Maryland Course Redesign Initiative

1
Maryland Course Redesign Initiative

• University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• Pilot Assessment Report Principles of Chemistry
  I
• Jennifer L. Hearne, Ph.D.
• May 30, 2008
• TechCenter _at_ UMBC

2
Introduction

• University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• MCRI Team at UMES
• Goals of the MCRI
• Adopt new ways to improve student learning
  outcomes
• Demonstrate these improvements through rigorous
  assessment
• Reduce institutional costs
• Free up instructional resources for other
  purposes
• Develop the internal capacity of USM Faculty and
  Staff to continue the redesign process
• as stated in Call to Participate

3
Topics of Discussion

• Principles of Chemistry I
• Redesign Strategy
• Pilot Project Assessment
• Results
• Implementation Issues
• Revisions
• Full Implementation Strategy

4
Principles of Chemistry I

• Goals
• Basic atomic and molecular theory
• Nomenclature
• Reaction stoichiometry
• Gas laws
• Population
• Freshman chemistry course for science and health
  professions majors
• 20 of freshman
• 30-50 students / section
• 73 are freshman
• 6 nontraditional

5
Principles of Chemistry I

• Tradition Delivery
• Lecture format
• 3-50 minute lectures / week
• 3 professors / semester
• 7 sections / academic year
• Academic issues
• Inconsistent knowledge of students
• Poor retention of material
• 55.1 student retention rate
• Lack of coordination among professors
• Course drift
• Inconsistent learning outcomes

6
Redesign Strategy Replacement Model

• Principle 1 Redesign the whole course.
• Chemistry 111E
• Two lecture sections / semester
• One 75-minute lecture / week
• 75-minute recitation (aka Resuscitation)
• 2 hours in the Chemistry Computer Lab using
  CengageNOW or studying

7
Redesign Strategy Replacement Model

• Principle 2 Encourage active learning.
• CengageNOW includes tutorials and exercises that
  may be repeated in an attempt to earn a perfect
  score
• Recitation
• Competitions

8
Redesign Strategy Replacement Model

• Principle 3 Provide students with
  individualized assistance.
• Chemistry 111E Computer Lab
• Staffed by Undergraduate Learning Assistants
  (ULAs) and Learning Assistants (LAs)
• Recitation
• Informal atmosphere
• Exercise driven

9
Redesign Strategy Replacement Model

• Principle 4 Build in ongoing assessment and
  prompt (automatic) feedback.
• Features of CengageNOW
• Student time and progress
• Hints
• Provides solutions
• Instantaneous grading
• Cumulative grade posted each Monday

10
Redesign Strategy Replacement Model

• Principle 5 Ensure time on task and monitor
  student progress.
• CengageNOW monitors a students activity
• ULAs/LA monitor students time-on-task

11
Pilot Project Assessment
12
Pilot Project Assessment
13
Pilot Project Assessment

• Successes
• Covered more material
• Increased the percentage of A-C grades (11.1)
• Attitude improvement
• Recitation
• LA/ULA
• Cell phone text messaging
• Class size
• Pre/co-requisites

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Students voted

• One-on-one help in computer lab is beneficial to
  me-I like TNOW.
• I like the Wednesday Recitation aka
  Resuscitation it is a great informal review.
  
• The TA is AWESOME!
• We only have to come once a week if we are
  passing-thats cool.
• I like the Blackboard notes, that there is
  always a TA to help with TNOW and study notes in
  the lab, and NO CLASS on FRIDAYS!
• I like having help all the time-you or Amakoe
  are always around and care about us.

they liked it!
15
Implementation Issues

• Greatest challenges
• Computers in the lab did not function properly
• Funding for a computer lab
• Math and reading skills of students
• Text
• Knowledge of computers

16
Implementation Issues

• Reaction from colleagues
• I dont have to teach this way.
• I wont teach this class.
• How will I get credit for teaching a large? It
  doesnt matter how many students I teach the
  number of credits is what counts.

17
Implementation Issues

• Department support
• Receptive of new methods and materials
• Institutional support
• Contract approval of LA/ULA
• Funding

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Revisions

• HH3073 block schedule
• In-class exercises
• Two online quizzes / chapter
• Time allocation for CengageNOW
• Pre/co-requisite enforcement
• Math 109
• No concurrent enrollment in fundamentals of
  reading and writing
• Include mathematical exercises

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Steps to Full Implementation

• Instructional conference
• Blackboard CengageNOW
• Revision and distribution of materials
• Custom textbook
• Increase CengageNOW assignments
• Develop web-based quizzes
• 50 minute lecture (M), 50 minute recitation (W)
• Additional ULAs

20
Acknowledgements

• Amakoe Ajavon Learning Assistant
• Allie Bryant Cengage Publishing
• Krystal Esoga Undergraduate Learning Assistant
• Drs. Kelly M. Mack and Joseph M. Okoh MARC /
  MBRS Co-Principle and Principle Investigators
• Don Spicer Nancy Shapiro
• Carol Twigg Carolyn Jarmon

21

• Good morning Dr. Hearne,
• I am writing to remind you of how awesome of
  a job you did this semester in teaching
  Chemistry. There was no way I could have
  predicted an A in this class, of all classes.
  Thanks to you, your plan, Lenny, Christal, and
  TNOW. This approach  to chemistry is different,
  unique, and learner friendly. However, it still
  requires a lot of work, time, and commitment. I
  applaud the way you handle a very large group
  with dignity, compassion to teach, compassion to
  know if your students have grasped the concept
  and knowledge, and zero tolerance of classroom
  disruptions. You are a perfect model of how past,
  present, and future Professors should be. Keep up
  the Good Work. May you and this program in
  chemistry continue to grow and be successful.
•  
• Thank you
• Jerry Tucker