Teaching biology students transferable skills

Biology students will require skills and abilities distinct from academic k nowledge in their future working life. An educational programme based on in teractive teaching units was created at the University of Glasgow to provid e an opportunity for the development and practice of these skills. The 'Ali en Squirrel' exercise presents students with a problem based role play, whe re they are required to solve a difficult conservation problem. A questionn aire was filled in by the students, both prior to the exercise and 3 weeks later. The questionnaire concentrated on three elements: transferable skill s, attitudes towards the work-place, and attitudes regarding environmental protection. The results show statistically significant changes (p < 0.05) i n students' self-reported confidence in their public speaking, report makin g, and group working skills. Their attitudes also changed towards the impor tance of compromise. Student opinions regarding animal welfare changed from a strong viewpoint to a more moderate one.