NES2310 : Insect Biology and Origins
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Giles Budge
- Lecturer: Dr Neil Audsley, Dr Mark Shirley
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
- Capacity limit: 60 student places
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To give students an understanding of the biology of insects but also cover their origins. Students will be able to appreciate the effects of conservation and control of key species.
Outline Of Syllabus
Insects represent the majority of multicellular species on Earth. This module majors on providing an understanding of the biology and ecology of insects, but also covers other arthropods to provide phylogentic context with insects. Teaching will provide the foundation necessary to enable students to work with insects later in their degree programmes and beyond.
Content includes: morphology, metamorphosis, classification, food and feeding, respiratory and circulatory physiology, nervous and hormonal control, polymorphism, sociality, insects and man.
The practical exercises emphasise features of the ecology, structure and behaviour of insects, whilst enhancing essential skills in data recording and scientific report writing.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Completing report for practical 1 and 2 |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 12:00 | 12:00 | Refreshing content for quizzes |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 27 | 0:30 | 13:30 | Core lecture content~25 mins each |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Main assessment: 3/5 short answer Qs in 1 week |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 3 | 0:30 | 1:30 | Introductions to practicals |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 3:00 | 6:00 | One formative practical report, and a second assessed practical report worth 30% of the final module |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Workshops to reinforce key principles |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | Drop-in/Surgery |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 75:00 | 75:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Introductory / orientation lecture to get students familiar with format and delivery of module. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching material provides a conceptual framework for understanding the structure and function of arthropods, with particular reference to insects. Two practical sessions will improve observational and experimental skills when investigating insects, as well as reporting experiments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | 30 | N/A |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 70 | This will require the students to answer 3 of 5 short answer questions (~500 words) questions on selected topics from the module. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | Feedback provided before summative assessed practical report. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
This module is assessed in four ways: 1) Knowledge is assessed formatively at weekly quiz events; 2) A practical report of the first practical session is formative and used to help with inform later assessments; 3) a full write up of the second practical (30%); 4) three short answer (500 word) questions on the concepts introduced during the lectures to be completed over 1 week (70%).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES2310's Timetable