Impact of introducing new practical and dataset project options to the science undergraduate capstone project module (S390)

Project leader(s): Hannah Gauci Julie Robson Jon Golding Janette Wallace

Theme: Access, Participation and Success
Status: Archived
Date: April 2021 to April 2026

This project investigated the impact of introducing new practical and data-based project options to the Open University’s undergraduate science capstone project module, S390. The revision was prompted by two key drivers: the Royal Society of Biology’s accreditation requirement for students to demonstrate critical data analysis in their final year project, and the constraints imposed by the COVID19 pandemic, which limited opportunities for field work. As a result, new secondary data-based and practical project routes were introduced for the biology and health (SXL390), and environmental science (SXE390) strands of the module from 2021 onwards. The study sought to understand how these changes affected student outcomes, accessibility, student experience, and the role and workload of Associate Lecturers (ALs), and to inform the planned rewrite of the module.

A mixed methods scholarship approach was employed. Quantitative analyses examined associations between project type, student demographics, and module outcomes using institutional data from the 2021 and 2022 cohorts (n=918). To explore student experience in depth, surveys were conducted across both presentations (n=117), followed by focus groups. A parallel survey and focus group were conducted with ALs to gather insights into tutoring demands, student preparedness, and support needs for different project types. Qualitative data were analysed to identify themes in both student and tutor experiences.

The findings indicate that introducing new project options did not negatively impact student achievement: students performed equally well across all project types. Whilst overall disabled students’ outcomes were lower than those without a declared disability there was no effect of project type. Disabled students tended to choose secondary data-based projects over other project options suggesting that the introduction of these project types may improve accessibility. Student experiences of different project types were broadly comparable. The most significant challenges of developing a viable idea, managing early workload, and navigating independent project work were shared across project types.

ALs highlighted important differences in the support required. Secondary data-based and other practical projects generally demanded more time and expertise, particularly around statistics, data handling, and project design. Literature review projects required comparatively less tutor input. However, tutors emphasised that student preparedness and capability, rather than project type, had the greatest impact on their workload.

This project has directly informed the redesign of S390, resulting in clearer module guidance, expanded skills resources, improved data analysis support, and revised tuition and assessment strategies. The findings have shaped the development needs of ALs and contributed to a more consistent and inclusive capstone project module experience. More broadly, the project offers insights for the wider STEM community into designing flexible, accessible online project modules that maintain academic rigour while supporting diverse learners. (Summary generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot)