Patterns of Teaching And Learning of First-Year Chemistry in Scottish Universities

Student attitudes to the teaching and learning of first-year chemistry in Scottish Universities were assessed by means of a questionnaire answered by nearly 1,000 students at seven of the eight universities. Students were critical of lecturing techniques and would like to have changes in the form of examinations. They liked the use of structural models and duplicated notes and wanted more tutorial classes (favouring smaller groups). There seemed a tendency for the weaker English student to come to Scotland, perhaps because of the assumed lower levels of knowledge required. Students who had taken the alternative chemistry SCE course were more critical of university practical classes; and Scottish students, on average, spent more time on reading and less on preparation for tutorials than others. Well motivated students and introverts had better study habits than poorly motivated or extraverts. Students were in general content with their instruction and worked reasonably hard.