Dr Jacquie Robson

RSC School Teacher Fellow

Department of Chemistry, Durham University

RELITE has seen the redevelopment of the first

year chemistry laboratory course at Durham:

• to ease transition into the undergraduate

laboratory

• to improve practical skill levels and reflect

changes in the modern post-16 curricula

• to improve collaborative learning

• to reconsider assessment of practical skills

• to develop the teaching methodologies used in

what was a very ‘traditional’ first year course

• to promote independent learning

What is an independent learner?

An independent learner has the ability to set their own

learning tasks and evaluate their own learning. They can

assess their own ‘understanding’ and progress without

external validation.

At school, students tend rely on their teacher for

direction. They complete set learning tasks. The rely on

routine. The look for external validation that their

learning and understanding is ‘good quality’.

Our data show that our students expect learning ‘to be

different’ at University than at school, and they ‘expect

to do more independent learning’. Our experience shows

that they do not know what ‘becoming independent

learners’ requires. More guidance? Contradiction?

• Encourage reflection

• Promote collaborative work

• Encourage questions and discussion – pathways?

• Value the ‘learner voice’

• Acknowledge progress and achievements to develop confidence

• Reduce teacher ‘interference’

• Support study skills – resources?

• Key milestones for success provided – expectations made clear

* Developing the expert learner (2008), The Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning -Teaching and Learning Programme

Tips for creating independent learners:*

• Lots of directed study early on in the year (tasks to complete are explicit and compulsory)

• Guidance decreases in detail as year progresses after expectations made clear

• Virtual support using VLE and targeted resources provided for independent learning made available throughout the year

• ‘Stretch and challenge’ resources incorporated

• Support for students from staff (in person and electronically) – encourage ‘silly’ questions

Independent learning for laboratory work:

• It has long been known that students have problems during lab work caused by overload of the working memory.1,2

• New tasks designed to ensure students do some work away from the lab.

• Tasks include preparation of the lab notebook, quizzes, written exercises and experimental risk assessments. All done away from the lab.

• Demand of tasks increases during the year but guidance decreases in key areas.

Training students to learn independently:

1. The pre-lab work

1Johnstone and Vianna, Studies in Higher Education, 1994, 19, 1, 77-88

2Reid, N. Enhancing Chemistry Laboratories, 2003, Royal Society of Chemistry

2. Virtual Support: Use of LabSkills and the chemistry ILP (via DUO)

http://www.labskills.co.uk/university.php http://chem-ilp.net

• A capstone activity that allows some student

choice

• ‘Extra-curricular’ research-led content – links

to departmental research

• Project direction is determined by student

• Aiming to develops independent study skills,

creative thinking and problem-solving

• Staff were available (via email) throughout

preparation time to provide encouragement

where needed

3. The ‘Project’

• Lecture to explain the philosophy

• Student choice incorporated into allocation (motivation)

• Time provided: one week of lab sessions to research and prepare, two weeks of lab sessions for completing project.

• Some ‘guided’ starters provided for independent study (all involve a simple literature search)

• Basic lab guidance given

• Lots of resources on the VLE

• Generally well-received by most students (but not all…)

Project preparation:

• Students were very well prepared, well organised and well informed before the laboratory sessions.

• Many students were very creative in their approaches

• Evidence of some real understanding of scientific method.

• Real enthusiasm for the projects – they took ownership and worked independently.

• Enjoyment/engagement evident in the lab and in feedback

• Many project reports exceeded expectations of ‘first year standard’ – primary literature, report structure, analysis of results

Project successes:

• Crisis of confidence?

• ‘What’s the right answer?’

• Dealing with ‘failure’ – what to do if it doesn’t go ‘to plan’.

• Dealing with ‘awkward’ materials e.g. honey

• Approach to data collection was sometimes too trivial.

• Some hated it! (But some really thrived!)

• One of the projects had a ‘more defined direction’ and was popular because of this

• Fear expressed by many about ‘open-ended’ nature of other projects

Student difficulties:

We feel we have more confident undergraduates

who can talk about chemistry with their peers,

junior demonstrators and senior demonstrators.

• They are well prepared in the laboratory.

• They think about (and practice) practical work

away from the lab.

• They think more about what they are doing

and can be very creative.

• They are less scared to ask for help and solve

problems more readily.

Evidence of independent learning?

Recent focus groups were held to invite students to reflect on their learning in the lab course and give us feedback.

• It was clear that they still find ‘evaluating’ their learning experiences difficult.

• Discussion directed by a facilitator about their learning and understanding (e.g. what methods did you find most useful to help you learn? What skills did you learn?) often ended up discussing logistical lab issues.

• They appreciate that there were numerous resources provided on the VLE but still want telling exactly when to use them (e.g. report guidance)

• Some progress! But work to be done!

Focus group findings?

Future work?

More development / pedagogical studies on ‘new’

projects and practicals and the overall experience

Development of new vehicles for feedback

after the laboratory sessions

Extension of the ethos up the Levels

…and across Departments?

Thanks:

RELITE team, especially Prof John Evans, Dr Andrew Hughes, Dr Ivana Evans, Mr Craig Hopper

(Department of Chemistry)

Dr Marek Szablewski (Department of Physics) and Dr Helen Vaughan (formerly Department of Physics, now Liverpool University)

STFs across the country for help and advice (particularly Mr Tim Harrison (Bristol) and Dr David Read (Southampton))

Funding: HE STEM Large Scale Curriculum Development Award

Durham University ELSE award

The Royal Society of Chemistry

Contact: Dr Jacquie Robson, j.m.robson@durham.ac.uk

• Biodiesel – organic synthesis, purification

• Hydrogels – polymer and gel chemistry, data

analysis

• Dye-sensitised solar cells – electronic

properties of materials, natural product

extraction, redox chemistry, spectroscopy

• Honey – viscosity, hygroscopicity,

thixotropicity and optical properties, data

analysis

Projects available: