This paper attempts to draw together students' interaction with an organic chemistry module on Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) (Moodle), their interaction with another learning support (Drop-in Science Clinic), the approach they have adopted to their learning of chemistry and their performance in the terminal end of year chemistry examination. It discusses student trends of usage of the VLE and relates this to their examination success. Their performance in the organic section of the examination is compared to that of the physical chemistry section in which the students' did not have VLE support materials. Students' usage patterns for accessing resources on Moodle were analysed. Interesting patterns of first access are shown. In general, those who interacted with the resources on Moodle did better in their terminal examinations, showing that students who were conscientious in their studies did better in their examinations.

Research into student transition to and experience of first-year undergraduate study has been ongoing for many years. The corresponding research within the discipline of science has been less prolific and that which has been published tends to focus on using external factors such as previous grades, finances, travel time etc. as predictors for student success and retention. While these studies are valuable in identifying possible impacting factors, many of these factors are out of the control of university academics. In this study an attempt is made to examine the transition experience from a more student-centred approach, by identifying a student profile at the transition stage on entry to undergraduate science that is based on a conceptualisation of learning. It uses this profile to identity potential areas for academics to build upon student strengths and expectations of university study with the aim of highlighting opportunities to ease the transition period for both students and academics and to ultimately improve student integration and performance.

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This paper shares the initial results of a small-scale research study which aimed to investigate the problem solving processes Year 1 undergraduate science students used while undertaking problem-based learning tasks in the chemistry laboratory. A qualitative case study, combining observation and semi-structured interviews, was used to explore learners’ experience of the problem-based learning (PBL) task. The literature on problem solving processes of experts generally places importance on domain specific knowledge, developed through experience, for the expert. This is of particular relevance to this study since the students have a range of different prior experiences in the ‘chemistry’ and ‘experimental/practical’ domains. Overall, it was shown that students revealed novice-like problem solving strategies and surface approaches to learning. However, one group revealed more expert-like characteristics, coupled with a deep approach, with this group successfully solving the problem. One implication of this study is that we need to be more aware of the learning approaches of our students, as well as their subject knowledge, as they enter into higher education through careful scaffolding of such problem-based task.

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