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There is still much to learn about the support required by postgraduate research students, across academic disciplines, to facilitate successful completion of a research degree. The primary aim of this study was to explore postgraduate medical science research students' perceptions of academic and mentoring support at different stages during their degree programme. A second aim was to explore the feasibility and acceptability of peer mentoring as a strategy to enhance student support in this population. A mixed method study design was used. Students first completed an online questionnaire, which was then supplemented with focus group discussion to explore emergent findings in greater depth. The main results indicated that the nature and quality of academic supervision support have a significant influence on research student training and development. 'Functional' and 'relationship development' concepts of supervisory styles were highlighted as important aspects to perceived support in this research population. The main facilitators to enhance academic support were effective communication, project planning and timely feedback. There was a high degree of acceptability for a peer mentoring programme as a complementary approach to enhance student support. Peer mentoring psychosocial functions such as friendship, counselling and career guidance were considered potentially beneficial to enhancing student support. Students also discussed peer coaching as central to their learning and research skill development. This work is a useful starting point to explore perceptions of research student support in the target population. Further work is required to develop strategies to enhance student support in academic practice.

It is compulsory for first year biological science students at Queens University Belfast to complete a range of assessed, laboratory-based practicals in various scientific procedures including dissection. This study investigates student performance and attitudes when they have to complete a traditional dissection and a computer based learning (CBL) package (virtual dissection). One group of students had to complete the traditional dissection followed by a brief class test then the virtual dissection and the same test with the questions reordered. The second group of students were subjected to the same conditions the only difference being the order of the practicals, the virtual dissection first, followed by the traditional dissection. Test results showed that students performed better directly following the traditional practical approach in both groups despite pre-exposure to the CBL simulation in the second group. Student comments indicated that they preferred the traditional dissection and that it should not be replaced by the virtual practical. However, they also indicated that they enjoyed the different type of interactivity offered by the CBL package and would like to see both approaches used together to complement one another and reinforce their biological knowledge. (Contains 2 tables.)

Discusses a partnership between Northern Arizona University and a local school district that enables preservice teachers to practice innovative strategies for facilitating inclusion of students with disabilities into general classrooms. Strategies such as cooperative learning, collaborative teaming, peer tutoring, student empowerment, and creative problem solving are discussed. (Author/CR)

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including issues in learning and teaching higher education in Ireland, the appointment of professor Sally Brown to the editorial board, and originality.

In the Academic year 2010-2011 the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (SCCE) at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) saw the first large scale inclusion of students from East China University of Science and Technology, (ECUST), seconded into the Level 3 of our chemistry programme. The students had a specific interest in developing their laboratory and research skills. This paper discusses our experiences from a broad perspective and in so doing highlights challenges and issues as outlined in the Higher Education Academy (HEA) literature and includes a case study of the experiences of our international students. Reference is made throughout to the HEA International lifecycle as a framework to discuss the experience. Strategies and support put in place for our international students are discussed and an account of the mutual learning experience that this inaugural year offered is shared and supported by information obtained from a student survey, the Staff Student Consultative Committee (SSCC), focus groups and informally. These consultations took place both throughout and at the end of the year. This feedback provides an insight into the student experience, which can be used to inform a future approach and facilitate the continued provision of the necessary student support. The paper also includes some practical material prepared especially for the laboratory teaching environment, and a bilingual list of common laboratory equipment and materials which is included in the supplementary data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]