Kathy AsalaRichard Jew

Susan MichaelKate Popejoy

CHEM 1251 Redesign

1. Lecture – 180 students in lecture hall2. Problem Session – led by instructor in lecture hall

with all students3. Common Exams – grade depends on exam scores

Traditional CHEM 1251

Goals of Redesign:1. Lower DFW %2. Increase retention of material3. Improve student satisfaction with course

1. Pre-Lecture Videos – introduce basic concepts

2. Video Assessments – accountability for videos

3. Streamlined Lecture – higher-level, application-driven environment assumes knowledge from videos

4. TASL – develop individual problem solving approach

5. Online Homework – reinforces individual mastery

6. Problem Solving Videos – models problem solving

Tailoring Redesign to CHEM 1251

Team Approach to Successful Learning (TASL) Workshops

Team Approach to Successful Learning (TASL) Workshops in CHEM 1251 in Spring 2011

• First Implementation: UCOL Faculty Fellows Grant

• 173 Students in CHEM 1251-001

• Weekly, collaborative, small group workshops in addition to lecture and problem session

• 75 minute workshops of 16-20 students facilitated by an Undergraduate Learning Coach (LC); 5 Learning Coaches hired

• Written assignments completed in small groups composed 12.5% of overall course grade

• Learning Coaches enrolled in CHEM 4095: Topics for Teachers 1 credit seminar course met weekly for 75 minutes Led by Dr. Popejoy (Science Education Faculty from the College of

Education) and Dr. Asala (CHEM 1251 Instructor) Discuss best practices in science learning, teaching and pedagogy.

Topics included:• development of guided inquiry skills• basic learning theory• current CHEM 1251 content• orchestrating discourse among students about concepts while

addressing students’ alternate conceptions• challenging students to accept and share responsibility for their own

learning

Training of Learning Coaches: CHEM 4095

• Discussion forum– Each LC posts a response to the week’s reading assignment.

• Weekly journal entry– LCs post their thoughts about that week’s workshops

• In-person discussion– LCs identify different aspects of that week’s topics in their own

workshops.

• Workshop troubleshooting– Personnel management, grading issues, attendance issues

• TASL Assignment work-through• TASL Assignment editing

Training of Learning Coaches: CHEM 4095

Learning Coaches’ Perspectives:Taras Grinchak

Learning Coaches’ Perspectives:Taras Grinchak

62

76.5

81

90

81.5

Performance Comparison for Dr. Asala’s S10 (Traditional) and S11 (TASL) Sections

Performance Measurement Spring 2010 (n=170)

Spring 2011 (n=172)

Passed class with grade of C or better

52 82 *

Grade of D or F 79 53

Withdrew from course 39 37

Number of students taking final exam

120 126

Average final exam score (200 points)

105 125 **

* p = .0009 d = 0.3646 ** p = .00001 d = 0.5294

S11 Mid-Semester Evaluation of TASL Workshops

• Initial reaction to participating in TASL:– Unfavorable: 66%– Great idea: 34%

• After 5 weeks, is TASL beneficial?– Yes: 100 %

• Has TASL had a positive influence on your learning in CHEM 1251? – Yes: 98%– No: 2%

• TASL Workshops offered to four sections (735 students), 8 workshops per section

• TASL Workshop time built into course schedule in place of problem session – separate alphabetized groups in Moodle

• CHEM 4095 led by Dr. Popejoy (Science Education Faculty from the College of Education) and Dr. Asala (CHEM 1251 Liaison)

• 11 Learning Coaches

4 returning and 7 new LCs

Represent a variety of majors (BIOL, CHEM, ENGR, PHYS)

Each workshop had 20-24 students

Fall 2011 CHEM 1251

Preliminary Comparison of F11 TASL and non-TASL Sections

Performance Measurement non-TASL Section (n=185)

TASL Section (n=185)

Passed class with grade of C or better

81(19 B)

91(29 B)

Grade of D or F 59 51

Grade of F 36 28

Withdrew from course 45 43

Number of students taking final exam

132 132

Average final exam score (200 points)

119.3 127.5

F11 Mid-Semester TASLAttitudinal Surveys

F11 Mid-Semester TASLAttitudinal Surveys

F11 Mid-Semester TASLAttitudinal Surveys

• TASL Workshops offered to three sections (546 students), 14 workshops per section, separate randomized Moodle groups

• TASL Workshop time built into course schedule, but students may select for one of four additional times

• Lectures are M/W or T/R; TASL Workshops are Thursday, Friday, or Monday

• CHEM 4095 led by Dr. Popejoy (Learning Specialist from College of Education), Dr. Jew (CHEM 1251 Instructor), and Dr. Asala (CHEM 1251 Liaison)

• 18 Learning Coaches

6 returning LCs (2 workshops each), 9 new LCs (2 workshops each), 3 Graduate LCs (4 workshops each)

Each workshop has 11-16 students

All classrooms have internet/SmartPodium access

Spring 2012 CHEM 1251

• Teams of Learning Coaches

– Pair up new LCs with returning LC mentors

– Returning LCs respond to new LC Discussion postings

• Interactive Learning Tools (ILTs)

