Higher Education Academy Physical Sciences Centre invites chemistry lecturers and their undergraduates to contribute to its review of the student learning experience in chemistry

Students on a university campus

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What is it like being a chemistry student?

The Higher Education Academy Physical Sciences (HEAPS) Centre is inviting chemistry lecturers and their undergraduates to contribute to its review of the student learning experience in chemistry. The review aims to answer the question: what is it like being a chemistry student in 2008?.  

The need to maintain levels of student recruitment and retention in HE chemistry, a subject recognised by the Government as strategically important and vulnerable, has led to an increase in curriculum development activity and in the design of innovative programmes. This is also supported by initiatives such as the HEFCE-funded Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)-led initiative Chemistry for our future. Consequently, there is a need to understand how chemistry is taught in universities, whether innovative teaching and assessment and best practice are being shared, and whether the needs of industry and government are being met.  

This study is gathering information from academic staff and students, from departmental websites, and from other reviews and surveys of teaching and learning in universities. Using this information, the HEAPS Centre study will provide an accurate view of current teaching practices in UK chemistry departments, an insight into undergraduate perceptions and expectations about their courses, their academic and pastoral support, and their future employment. Results from the survey will provide a benchmark against which to map pedagogic developments within HE chemistry. 

Two questionnaires have been developed through consultation and focus groups. Lecturers teaching on a chemistry degree course are invited to complete an online questionnaire which will take ca 10 minutes. Chemistry lecturers are encouraged to get their students to complete the online student questionnaire. Copies of both questionnaires are also available from the HEAPS Centre website.

Completed questionnaires should be returned to the HEAPS Centre by 31 March 2008. For more information on the survey contact Michael Gagan, the review consultant. 

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