Abstract:

The present teaching project concerns the early identification of the learning difficulties that first-year science students have. The final purpose is that they can acquire the competences of the subject in an appropriate way. Although the authors of this paper consider that students must have a high learning autonomy in the degree, we also think that the supervision of students with inherent difficulties is a duty of the teaching staff.

The present project was carried out under the Balearic Islands University Teaching Innovation Plan (academic year 17/18) and its main objective is to improve the learning of General Chemistry1,2 in the 1st year of the Biochemistry Degree. This basic subject is compulsory in the official curriculum. In our study, we focused on helping the subset of students showing difficulties in learning the subject contents.

This subset can have different origins:
i) newly-incorporated students in the degree (due to either dislocation or shyness);
ii) students who have already been enrolled in the subject but have not passed it.

In this project, we decided to monitor the students. The plan consisted in the early detection of students having learning difficulties with chemistry. The methodology to be employed is the realization of scheduled and obligatory periodic tutorials. For this reason, we separate the work in three phases: The first phase consists of a collection of information showing evidence of the teaching-learning process (questionnaires, problems delivery, class questions...). The second phase consists of the completion of some mandatory tutorials. In these tutorials, not only will the professor be a passive actor, but will also inquire the student about the subject. Once the problematic points have been found out, in the last phase the professor will help the students to solve their difficulties and to acquire the competences of the subject. Finally, we present data on the level of student success and briefly compare with results obtained by students in similar courses but not following this project.

References:
[1] Orientacions I criteris de la UIB per adopter la docència a l’EEES. Universitat de les Illes Balears. ISBM 978-84-8384-090-0
[2] Guías docentes adaptadas al espacio europeo de educación superior. Oficina de Convergència i Harmonització Europea. Institut de Ciències de l’Educació. Vicerectorat d’Ordenació Acadèmica i Covergència Europea. ISBM: 978-84-8384-016-0

Keywords:

Tutorials, Higher Education, General Chemistry.