Studies have shown an increase in loneliness within the student population, causing an increase in mental health conditions on commencing higher education (Diehl et al., 2018, McIntyre et al., 2018). Increased psychological distress is associated with poor student outcomes and ultimately withdrawal from degree programmes. Therefore, interventions at the beginning of university life may be able to combat loneliness and potentially mitigate increased mental distress. This can have a profound impact on student wellbeing and give students a feeling of belonging within the university community. This is important not only for student welfare, but also for the development of key transferable skills desired by employers such as teamwork and communication. Active approaches to learning may offer an opportunity to allow students to develop these skills whilst also facilitating effective knowledge transfer and recall (Morgan & Jones, 2025). This is particularly important in healthcare subjects such as biomedical science, where teamwork and communication are paramount to ensuring patient safety and quality assurance (Hussain et al., 2023).
In practical-based subjects, such as biomedicine, many students form natural groups within laboratory classes based on people they already know, resulting in increased comfort, which they maintain for the length of the module and even their full degree program. However, this does not mirror real world employment, where individuals will work with a variety of people rather than their friends. As a result, laboratory education may establish unrealistic expectations for students when they graduate and not prepare them for a successful transition from higher education to employment (Crebert et al, 2004). Therefore, embedding more opportunities for students to work in randomly mixed groups enables students to work with peers they may not know, expanding their professional and social networks, whilst also preparing them for employment. This ultimately aims to combat student loneliness whilst supporting the development of key practical and transferable competencies sought by employers.
We also observe that students are unable to conceptualize how different practical skills are used in conjunction with one another, as they are often taught as separate entities. This is beneficial to allow students to appreciate and understand the underlying principles of assays or methodologies, however, they are often used in conjunction with one another or as a part of a series, such is the case in diagnostic laboratories. This is where students silo their knowledge, with the realization of how methodologies relate potentially occurring later in higher education or upon completion of professional experience. However, this may not occur at all, further detrimentally impacting student attainment and their ability to successfully transition to becoming independent professionals upon graduation.
This project sought to design a mini-capstone project within the first-year laboratory skills module, to enable students to expand their social networks and understand how practical elements are used in conjunction in professional environments.
