement Analytics is often referred to as LEA, so you may also have heard about it under that name. Currently, your engagement data comes from your digital footprints that you leave when you use QMPlus and other University systems and data about your grades and academic history. When all this data about you is brought together in one system, it’s called Learner Engagement Analytics.
The following types of data may be used for the LEA system at Queen Mary:
· Background information: your name, identifiers used by the [University / College], contact details, and a link to the photo we hold of you.
· Details about your course, the modules you are taking, the credits you have achieved and your advisers.
· Details of your assessments, marks and grades obtained.
· Details of your activity in QMPlus and other digital systems: logins, resources viewed, assessments submitted and graded, and session timeouts.
· Details about your engagement with teaching activities.
· Any extenuating circumstances that have been approved.
· As part of the ongoing development of the LEA platform we will be including some data about your use of reading lists and may pilot the inclusion of some other data about your library usage.
· We may link data for Statistical Purposes only to your date of birth, ethnicity, gender, declared disabilities, entry qualifications, whether your parents were in higher education, your socio-economic background, whether you are an overseas student. Two of these data types are what is known as special category personal data: Ethnicity and Disability. They are being included within our models with the aim of improving our monitoring of equality of opportunity and to improve the accuracy of the models. These statistical analyses will allow us to identify different patterns of engagement between different groups. They will not be used to identify individuals.
As you can see, LEA has a lot to do with you – it’s data about you! The University has collected this data about you for a long time, but the University has decided to create a system that brings your data from different sources together, and this new system is going to be used to analyse your data to better understand and support your journey through the University.
What will my data be used for?
It’s good to be careful with your personal data, and we can assure you that your data will only be used to improve the student experience and provide tailored support when you need it. For example, in schools where LEA has been implemented in 2021-22, if we can see that your engagement has decreased, your Advisor and the student support staff in your school might reach out to you to see if you need a bit of extra support to get back on track. Another benefit is that the engagement data from all the students in your cohort can help academic staff to improve their learning materials. If a lecturer can see that most students in your class aren’t opening the resources on QMPlus, it might be sign that they need to redesign the QMPlus page, so it is easier for you to access the right resources at the right time.
Now that you know what we do with your data, we also want to make it clear that your data will never be used for assessment unless you have explicitly been told that this is the case (this is only the case for a small minority of courses that have relied on engagement data for assessment for a long time, so this isn’t a new feature of the LEA system). Similarly, if we can see that you have disengaged, the LEA system will never be used to make any automatic decisions about your progression. Finally, your data will never (not now, not in the future) be used for the purpose of the Prevent scheme.
Your data – like all other kinds of data the University collects about you – will be processed in accordance with the University’s Data Protection Policy and Student Privacy Notice.
Who will have access to my data?
We know that you probably don’t want lots of people to see your data, and only a small group of people will have access to your data. Only two groups of people will have access to your data. The first group is staff whose job it is to support you and your learning. This includes your Advisers, academic staff and student support staff. Only staff that work directly with you (so not all staff across all parts of the university) have access to see your data. The second group is staff whose job it is to develop and maintain the LEA software. This may include IT staff and staff from external software suppliers. When staff from both of these groups access your data, they must adhere to strict data protection rules. Your data will also be combined with other students’ data to find trends and enable comparison. When your data is used this way, it will not be possible to identify you.
What will happen if my LEA data shows a lack of engagement?
Our first step will always be to try to get in contact with you to find out what is going on. Usually, your Advisor or someone from your Schools’ student support team will contact you. If you’re going through a difficult period or you are struggling to keep up with your academic work, the staff member will signpost you to relevant support services and see if any additional support needs to be put in place.
We know that all students have different study habits, so if you feel the LEA data doesn’t accurately reflect your engagement, you can discuss this with the staff member that contacts you.
Your LEA data will never be used to make automatic decisions about your progression – a staff member will always reach out to you before any decisions are made!
What’s the future of LEA?
First of all, we’re working on a dashboard that will give students a simple way to see their own Learner and Engagement Analytics. The intention is that students can choose to use this data to monitor their progress and get an accurate idea of their progress compared to the rest of their cohort. It will of course not be compulsory to check your LEA Analytics data – it’s a tool you can choose to use if you find it helpful.
As the LEA system develops, the system will also be able to make predictions based on the data that comes into the system. This feature is not available yet, but when it becomes available, it will allow staff to identify if you might need a bit more support. It will also be a way for you and your Advisor to discuss your expectations for your academic results and see if you need to adjust your engagement to make it more likely that you can achieve the results you want.
I have a concern or a question. Who can I contact?
