CSP Workshop Highlights

The CSP workshop is an integral part of the program. Students meet in small (under 30 students) groups once per week and take part in a variety of hands-on learning activities. Below we have highlighted four workshops: "Review Websites", "Digital Storytelling", Experimental Design" and "Scientific Debates".

Review Websites

Students worked in teams of two to develop a website to review one of the topics covered in their science classes. This exercise helped students review a portion of their courses, created an on-line resource for all CSP students, and helped them learn to design a website.

To view a sample mathematics website designed by students, click HERE. To view a physics website, click HERE.

Digital Storytelling

Reflection is increasingly recognized as an critical component of learning. Students reflected on what they have learned in one of their biology course. They then converted the story of their learning into a digital movie. Below is a sample movie produced by a CSP student.

To view Bryan's reflections on ecology, click HERE (note: requires Quicktime Player).

Experimental Design

In this workshop, students worked in small groups to design an experimental set up for an apparatus. The aparatus consisted of a wooden stand, a long funnel, clothes pins, tape, a long tube, and a marble. The goal of the apparatus set up was to have the marble take as long as possible to travel through the tube and funnel.

Students designed the set up in the week 1 workshop (no marble was given) and there was class discussion around experimental parameters and variables. During week 2 of the workshop, students were given a marble and had 45 minutes to do 48 trials of their experiment. Usually students did variations of the set up and did 3-5 trials of each variation. At the end of the workshop, the "Funnel Olympics" had students compete to see which aparatus had the longest time of marble travel.

Here is a selection of documents from this workshop.
Experimental Design Checklist (for discussion)
Worksheet for Week 1
Worksheet for Week 2

Scientific Debates

UBC is lucky to have a very active Debating Society. Last year, for the first time, CSP had three workshops focussing on debating skills. UBC Debate Society members came in for the week 1 workshop and gave a useful and entertaining workshop on debate skills. Students were encouraged that even if they couldn't see the direct benefit of improving debates skills, these skills would come in handy in writing assignments, discussions with friends, and speaking in public. Here is the link to the UBC Debate Society "Debate 101" page.

The students were grouped in teams of 2-4, depending on the number of students in the workshop. Those debating in week 2 were given their choice of scientific topics and the one week in which to prepare to debate both sides of the issue.

In week 2, debating began! Students, CSP instructors, and UBC Debating Society members were involved in judging and feedback was given immediately following the debates. For CSP debates, the focus was not on who "won" or "lost" the debate but on general skill development. At the end of the week 2 workshop, topics were chosen by the remaining students to be debated in week 3.

Here are the judging guidelines and ballot that we used.
Judging Guidelines
Judge Ballot

Contact Information

I.K. Barber Learning Centre, Room 385A
1961 East Mall
Vancouver, BC
V6T 1Z1

Phone: (604) 822-0274
Fax: (604) 822-5551
csp@interchange.ubc.ca

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Hello to our prospective CSP students!