Demonstrators and Seminar Leaders School of Biomedical Sciences

1. Demonstrators and Seminar Leaders • School of Biomedical Sciences • Dr Debbie Bevitt • http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biomed

2. SBMS contacts • Dr Debbie Bevitt • Head of School of Biomedical Sciences • debbie.bevitt@ncl.ac.uk • http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biomed/about/meet.htm • Ms Karen Griffiths • Clerical Assistant • karen.griffiths@ncl.ac.uk

3. Practical and Seminar Leader Training in SBMS • Opportunities for PhD students only (not Masters students) • Debbie Bevitt currently ‘looks after’ all demonstrator and seminar leader allocations in the School • Supported by Karen Griffiths, in the Teaching Office who does all the hard work... • Dr Nick Morris does all the demonstrator training for the School and advises students on any training that they may need to teach in the School.

4. The School of Biomedical Sciences • The School has just over 1000 undergraduate students • Studying on the following BSc (Hons) programmes; • Biochemistry • Biomedical Sciences • Biomedical Genetics • BMS with Microbiology • Exercise Biomedicine • Pharmacology • Physiological Sciences • and MSci Biomedical Sciences, Genetics and Biochemistry • We also have a number of American students studying on study abroad programmes, European students studying on Erasmus exchange programmes and Brazilian students studying on our Science without Borders programme .

5. The School of Biomedical Sciences • The first 3 semesters of all of our UG programmes are the same (thus large class sizes). • Undergraduates take laboratory classes in years 1 and 2 (and 3 in some cases) • Some ‘labs’ may be computer based (thus in computer clusters) • Seminars in all three years • Examinations and other forms of assessment may also be invigilated by postgraduate students.

6. What the School wants… • We are always looking for demonstrators, seminar leaders, invigilators etc.

7. Training • To work as a demonstrator you need to be trained • This is delivered as a 3 hour session over an afternoon • No set time for the next session but it will be arranged when 20 students have registered for training. • To work as a seminar leader you will need to receive more extensive training from the Staff Development Unit http://www.ncl.ac.uk/staffdev/workshops/programmes/academic/itlhe/

8. The Labs… • We currently have 4 labs that take up to 100 students per class. • Labs typically run for 3 - to 6 hours • One demonstrator per 16-20 students • May be some marking • Pre-lab briefing with academic lead of practical session • ‘Model answers’ normally available

9. The Seminars… • 50 minutes in length – usually you will start as an “assistant” seminar leader • May be question and answer sessions, oral presentations etc. • Pre-seminar briefing with academic lead of seminar. • Typically given ‘model answers’ and copies of the questions • Class size: 20 - 30 students (depending on year and programme of study)

10. Information… • If you have any questions about demonstrating or seminar teaching then please contact me (debbie.bevitt@ncl.ac.uk) or Karen Giffiths (karen.griffiths@newcastle.ac.uk) • To book a place on the next School demonstrator training session please e-mail karen.griffiths@ncl.ac.uk.