Question: How successful have you been in helping your students to learn more effectively and successfully?

Richard Prince answered on 12 Jun 2015:

I think I have done pretty well: my first year pharmacology course is consistently rated by students in the top 10% of modules that the faculty offers but also has the reputation of being the hardest first year unit. Each year we start off with about 30 B.Sc. Pharmacology students in year 1, but at the start of year 2, the number has gone up to nearer 50 because of transfers in from other degrees such as B.Sc. Biomedical Sciences. I think if I can get students to enjoy a difficult subject and persuade them to study intensely for the following two years, I’ve probably got the balance right.
One of the things I think is really important – and you will probably appreciate this too from your studies at school – is to give extensive feedback on students’ work and to get them to act on that feedback. I’ve had to spend a lot of time working out how our virtual learning environment (Blackboard) works so that I can give helpful feedback on essays and other pieces of coursework to large numbers of students.
All the best
Richard