Dylan P. Williams is a Teaching Fellow appointed jointly to the Departments of Chemistry and IScience at the University of Leicester. The summary provides an overview of his roles bridging the gap between the two departments, which have different teaching approaches - Chemistry relies more on lectures while IScience uses problem-based learning. Key responsibilities include helping introduce PBL into Chemistry and wikis into IScience, as well as co-running projects between the departments on science communication and teaching resources. The dual appointment requires balancing the teaching demands and administrative duties of both departments.

1. Department of Chemistry
Bridging the Gap
Being a Teaching Fellow in Two Departments
Dylan P. Williams
dylan.williams@le.ac.uk

2. Joined
Department of Appointed Awarded
Chemistry as Teaching Fellow University
‘Educational in Chemistry Teaching
Developer’ and IScience Fellowship
End of Start of RSC
‘Chemistry for C/PBL and
our Future’ ‘Chemistry
Clips’ projects

3. • Two very different degree
courses:
• Chemistry – mostly
lecture, tutorial and lab
based with some C/PBL
(≈110 students per year)
• IScience – mostly C/PBL
based with few lectures.
Paperless degree, student
work marked on tablets
(≈15-20 students per year)

4. • The teaching teams:
• Chemistry – approx. 20
academics with a range of
backgrounds
• IScience – a small core
team of teaching fellows
with ‘expert sessions’
given by guest academics
from other departments
(chemistry, biological
sciences, physics and
astronomy and geology)

5. • Introduction of C/PBL in chemistry was guided
by the IScience experience
• Introduction of wikis in IScience course based
on chemistry experience
• ‘Chemistry Clips’, ‘Maths Miniatures’ and
‘Physics Pieces’ projects run in parallel by DPW
and Professor Derek Raine
• RSC C/PBL project (2011-12) – 4 resources
authored by 3 IScience teaching fellows
• Since 2012 we have run a joint Science
Communication module

6. • Both departments operate an independent
timetable
• First semester contact hours are up to 30
hours per week
• Significant administrative implications (e.g.
writing exam questions)
• In reality adds up to more than 70% chemistry
+ 30% IScience
• Future challenges include growing IScience to
30-40 students per year

7. www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/collections/higher-
education/he-resources/context-and-problem-
based-learning
www.le.ac.uk/departments/chemistry/people/aca
demic-staff/dr-dylan-p-williams