In this HE STEM funded project we engaged with an industrial/business partner a large food manufacturer in the South West in order to bring their data and associated problems into the HE curriculum. We identified real problems they had with quality control of raw and cooked ingredients in a selected range of their products. These problems were solvable using data interrogation graphical and statistical modelling methods. The company made available to us a large amount of real data they routinely collect during their production processes.
We took advice from university colleagues including Dr Shirley Coleman of Newcastle University and synthesised the data and problems into formats for teaching at three levels. At levels one and two the problems have been posed so that solutions can be obtained by using individualised samples taken from several large databases. We have created a Moodle-based system for students and university tutors to download the problems and their solutions. At level three the students interact directly with our industrial partner who will discuss the problem that we have posed. In the level 3 solutions students will provide written discussions/reports.