We want to be completely transparent about the way LEA works at Queen Mary, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have a concern or a question. In the first instance, please contact your Adviser.
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THE HANDBOOK IS FOR POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL SCICENCES (SBBS). THIS HANDBOOK SHOULD BE USED TOGETHER WITH THE ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND THE STUDENT GUIDE.
This handbook provides basic information specific to SBBS procedures, rules and regulations, while the Academic Regulations provide detailed information on progression, award and classification requirements. Nothing in this handbook overrides the Academic Regulations, which always take precedence.
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Extenuating circumstances (ECs)
Extenuating circumstances (ECs) are defined by Queen Mary as
‘circumstances that are outside a student’s control and which may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to undertake or complete any assessment so as to cast doubt on the likely validity of the assessment as a measure of the student’s achievement’.
This includes sudden/acute illness, death of a close relative and other circumstances beyond your control that have had a negative impact on your ability to study.
The following are not considered extenuating circumstances and a claim made solely on one or more of these grounds will be rejected.
i failure to submit or complete an assessment.
ii arriving late for an examination or assessment/travel disruptions.
iii misreading or not checking for updates to a timetable.
iv having multiple examinations or deadlines in close succession.
v computer failure and/or loss of work.
vi employment commitments.
vii academic workload issues.
viii planned holidays or events, including activities with Queen Mary Students’ Union.
ix submission of an ‘incorrect’ version of an assessment.
X observance of a religious festival or holy day (it is expected that you would plan ahead for coursework deadlines and that you complete the ‘’religious holiday exemption’ form when exams are being scheduled).
Xi long-term personal/health conditions are not automatically valid as ECs (unless it is an acute flare-up or a particular condition) and this is also true of specific learning differences (e.g. ADHD or dyslexia – as you will have a student support summary in place which will already have put in place reasonable adjustments)What is Fit to Sit policy?
If an assessment of any type is attempted then you are deemed as being ‘fit to sit’ and can’t then submit ECs for support with the marking process of that assignment. We accept ECs in advance of a deadline for extension requests and after a deadline to support non-submissions. In those cases, if the non-submission is an exam then a first sit re-sit is granted and if the non-submission is coursework then a new deadline is granted. The new deadline is determined by the type of EC that has been submitted.
How do I apply for extenuating circumstances?
You will submit your claim via MySIS under the section entitled ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ at the top of the screen. This applies to all assessed modules that you are registered for. There is a user guide for this MySIS task and more information about this from the following link:
There are two types of ECs – Standard and Self-certification:
1. Standard
Evidence is required to support this type of claim. There are no limits on number of claims.
Examples of suitable evidence:
· Medical notes (e.g. hospital admissions certificate)
· Supporting statement for health professional (e.g. counsellor)
· Student Support Summary (this is in place for all students who have disclosed a diagnosed long-term health condition)
· Death Certificates
· Crime Reference Numbers
· Supporting evidence from court / solicitor regarding legal proceedings
· Letter regarding Jury ServiceYou can claim for a ‘deferral’ or ‘missed submission’
· Deferral = if approved you will be granted a new deadline 14 calendar days after initial deadline.
· Missed submission = if approved you will be granted a first-sit re-sit for online assessment or new deadline for coursework 14 days after initial deadline.2. Self-certification
No evidence is required to support this claim but note that this is not automatic approval. You can claim in this way three times per year.
Please note the following rules:
· One application can cover several modules.
· It is not permitted to use consecutive self-cert applications (i.e. you cannot claim for two back-to-back seven-day periods using self-certification).
· You cannot use a self-cert application more than once for the same assessment.
· You cannot use a self-cert application to request a new deadline.
· Self-cert applications can be submitted to remove a late penalty but not to request a deferral.Clarification of 7-day rule:
The extenuating circumstances must cover a period within 7 calendar days (or less) of the original deadline (pre or post deadline) or this will be rejected.It is important to consider all of the above, particularly the 7 day rule for self-cert applications, when you decide which type of application to make. If you need to defer for longer than 7 days, then you will need to submit a standard claim and provide supporting evidence. All claims of extenuating circumstances are considered by the SBBS MSc EC committee. All proceedings of the EC committee are strictly confidential. You will be informed of the outcome of your extenuating circumstances application via MySIS.
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The Student-Staff Liaison Committee provides the opportunity for students and staff to communicate and discuss matters arising in the School and QM that are of more general interest, rather than individual interest. This could include content and assessment of modules, the pastoral care system and academic and social facilities.
Feedback from the SSLC is shared with the School Education Committee (SEC) and the SBBS PGT Teaching Group Committee to inform best practice.
