Putting the student in charge: Adding value to the food chemistry laboratory through student generated experiments, integration of transferable skills and peer and audio feedback

This paper describes the implementation of an alternative laboratory practical for a group of third year BSc Nutraceuticals students. The main objectives were to prepare students for the more independent final year research project; to incorporate innovative approaches to feedback; and to integrate key employability skills into the curriculum. These were achieved through building the skills required to ultimately allow students working in groups to research, design and run a laboratory for their class. The project involved innovative approaches to feedback, including weekly feedback sessions, report checklists and audio feedback podcasts. The feedback has been particularly well received, and there is evidence that it will be reusable and will ‘feed-forward’ to other modules. The author, and the students in general, believe the group are more prepared for final year research projects and work placement owing to the redesign of the laboratory assessment.