ChemPALS: Chemistry Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme
The School of Chemistry and the Edinburgh University Students’ Association jointly run the Chemistry Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme, or ChemPALS for short.
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So what is ChemPALS?
Well, it’s about experienced chemistry students helping new chemistry students.
PALS is entirely informal and student-run. The PALS Leaders are volunteers from Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 who organise and run informal meetings specifically for first year students (or those new to the university). Discussions are always held in informal, supportive environments. There’s no pressure on students who attend these sessions – the leaders were all once freshers too!
The sessions are designed to “show you the ropes”, covering all kinds of topics like ‘How to Take Lecture Notes’, ‘Writing a Lab Report’, and ‘Tips on How to Revise for Exams” etc. These are just a few examples, and there’s much more on offer that’s very relevant to you in your first year as a university student.
Previous feedback shows that students who attend PALS sessions (across the university) have found the discussions quite helpful, and many have gone on to benefit academically from attending these sessions.
The PALS Leaders look forward to welcoming you at the next meeting and you can keep in touch with what’s going on at the ChemPALS Twitter feed. If you already follow us at KirsopLabs, we’ll make sure to retweet all the ChemPALS info.
ChemPALS Timetable 2014/2015
There are 3 revision sessions planned for our first-year chemistry courses. ChemPALS leaders will be at each session to provide support and encouragement, and we hope you will come along. The sessions are:
Venue: First Year Lab
Chemistry 1A – Wed 3 Dec 14:00
Biological Chemistry 1A – Fri 5 Dec 10:00
Introductory Chemistry for Biologists – Mon 15 Dec 14:00
‘Shout-outs’ are planned for the 2nd-semester, when lecturers for our first-year courses will remind students about how ChemPALS is available to you and the benefits of attending the sessions. We hope that a leader can also be present at each ‘shout-out’ to give you some first-hand information.
The ‘shout-outs’ are scheduled to take place during lectures as follows:
Monday 12th Jan 2015: Biological Chemistry 1B; Swann Building
Monday 12th Jan 2015: Chemistry 1B; David Hume Tower.