Taught by: Dr Mahesh Uttamchandani
Content (Structure/Organization): -
Starts with the biological concepts before moving to case studies/current issues of biology
Accessibility and Assessment: 4
Very accessible
knowledge about biological concepts which are then used to view certain issues(gene-editing, artificial corps etc)
Manageability of Workload: 3
Rather manageable workload,
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Prof is quite particular with what he wants to see in his paper so pay attention to that
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
quite an interesting module, a accessible introduction to biological concepts
About the Instructor:
very approachable to answer questions, and is especially good since the prof is someone who is currently working in the field and thus he does share about his experiences
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
Highly recommended
Name: Ng Jia Yeong (@jy_jaywhy)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
The first half of the mod is the more technical portion like genes, DNA and cells, and the second half is about recent advances in biotechnology and how they relate to our everyday life. I think the assignments are also quite well thought out, if slightly catered to arts-inclined students; there was a technical quiz and lab report, but also a presentation and essays that allowed us to explore the different facets of biology. I personally preferred the second half of the module as we had class discussions and debates about various issues in biology which I thought was a great way to introduce us to the topics and learn more effectively (technical bio stuff isn't my thing).
Accessibility and Assessment: 4
Not bad. From the perspective of a student who hasn't done biology since 'O' levels, I'll say I managed to relearn most of the technical content taught.
The technical stuff doesn't go much beyond 'O' Level bio, and tbh I think that's enough for most of us to make sense of the advances made in biology recently. Another noteworthy skill in this mod is to distill complex and technical biology concepts into simple language directed at the layman. Prof Mahesh encourages us to go in-depth but be mindful of a non-technical audience.
Manageability of Workload: 3
Not bad. You might struggle a little at the beginning learning the bio concepts, but for the most part I think it's manageable. It might've helped that he removed one component this time as compared to previous iterations though.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Prof makes his marking rubric really clear and even shares the work of previous students who have done well so the grading is quite transparent. As I said earlier, there are two components to grading (technical detail and clarity of expression) which are both important which is what he's looking for.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
It made me less scared of understanding biotechnology so that's something. We did get quite a bit of experience dealing with technical aspects in classes and the assessments. Would recommend if you're interested in the world of biotech (there's a lot going on in the field right now).
About the Instructor:
He's really passionate about teaching biology! He used to be a USP student (fun fact he himself took biomolec as a student) so I think he understands how to make the content and assessments manageable for students of different backgrounds. I find it pretty impressive how he was working full-time (he has a few portfolios outside) and still teaches us at 6pm twice a week, and his passion for the content and for teaching shines through even through zoom.
Content (Structure/Organization): -
The most up-to-date biomolecular revolutions like stem cell therapy and how they change our lives
Accessibility and Assessment: -
Manageability of Workload: 4
One 500 word response paper, one pair presentation, one newspaper article and 1 term paper. Not light at all but not unbearably heavy either. Assignments get harder in that order as well.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
About the Instructor:
Prof Mahesh is a great teacher. If you like biology you will like his content. If you are not interested you will find his presentations a bit dry.