Junior Demonstrator Briefing

1. Junior Demonstrator Briefing Lewys Jones 4th Year JCCG Rep. 8th Jan 2013

2. Overview • Important people • Undergraduate degree structure • Undergraduate labs in Materials Science • Purpose, • Schedules, • Groupings, • Topics. • The role of the Senior Demonstrator • The role of the Junior Demonstrator • What it is, • What it isn’t. • Possible UG lab scenarios • Discussion time

3. Important People • Dr Keyna O'Reilly – Practical Class Coordinator • Paula Topping – Practical Class Technician • Senior Demonstrators • The Students (≈30 each year) • Other Junior Demonstrators • Paul Warren – Departmental IT

4. Undergraduate Degree Structure

5. The Purpose of UG Labs • Labs provide essential training in practical scientific skills, conducting work independently from written instructions and report writing, • Labs support the academic lecture course series throughout the year, • Labs are EXAMINED coursework towards either Preliminary of Final exams.

6. UG Labs Schedule • First year UGs: • Thursday & Friday 14:00 – 17:00 alternate weeks (MT & HT)* *Excluding some introductory labs in MTwk1 & MTwk2. • PLUS two afternoons (assorted days) in the first half of TT. • Second year UGs: • Monday – Wednesday afternoons alternate weeks • Labs may not happen in the same order as the lectures / or in the same order as previous years.

7. UG Lab Groups • Students work in groups of two or three, • Generally grouped by college but not always, • Designed to encourage and teach teamwork, • Will undoubtedly include a mixture of abilities, personalities, approaches, genders.

8. UG Lab Topics – Year 1 • Practical 1P1a Computing • Practical 1P1b Microscopy • Practical 1P2 Young's Modulus and Stress Analysis • Practical 1P3 Electrode Potentials • Practical 1P4 Energy Levels and Band Gaps • Practical 1P5 Bubble Raft • Practical 1P6 Thermal Analysis • Practical 1P7 Fabrication and Tensile Testing • Practical 1P8 Metallography • Practical 1P9 Polymers - Molecular weight effects • Practical 1P10 Fracture and Laue http://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/teaching/ug/ugpracticals.html

9. UG Lab Topics – Year 2 • Practical 2P1 Diffusion • Practical 2P2 Dislocations and Plasticity • Practical 2P3 Casting • Practical 2P4 Introduction to AFM Analysis • Practical 2P5 SEM and Fracture • Practical 2P6 Extrusion • Practical 2P7 Corrosion • Practical 2P8 Transmission Electron Microscopy • Practical 2P9 Steels • Practical 2P10 Materials Selection • Practical 2P11 Mechanical properties of polymers • Practical 2P12 Semiconductor Devices http://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/teaching/ug/ugpracticals.html

10. The Role of the Senior Demonstrator • To write lab handout for the students to follow, • To introduce and explain the relevance of the lab, • To tell the students they key deliverables they are looking for, • To instruct the JDs if there are special themes they want highlighted by the students, • To read and mark the written reports.

11. The Role of the Junior Demonstrator is... • To familiarise themselves with the practical and the equipment in advance of the lab session, • To oversee delivering the SDs requirements, • To assist students with experimental equipment, • To answer reasonable questions from students, • To assist the PCT in encouraging safe, respectful and professional behaviour in the labs, • To assist the PCT in concluding the labs in a timely fashion, • To develop themselves in their communication and teaching skills.

12. The Role of the Junior Demonstrator is not... • To give students the ‘answers’ to the lab, • To do any work for the students or tell the students how to approach the tasks, • To tell them if they’ve gotten something ‘right’, • To earn some quick money by baby-sitting a group of young-adults / to catch-up on reading.

13. Possible UG Lab Scenarios (1) • One person in a group is doing no work, • One person in a group is doing all the work, • You see someone copying / cheating, • A student doesn’t understand the handout’s instructions, • You think a student / group are rushing their work just to leave early,

14. Possible UG Lab Scenarios (2) • Several groups in the lab all need help at the same time, • A student asks “What’s the point of labs, they’re only worth 5% anyway”, • A student is in the IT room completing lecture course tute-work for a deadline, • A student leaves the lab unannounced to go smoke / to the vending machines, • A student is checking emails / listening to music / playing with a smart-phone in the lab,

15. Discussion Time

16. Keyna O’Reilly – Practical Class Organiser …some additional comments on Admin and Safety for JDs new to the Teaching Labs / Practical Class

17. Admin ●practicals are COMPULSORY ●they constitute “examinable coursework” Please prompt students to sign in as they arrive. If you notice that a student has failed to turn up for their practical on any of the required afternoons, please inform Paula. Likewise if you notice someone sneaking off early.

18. Safety in the Teaching Labs ●everyone’s safety is our highest priority ●every effort has been made to make the labs safe ●a chemicals technician is on hand to help with any etching etc ●if you think some aspect of the practical is unsafe speak to the SD or Paula immediately ●it is the SDs responsibility to train you in the particular aspects of the practical – though Paula will assist - please chase SDs for assistance if necessary

19. Safety in the Teaching Labs ●if you see anyone breaking the rules, either speak directly to them about it or inform Paula ●some DOs and DON’Ts that the students have been told they must follow, taken from the Handbook

20. The DOs DO pay attention to the PCT and demonstrators DO read and follow safety instructions DO familiarise yourself with fire escape routes DO keep fire doors closed and escape routes clear DO wear appropriate eye and hand protection DO wash hands after working with chemicals DO work in a fume cupboard with etchants and solvants DO use minimum quantities of flammable liquids DO keep the labs clean

21. …and the DON’Ts DON’T eat, drink or put on make-up in the labs DON’T use your mobile phone DON’T mouth-pippette or lick things - this includes sucking your pen! ●and a couple of my own, not in the Handbook DON’T mess around - if you do, you’ll be thrown out DON’T wear inappropriate clothing and shoes - e.g. sandals, short skirts, long scarves - you’ll be asked to modify your dress or leave

22. and finally… ●if in doubt about anything - just ASK