The SSLC is chaired by the Deputy Director of Taught Programmes (PGT). All MSc students are encouraged to feedback to their Course Reps - you will be notified in due course of the contact details of the Course Reps. The committee meets once per semester and the meetings provide an opportunity for you to reflect on your experience of the MSc programme and to provide feedback.
We will publish minutes and relevant reports related to the meetings here.
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The agenda for the SSLC meeting on Tuesday 22nd February (09:00 - 10:00) is above.
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Branita Sedakaran MSc Psychology - Mental Health Sciences a.arefa@se16.qmul.ac.uk Vida Svahnstrom MSc Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity and Conservation v.j.svahnstrom@se21.qmul.ac.uk Zoe Sturgess MSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology z.sturgess@se20.qmul.ac.uk Samiha Tahsin MSc Biomedical Sciences s.tahsin@se17@qmul.ac.uk -
The third meeting will go ahead on Monday 19th July from 15:00 - 16:00 via MS teams
The link to join the meeting is below:
Click here to join the meeting
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The second meeting will go ahead on Wednesday 24th February from 9:30 - 10:30 via MS teams
The link to join the meeting is below:
Click here to join the meeting
The agenda will be provided by Wednesday 17th February.
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The first meeting will go ahead on Wednesday 18th November from 2-3pm via MS Teams (link below)
Click here to join the meeting
The Agenda and relevant documents will be available here .-
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Dr Fady Mohareb: MSc Bioinformatics
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Prof Jo Cable: MSc Ecology, Evolutionary Biology; Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics; Freshwater and Marine Ecology
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Dr Natasha DeVere: MSc Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity & Conservation
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Dr Patrick Murphy: External Examiner for MSc Chemical Research (Organic Chemistry)
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Dr Anna Croft: MSc Chemical Research (Physical Chemistry)
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Dr Paz Vaqueiro: MSc Chemical Research (Inorganic Chemistry)
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The minutes are available as draft copy here and will be confirmed at the next meeting in semester B (date - TBC).
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Anjumanara Begum Arefa MSc Chemical Research a.arefa@se16.qmul.ac.uk Joeeta Bagchi MSc Chemical Research j.bagchi@se16.qmul.ac.uk Sophie Dennis MSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology s.dennis@se20.qmul.ac.uk Zoe Sturgess MSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology z.sturgess@se20.qmul.ac.uk -
How do I select my modules?
To register for your modules you will need to log-in to MySIS
The majority of the MSc programmes have a prescribed diet, which means that you will have automatically been enrolled on to your module.
However, some programmes have a list of elective modules for you to choose from.How do I find the programme diet for my MSc programme?
You will need to refer to the relevant module alignment from the options listed below:
- MSc Bioinformatics; MSc Biodiversity and Conservation; MSc Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity & Conservation module alignment is here.
- MSc Biomedical Sciences; MSc Psychology - Mental Health Sciences is here.
Part-time students will choose half of their taught modules this year and the remainder in their second year. You will learn more about this at your Welcome Week session.
The deadline for module registration is 7th October, 2022.
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Semester A:
You need to select 4 X 15 credit modules in total.You will select the following three compulsory 15 credit modules:
- BIO771P Research Frontiers in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation (15 credits)
- BIO773P Statistics and Data Analysis (15 credits)
- BIO774P Biodiversity Loss – Challenges and Solutions (15 credits)
You also need to select one 15 credit module from the following two determined by the stream that you want to follow:
Conservation and Habitat Restoration stream
Conservation, Ecology and Evolution stream
BIO789P Biodiversity Survey and Spatial Analysis (15 credits)
BIO737P Ecosystem Structure and Function
(15 credits)
Semester B:Module selection in Semester B will also be determined by the stream that you selected at the end of Semester A.
E.g. if you selected BIO789P then you have to choose the following modules from the ‘Conservation and Habitat Restoration’ stream:You will choose one 15 credit module from the following two (determined by your stream)
Conservation and Habitat Restoration stream
Conservation, Ecology and Evolution stream
BIO790P Conservation and Restoration in Practice (15 credits)
BIO788P Problems and Analysis in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation (15 credits)
You will choose one 15 credit field trip module determined by your stream
Conservation and Habitat Restoration stream
Conservation, Ecology and Evolution stream
BIO796P Overseas field trip: Conservation and Habitat Restoration in Borneo
(15 credits)
BIO797P Overseas field trip: Marine Ecology and Conservation in Cabo Verde (15 credits)
OR
BIO798P Overseas field trip: Terrestrial Ecology and Conservation in Borneo (15 credits)
Research Project = BIO791P (90 credits) remainder of the year -
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