Chemistry On-Line?!? Seriously? Dr. Darlene D. Ingram 02/26/2015.

Chemistry On-Line?!? Seriously?

Dr. Darlene D. Ingram

02/26/2015

The Class: Chemistry 107

My Problem

Students hate this class!!!

They don’t get me. I don’t get them.

Students are not engaged in my F2F class

Students do not see the relevance of a

chemistry class.

Did I mention that non-majors hate this

class?

big fat

My Goals

Get the students more engaged.

Help the non-majors see the relevance of the

class.

Put the challenge on them.

Get better student evaluations.

Hate my class = hate me = failure is MY FAULT. I

would like to change this narrative.attenuate

(totally selfish)

Challenges in Delivery Must maintain the rigor of a chemistry class.

Covered the same “stuff”.

Upholding academic integrity.

Questions were randomized.

Limited availability. Feedback turned off.

Exams and Quizzes were timed and had force completion.

Chem 107 has a lab component. (3h/week in F2F.)

eScience Kit / Marilyn Hurst (This is actually COOL!)

Lecture is 3h/week in F2F class. Online class needs to be flexible. I need to be accessible.

What I Knew Then………

I have taken two online classes.

Neither class had “lectures”. (That’s not going to work!)

Both classes had four exams. (Some proctored some not)

Learning the material was totally up to me…(a mature

person taking a class for fun, likes learning new stuff, is

disciplined and self-motivated.)

NOT the typical CHEM 107 student.

I need to meet the students where they are right now.

Lecture: I NEED to think about the student! I did NOT do the same amount of lecture online that I did F2F!

I used Power Point with Voice Thread.

Lectures were broken down into smaller components or modules

Introduction

Content Lecture

Problem Solving Lectures.

Problem solving videos – biggest challenge! But, now I have the magic pen!

Lectures Were Embedded in Blackboard

Educreations-Problem Solving

Sky-WiFi Pen with Evernote-Challenge was Solved!

Decisions I made by focusing on my GOALS

Discussion Board 300pts (6@50pts)

Chapter Exams 300pts

Final Exam 100pts

Quizzes 100pts (10 @10pts)

Lab 260pts

OWL 140pts

Total 1200pts

Yes! Really!

Discussion 3-Periodic Table, Elements and Isotopes

You are a world famous chemist and have been working many days and nights in a research lab.  Just this week, after many years of dedication you have undeniably produced or discovered a new element in your lab.  Of course you are ecstatic and want to share this information with the world because you believe this will win you the Nobel Prize in chemistry.  Please answer the following questions about your new element.

Discussion 3: Questions What is the name of your new element?

Explain how you derived the name of your element.

What is the symbol of your new element?

Describe how you generated the symbol for your element.

How many protons, neutrons, and electrons does your element have?  Remember your element is new and cannot match one already on the periodic table.

Write symbols of three isotopes of your new element.

List the relative abundance of each isotope.

Calculate the average atomic mass as it would appear on the periodic table.

Does your element fall in the s-block, p-block, d-block or f-block?

Is your element a metal, non-metal or metalloid?

Name another element on the periodic table that has chemical properties similar to your new element.

List three chemical “tests” you would like to do with your element to help characterize the element.  These experiments can be simple such as solubility or more complicated such as performing a reaction.  The limitation is the idea was tried with other elements.  You can search the internet for ideas.  However, you need to list the website in your post.

The last requirement is to make suggestions about #12 for two of your colleagues.  Keep your suggestions substantive and respectful.

Discussion 4 I would like you to think about and choose three organic

compounds that have changed the world or society.  Once you have chosen your three compounds I would like you to list the compounds and discuss how these molecules have changed society or the world.  You must also reference the information you use in the discussion.  Wikipedia is a great way to find information.  However, Wikipedia is not considered a valid, peer-reviewed reference.  So, please use journal articles or scientific websites as sources of information.  

You have two weeks to complete this exercise so I expect the initial discussion posts to be well written and contain lots of reflection.  For full credit please respond to two of your colleagues discussions.  Your initial post is due 10/17 and your responses are due 10/19 @ 11:59pm.

Here are a few web links you can use to help find information.

http://cosmosmagazine.com/news/17-molecules-altered-human-history-molecules-changed-wold/

http://www.organic-chemistry.org/books/reviews/3527309837.shtm

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html

THE SURVEY I wanted feedback BEFORE the class ended.

I used the survey feature on Blackboard.

What is the largest hurdle to completing the OWL homework?

Do you find the OWL homework helpful?

Are the problem solving videos helping you learn the

material?

Do you find the discussion boards relevant? What have you

learned from this course tool? Explain.

Do you have any suggestions to make the class better?

Technology and Student Engagement

Don’t forget Twitter! DrIngramUSI

What Worked?

Breaking down the lecture in to smaller parts.

Discussion board! (slight change needed)

The variety in high risk / low risk point distribution.

The home lab kit. (There will be change next time.)

The survey

Remind

What Could Be Better?

Exams and Quizzes: They were all multiple choice.

OWL: I need to find a better way to use this.

Lab: I would like some proof that they actually conducted the

experiment.

Discussion: Although the students were more engaged in this

class than F2F it can be better. That starts with me.

Did I Meet My Goals?

Mostly. Student evaluations indicated that the class was

engaged and that I was an engaged online instructor.

The challenge of learning was put on them. Some students

bought into that and some didn’t.

Most of the students commented on now they see chemistry

in daily life now. Chemistry isn’t just something in a textbook.

I actually got 3 positive comments in my student

evaluations. (First time EVER in CHEM 107)

Student evaluations had only go one vitriolic tirade about

how I was a horrible instructor. (Just ONE!)

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day….

But, this class was built in 6 days!

I covered 12 chapters with 36 lectures.

I gave 10 quizzes

I gave 4 Exams

Assigned labs and due dates

Wrote and Assigned 6 discussions.

nearly