Bulletin Special Supplement Jun 1965

moment when they should also be occupied w i th adjusting to new approaches at more advanced stages of familiar fields. If therefore the University were to decide on a far-reaching policy of general studies, it should be prepared to put all possible pressure on secondary school authorities to co-operate in making its task easier by developing a broader pattern of schoolwork. L7.5 We have suggested above (paragraph 5.2) that to assist the adjustment to a more mature and critical approach needed in University studies, small-group teaching is of value. We have also suggested that for it to give its best results there shoul d not be too much of it going on at the same time in the programme of any given student. Moreover, if the ratio of staff teaching time to student working time is depressed through uneconomic multiplication of small- group teaching periods , the strain on staff becomes noticeable. For General Studies, therefore , the question arises in acute form, whether small group teaching should be concentrated on the student's new fields of study (e.g., on Arts or Social Studies subjects for those w i th a scientific bent), or not; if not, there is the likelihood that the new field of studies might be pursued by students in the way which the Committee on Teaching Methods has deprecated. L7.6 We note the vie w of the Committee on Teaching Methods (paragraph 26) wher e it anticipates this difficulty b y suggesting that "the chief method of teaching would be small tutorial groups backed by reading and written work on the part of the students." It will be apparent that if such teaching is not related to fairly substantial amounts of student work, it w i ll place an unusually heavy load on staff; if it is so related i n a number of subjects simultaneously, the risk arises that students w i ll be faced w i th an excessively heavy burden of work. There is thus a dilemma here; we should not wish to dogmatise over the ways in which it might be faced. L7.7 It remains true that there is no intrinsic impossibility in presenting students w i th a broad programme of wor k ranging over several Faculties or disciplines. I f the teaching problems of the kind we have mentioned can be overcome, the results are appreciable. I t w i ll be borne in m i nd that if the content of each course is made as selective a s it ought to be (paragraph 7.3. above), the student on completion of his studies is likely to be less well placed to embark at once on research than h e would otherwise be; this has been the experience of several Universities in different countries. The matter can be remedied by extra time, teaching, and attention at the post-graduate stage; an d this would in our view be one of the implications of introducing an extensiv e system of General Studies courses. I t may well be found, also, that certain "scientific" subjects are particularly well suited for study alongside certain "non-scientific" courses (e.g., Zoology an d Psychology). I n general, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistr y may offer greater problems than biological subject s if worthwhile standards (i.e. not those of the schoolroom) are to be aimed at for University students w i th a n Arts bias. L7.8 We may, then, summarise as follow s the points for consideration on General Studies, so far as they relate to Teaching Methods: (i) I f the attempt t o offer a broad range of subjects leads to heavy timetables of lectures for students , the scheme may be impressive on paper but there is a likelihood that difficulties will be encountered in the quality of student work. ( i i ) There is a risk that programmes may be unduly heavy in an attempt to reach good standards. It would be wise to have in m i nd f r om the outset (as indeed for any programme of studies) a ma x i mum number of weekly hours of instruction; preferably less than 20, including practical work. ( i i i ) Small-group teaching, likewise, should be the object of great care in planning. I f one danger is too many lectures (i.e. courses that are too ambitious) a similar danger is to be faced in over-provision o f tutorials. (iv) T he University should have regard to the secondary school preparation of its students, and, i f it resolves on major developments in General Studies, attempt to secure the co-operation of schools and, so far as is possible, the adaptation of schools examination syllabuses, though this may take time. (v) The effect of General Studies on intending researchers (who in many cases are almost by definition specialists) shoul d not be overlooked. Se c t i on 8: Steps to be T a k e n i n t he I mm e d i a t e F u t u r e L8 .1 I t would be difficult to lay dow n a programme for action by the University without usurpin g functions which are properly those of the University itself; furthermore, our investigations have not up to the present been sufficiently extensive for us to enter at this point into great detail. We hav e however made a number of suggestions in this report, on a variety of different topics, and if these are to be of use, even as a basis for further deliberations, it may be appropriate to indicate here what are th e points to wh i ch in our view the University might first devote attention. L8.2 We have made it clear that, in our view, methods of teaching are inseparable from the content o f courses. We recommend therefore that in each College and department , consideration should be given to thre e things: (i) Reduction of the content of courses, with a 41