Selection pressures on zoology teaching in Australian universities: student perceptions of zoological education and how to improve it

Abstract

Zoology is a diverse and vibrant discipline blending natural history with modern technologies and applications to understand the biology of animals. Career paths for those trained in zoology vary dramatically, ranging from traditional roles in research and teaching to work in environmental management, planning and health sciences. Undergraduate and postgraduate students participating in the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales' student workshops were asked to identify what they value in their tertiary education and how they would improve the experience. Student perceptions of what constitutes a good learning experience in zoology reflected the common belief that experiential learning, particularly in the field, were critical to successful undergraduate programs. Postgraduates reflected on the very specific nature of MSc and PhD projects, such that vocational elements deemed important for later success were sometimes neglected owing to the temporal constraints of completing higher degrees by researc...