Plants, pigments and light
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Study for this course begins on 1 May in preparation for a one-week residential school in which you’ll undertake an intensive laboratory-based practical project, introducing the study of plant pigments and the response of photosynthesis to environmental stress. You’ll learn the skills involved in an experimental study of how plants are adapted to their environment, and design your own experiments to test a hypothesis. Essential preparatory work is assessed by a compulsory computer-marked assignment (CMA) before the first residential week. During the school your participation and performance will be assessed, you will give a short oral presentation and write a report afterwards on your experimental work. It’s a good idea to register early if you have a preferred date and venue, as unfortunately we can’t always offer your first choice.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Science.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | SXR375 |
| Credits | 15 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 1 Computer-marked assignment (CMA) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| Residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.
What you will study
This 15-credit course requires study of preparatory material including reading that provides essential theoretical background to the project, and a ‘virtual experiment’, which will introduce you to the principles of experimental design and analysis and interpretation of results. It will be assessed by a compulsory CMA. Submission of this CMA by the given cut-off date is essential to pass the course.
Photosynthesis is the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy and is the process that drives all life on earth, being at the base of all food chains. Microalgae are useful model organisms for the experimental study of photosynthesis and you will use them to investigate the effect of environmental factors such as light stress.
Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells, primarily but not exclusively located in leaf tissues. Light is harvested by two major groups of pigments. These are the green chlorophylls and the orange, yellow, red and brown carotenoids. The chlorophylls are the principal light harvesting pigments, whilst the carotenoids, in addition to absorbing light and transferring excitation energy to chlorophyll are also able to function as photoprotectants and biological colouring agents. In one of the laboratory investigations you will extract, identify and characterise chloroplast pigments from the leaves of various plants and algae.
Flavonoids are the 15-carbon compounds found throughout the plant kingdom that provide the wealth and diversity of flower colours. There are ten classes of which three are of particular importance. The anthocyanins are commonly found in red, purple and blue flowers, some fruits and autumn leaves. The majority of the flavones and flavonols are yellow, ivory, white or colourless, are widely distributed in leaves and contribute to flower colour. You will extract, identify and characterise some of these flavonoids from flowering plants.
The week in the laboratory at residential school in July/August is a core component of this course. Satisfactory attendance is required if you want to gain credit for this course. The cost of the residential school is included in the course fee.
See our Residential Schools website for more information.
Entry
This course is suitable if you are studying biological sciences at third-year degree level, either with The Open University or elsewhere, and would like to develop your knowledge of this aspect of biology and your laboratory techniques. It builds on skills taught in our Level 1 residential school course Practising science (SXR103) and our discontinued Level 2 residential school course Investigative biology (SXR270) (previously coded SXR204). Biology: uniformity and diversity (S204) provides much of the necessary background biology on which SXR375 is based. If you have studied The molecular world (S205) and Exploring the molecular world (SXR205) (now discontinued), you may also find SXR375 of interest. If you already have some degree-level knowledge or experience in biological sciences, you may be able to complete SXR375 without taking our other Level 3 courses. It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the course, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. The Science Faculty has produced a booklet Are You Ready For SXR375?, which can be viewed or printed, to help you to decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the course or whether you need a little extra preparation.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Support services will be available during the residential week, and every effort will be made to accommodate additional requirements. The laboratories and tutorial rooms are accessible to wheelchair users, but the site and design of the host institution’s buildings may present some difficulties, so please ask our Disability Resources Team for advice.
The health and safety of all our students is always our priority in the laboratories; for this reason it is essential that we know details of additional requirements well in advance.
The study materials contain complex visual material that is NOT accessible to screen-reading software. A text version of audio material is included on the CD-ROM.
The study materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
After you have registered you will receive detailed information about the residential school site and the facilities available to help with the academic programme.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publications Meeting Your Needs and Meeting your residential school needs. If you have concerns about taking this course or the support that you would have, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service or the Disability Resources Team for advice; the curriculum manager Tracy Finnegan would also like to hear from you to aid advance planning.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
Preparatory reading, virtual experiment CD-ROM and a laboratory manual; residential week of laboratory-based investigations and tuition, including evening tutorials and seminars.
You will need
A scientific calculator and a laboratory coat. Other protective equipment will be provided, although you may bring your own if you prefer.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you cannot use an Apple Mac or Linux computer unless it is running Windows using Boot Camp or similar dual-boot system.
Materials to buy
Set books
- Jones, Allan Practical Skills in Biology (4th edn), Prentice Hall £29.99 - ISBN 9780131755093
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have tuition from specialist tutors during each of the residential week activities. There will be advice and support available from a study adviser via the course forums for the duration of the course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
Both the preparatory and the residential components of the course are assessed. There is one compulsory computer-marked assignment (CMA) covering the preparatory material that MUST be submitted before the residential week in order to pass the course. You will be assessed on your laboratory work and the oral presentation of results that your group will give at the end of the week. There is an end-of-module assessment (EMA), in the form of a scientific report based on your laboratory work, to complete after the residential school. This is designed to test your understanding of the work that you have performed and your skills in scientific writing.
To pass the course you must pass all assessment components and attend the compulsory part of the residential school which includes some evening tutorials.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May 2012 when it will be available for the last time.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Science.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | SXR375 |
| Credits | 15 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 1 Computer-marked assignment (CMA) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| Residential school |
Study explained
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.
Student Reviews
A great residential course where you do some set experiments and get to do some of your own towards the ...
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Really loved this week - lots of hard work but it was great fun to design your own hypothesis and ...
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Your questions
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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35
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