The excitement of chemistry

Abstract

The first year Chemistry syllabus on the Burwood campus of Deakin University was changed in 2003 because of the requirements of the courses in which the students were enrolled. Of approximately three hundred students, one third had no previous experience of chemistry, while the rest had studied Chemistry at year 12 level at school. The challenge was to keep the lectures relevant and exciting for the experienced students while making sure that the less experienced students received a good grounding in the fundamental concepts at such a pace that they did not fall behind. Two major methods were used to meet this challenge: • organisation of the syllabus into small segments, each assessed soon after completion; and • relevant demonstrations to illustrate and explain concepts during lectures.