Enhancing the student learning experience through memes.

Meme-making is an effective method for engaging students and enhancing the learning environment. Memes are a social media cultural phenomenon that the majority of those in Higher Education are exposed to on an almost daily occurrence. This research examined the use of meme-making within the forensic sciences to allow students to reflect on their knowledge. Students studying modules in forensic science across six universities in the UK and USA participated in the study. At the end of a teaching session, students produced a meme (using Meme Generator) to reflect on what they had learned; memes were then shared with the class anonymously via Padlet. This allowed all class members to see and engage with the memes created. At the end of the activity students were anonymously surveyed on their experience using Microsoft Forms and analysis of the results were undertaken using SPSS software. Meme-making was found to be an inclusive learning activity with no limitations, including age (part-time, distance learning and visually impaired students were not part of the study parameters). Results showed that not only did students find the practice fun, but it also helped with the retention of the class content suggesting that the meme-making process is an effective way to enhance the learning environment while engaging students. Student feedback suggests that to maximise participation the educator should stress reflection and learning as the key purpose of generating a meme, rather than being witty or entertaining. The forensic science educator should be mindful of selecting appropriate subject matter for this often-humorous activity.

Using sketchnoting as a revision aid with forensic students.

The concept of Sketchnoting was first introduced by Mike Rhode as a means of capturing information in a visual form using a combination of the visual and words. Within Higher Education a Sketchnote can be used to record or summarise key points from a body of information using a combination of words, simple pictures, layout and graphics. Creating a Sketchnote allows a student to be able summarise key facts from a presentation, journal article, book or practical session in a visual manner that is easier to recall at a later time. This research looks at the use of Sketchnoting as a form of interactive revision during class time. Students undertaking a 1st Year Forensic Science module at (Teesside University) University were asked to Sketchnote their learning after each hour of lecture time to form a visual representation of the lecture content in order to create a visual revision aid for their upcoming examination. The process of Sketchnoting combines both verbal and visual information for improved recall - the students are listening to the lecture then visually representing what they learn. The resulting Sketchnotes were shared each week via a class Padlet, this also allowed the academic to add formative feedback in the form of further information about the evidence type represented. The students were also able to keep their individual Sketchnotes and form a revision "book" from them. Students described the task as "Helpful", "Refreshing" and "Creative" with approximately half the class stating they would be using this as a future revision process for exams. A preliminary analysis of the exam results demonstrated a marked increase in the lower grade boundaries for the group of students who undertook the Sketchnoting exercise.

Investigating the effect photodegradation has on natural fibres at a microscopic level.

It is a known fact that when fabric is left exposed to sunlight photodegradation occurs. However, no study has ever looked at the photodegradation that occurs to individual fibre filaments as commonly recovered from a scene of crime. To look at photodegradation of individual fibres, wool and cotton fabric were dyed using CI Acid Red 27 and CI Direct Red 80 respectively at two depths of shade, 0.25% and 2.0% owf. Pieces of fabric and individual fibre samples were then placed in a Light Fastness Q-Sun 1000 Xenon test chamber which simulated exposure to sunlight over two time periods, 64 h (equivalent to one weeks sun exposure) and 128 hrs (equivalent to two weeks sun exposure). The resulting pieces of fabric and fibres where then examined using high power comparison microscopy, as well as graded for colour fading using SDC Grey Scale for Assessing Change in Colour (including half steps). Results show that in both fibre types, photodegradation occurs in all samples, however, the degree of fading is shown to vary within a given fibre population showing it is unpredictable in nature.

The transfer of fibres via weapons from garments.

Stabbings have been reported as the most frequent violent crime in countries where there is a severe restriction on obtaining firearms, such as the United Kingdom. Knives, scissors, and screwdrivers, as studied in this research, are among the most commonly encountered weapons involving stabbing events. When any of these implements are used in a stabbing, there is potential for the garment(s) worn by the victim to be damaged. In such an instance, there is an opportunity for fibres to be transferred to the weapon used, thus providing forensic evidence of proof of transfer from the victim's clothing to the weapon. This can offer valuable information in establishing what weapon was used to harm the victim through linking fibres from the victim's garment(s) to a weapon recovered from a suspect. This research simulates vertical stabbings - performed by a human participant - in to a polystyrene block supporting the clothing (essentially acting as the victim's torso), to reflect an authentic scenario. The aforementioned weapons were used along with 3 varieties of garments (cotton, polyester and a linen/viscose mix) offering different characteristics of shedability and structure for the simulated stabbings. Low power microscopy was utilised to view the transferred fibres. The amount of fibres transferred on to the implement were recorded for each repeat. 2279 individual fibres were found over 10 repeats from the knife in relation to the linen/viscose garment. This was the highest amount of transference found with the lowest number attributed to the screwdriver-polyester relationship, providing 320 recorded fibres over 10 repeats. The findings of this study suggest that the number of fibres transferred is not only related to the shedability of the garment but also the surface area characteristics of the receiving weapon and the ability for the garment to tear.

An investigation into the persistence of textile fibres on buried carcasses.

A significant amount of research has been carried out on fibres to aid the forensic scientist in determining the significance of these when found on a victim or suspect. This work has focused on open-air environments, and as such no research has been undertaken to examine the persistence of fibres on bodies in the burial environment. Wool and cotton fibres, known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light, were transferred onto the skin of four porcine (Sus scrofa) carcasses (two carcasses per fibre type). The number of fibres transferred was recorded from images taken under UV light. The remains were subsequently placed in four burial sites and left interred for 14 days. After this period the carcasses were excavated and lightly brushed down to remove the soil layer that had adhered to the skin. Once again photography under UV light was used to record the number of fibres which persisted on the skin. Results showed that after 14 days, wool and cotton fibres remain on the surface of the buried carcasses. In no circumstance was there a total loss of fibres suggesting that in such scenarios, the likelihood of finding fibres is high but the initial number of fibres transferred would be strongly diminished. This has important implications for both the excavation protocol for buried remains and the subsequent analysis for physical evidence.

An assessment of firework particle persistence on the hands and related police force practices in relation to GSR evidence.

In a previous study by Grima et al. Sci. Justice 52 (1) (2012) 49, it was shown that background particles can aid in the exclusion of firework particles which are indistinguishable from GSR. Issues relating to the persistence of such particle populations were presented. The scope of this project was to examine persistence on the hands in the context of possible post-display scene contamination and how this can affect GSR evidence, especially in light of possible GSR/firework mixtures. Persistence was investigated by recovering firework residues eight hours post-display following contact of the hands with bedding. In addition, particle profiling was carried out using SEM-EDX. Firework particle populations exhibited strong persistence in all displays, with not less than 667 particles persisting in each scenario. This factor challenges GSR evidence, especially if personnel stationed at display sites enter scenes of crime or come into contact with suspects after a display. A survey of UK police force practices following firework displays showed that authorities are not aware of the impact particle transfer may have on GSR evidence. Recommendations for the implementation of basic hygiene practices for particle transfer control have also been made.