– Interesting videos or demos to pique interest

– Mnemonics or visualization software to help explain concepts

• Smaller group discussions to benefit new and returning Learning Coaches

Spring 2012 CHEM 4095

TASL Challenges

1. Workshop Size – accountability, recitation vs. workshop2. Student Motivation – how to earn student buy-in, probing

and/or leading questions vs. answers3. Personnel Management – how should peer mentors deal

with class clowns, shy students, vocal but misinformed students

4. Workshop Timing – before vs. after lecture, processing time5. Technology – Moodle groups, gradebook6. Learning Coach Workload – limit the number of workshops

taught by each LC

Redesign Challenges

1. Instructor assignment and schedule building – coordination of early room/course scheduling, staffing sections, and timing of topics in curriculum is crucial

2. Adequate instructor time – large amounts of time are required for preparation and planning beyond teaching and administrative responsibilities

3. Technology – faculty training, faculty buy-in, need for a TechTA and a lead instructor with a reduced teaching load; students can be overwhelmed with technology

4. Money – we need sustainable funding; first TASL and the Resource Room were funded through one-time grants; delayed cost savings through lower DFW rates

Center for Teaching and Learning• Dr. Valorie McAlpin• Dr. Jaesoon An• Dr. Michael Moore• Ms. Melanie Rouse• Dr. Garvey Pyke

Academic Affairs• Provost Joan Lorden

University College• Dr. John Smail

AcknowledgmentsDepartment of Chemistry• Dr. Bernadette Donovan-Merkert• Mrs. Stacy Hutchison• Mr. Taras Grinchak• Mr. Keith Williams

College of Education• Dean Mary Lynne Calhoun

• These videos help focus students on the most basic but essential information in preparing for lecture.

• Animation of concepts helps students picture hard-to-envision concepts at the microscale level.

• Students can watch repeatedly until they achieve mastery of the topic.

Pre-Lecture Videos

• These videos guide students through step-by-step explanations to connect problem solving methods to conceptual ideas.

• Students can watch these videos repeatedly for sample demonstrations when working book or online homework problems.

Problem Solving Videos

• Moodle Quizzes are used to hold students accountable for understanding and mastering video content.

• Allows students opportunities to repeat the quiz until they succeed.

• Low stakes quizzing: 3-5 questions per quiz focus on the most important learning goals.

• Weekly quizzes enforce time-on-task for students.

Video Assessments

Sample Video Assessment

Performance Comparison for Dr. Jew’sS10 (Traditional) and S11 (Assessment) Sections

• Improved learning and retention of knowledge• Decrease in D/F grades• Improved awareness of progress in class

Performance Measurement

S10(Traditional)

S11(Assessment)

% change

Average final exam score (200 points possible) 119 135 +8

DFW % 55.0% 53.0% −2.0

DF% 36.3% 24.8% −11.5

W% 18.7% 28.2% +9.5

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL)

• Model supported by NSF DUE in 1990s

• Effective, proven model for teaching undergraduate science

City College of New York, University of Rochester, University of Colorado at Boulder

• PLTL Workshops are interactive, course specific problem-solving sessions

Students work in collaborative small-group environments and are led by a specially trained student facilitator

Students build conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills

Team Approach to Successful Learning (TASL) Workshops in CHEM 1251 in Spring 2011

• Participants: CHEM 1251 Instructor (Dr. Kathy Asala) Science education specialist (Dr. Kate Popejoy, Assistant

Professor of Science Education, CoED) Peer leaders: Learning Coaches (5 LCs in S11)

• Students who have successfully completed CHEM 1251 and expressed an interest in helping their peers learn

• Trained to facilitate the workshops in CHEM 4095 CHEM 1251-001 Students (173 students)

• Each week, students worked collaboratively in small groups on a written TASL Assignment for 75 minutes.

Mid-Semester Evaluation of TASL Workshops

• Describe your initial reaction to participating in TASL workshops as they were described in the syllabus or during class the first week of the semester. Unfavorable: 66%

• waste of time, inconvenient, going to be similar to Supplemental Instruction

Great idea: 34%

• helpful, great idea, 100 points could really help your grade for the class

• Describe your reaction now since participating in the workshops for five weeks. 100% of respondents recognized that the workshops are

beneficial:• Improved on quizzes and tests• Great idea!• Comfortable asking questions• Like small group setting; one-on-one assistance• Helped more than expected• Better than Supplemental Instruction (SI)• Forces you to study• Get to know people in the class

Mid-Semester Evaluation of TASL Workshops (cont’d)

• Educational research demonstrates that explaining concepts or problem-solving techniques to someone else is one of the most effective ways to learn. Do you feel that the TASL workshop setting has allowed you to teach and learn chemistry concepts with other students and had a positive influence on your own learning? No: 2% Yes: 98%

“TASL gives students hope!”

Mid-Semester Evaluation of TASL Workshops (cont’d)