Department of Pharmacology Welcomes New Research Assistant for Innovative SATLE-funded Project

13 Jun 2023

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at University College Cork (UCC) is pleased to announce the addition of Wajiha Afzal, M.Sc., as a Research Assistant for their latest project funded by the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) initiative.

Under the supervision of Drs. Órla P. Barry and Róisín Kelly-Laubscher, Wajiha Afzal will contribute to the project entitled "Exploring Pharmacology Assessment: A Legitimation Code Theory Analysis." This project aims to investigate and analyse the assessment methods used in Pharmacology, employing the Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) as an analytical toolkit.

The funding secured through the SATLE 2022 funding initiative, administered by CIRTL (Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning), will enable Drs. Barry and Kelly-Laubscher expand on their previous LTA funded research, which explored the unpacking of assessment literacy in Pharmacology.

The primary objective of the current project is to ensure that the assessment designs in Pharmacology align effectively with the desired student learning outcomes. By utilizing the LCT framework, the research team will gain valuable insights into how assessment practices can be improved and optimized to enhance student learning and engagement.

Órla P. Barry, Principal Investigator of the project, expressed enthusiasm about the research collaboration, stating, "We are delighted to welcome Wajiha Afzal to our team. She will significantly contribute to our ongoing efforts to improve Pharmacology assessments. With the support of SATLE funding, we will use LCT semantics to explore and critique Pharmacology assessments, further enhancing effective teaching and learning in our discipline."

The project's findings hold significant potential to inform future assessment strategies in Pharmacology, benefiting both educators and students alike. By ensuring the alignment between assessment design and learning outcomes, the project aims to enhance the overall quality of Pharmacology education and foster a deeper understanding of pharmacological principles and application of knowledge among students.

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at UCC looks forward to the fruitful collaboration between Drs. Barry and Kelly-Laubscher and Research Assistant Wajiha Afzal as they embark on this innovative research project. Their work will contribute to the advancement of the field, ultimately benefiting the pharmacology community and shaping the future of assessment practices in the discipline.