Activities and Deliverables

Student-Focused Active Learning

Topic-Oriented Approach

Inquiry-Based/Open Ended Laboratories

Information Technology/Computer Tools

Interdisciplinary Course Clusters/Learning Communities

Evaluation

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Student-Focused Active Learning

Leaders: John C. Wright, Joanne L. Stewart

Experiment	Goals	Accomplishments	Deliverables
Chem 110 (Spring 1995) Evaluation (Wright, Millar, UW-Madison)	*Study effects of active learning on mental maturity and content mastery *Study persistence of effects of active learning *Develop dissemination packages	*Established profound effects of active learning on mental maturity *Obtained preliminary results indicating active learning effects persist *Submission of paper to Science on effects of active learning on maturity	*Manuscripts submitted (3 by August 1)
Chem 110 Adaptation Study (Schrag, Millar, UW-Madison)	*Demonstrate transferability of active learning pedagogy *Identify central factors for successful implementation	*Course implemented *Data collection complete *Formative evaluations produced	*Manuscripts?
Quantum Mechanics Reform (Wright, Weisshaar, Harriman, Zielinski, UW-Madison)	*Establish active learning model course for P. Chem. *Engage P. Chem. faculty in curriculum development	*Implementation of focus-quizzes, focus-readings, cooperative projects, Mathcad-based *Faculty-based assessment *Student evaluation via essays	*Manuscript submitted (sum. 1996) *Mathcad dissemination (Web-based) http://www.niagara.edu/~tjz/ mathcad/mathindx
Organic Chemistry (Wright, Branz, UW-Madison, SJSU)	*Establish active learning model course for Organic Chem. *Engage Organic faculty in curriculum development	*SILC learning community formed *Oral presentation to Org. faculty	?Report
Organic Chemistry (Burke, Krow, UW-Madison, Temple Univ.)	Compare cooperative learning with traditional lecture format	Improved student performance on exams that were more difficult	Challenge Problems and ConcepTests for use in Organic course
Student NT Advisory Group (Wright, UW-Madison)	*Provide student viewpoint for Project *Evaluate results of curriculum development reform projects *Work with faculty to help them understand active learning methods *Develop undergraduate initiatives	*Seminar Program (Spring 1996) *Presenting 3 posters and 1 talk at Orlando ACS Meeting *SHARCC Newsletter *Student forum held	*SHARCC Newsletter *Posters and talks at ACS Meeting
Illinois MERIT Workshops (Arena, UIUC)	Improve retention and performance of high-potential underrepresented minority students	*Development of TA training materials *Chemistry workshops were run in all levels of Gen. and Organic Chem.	*Resource guide (Sum. 1997?) *Worksheet question databank (Fall 1996?)
Challenge Problems (Landis, Burstyn, Moore, Phillips, Mantilla, UW-Madison, Wabash		*Weekly challenge problems for group work in Gen. Chem. developed and tested	*Tested set of challenge problems
ConcepTest Databank (Ellis, Branz, Moore, Phillips, Landis, UW-Madison, SJSU)		*ConcepTest database for General Chemistry established and placed on World Wide Web *ConcepTests written for Gen. Chem. by Moore, Landis, Phillips	Question databank ?Training film on use of database in interactive lectures "Blended" final exam for Gen. Chem 1 published by ACS Exam Institute

 

Topic-Oriented Approach

Leaders: Clark R. Landis, Diane Bunce

Experiment	Goals	Accomplishments	Deliverables
Buckyball, Diamond, Graphite Module (Landis, Cleveland, Cloninger, Pollock, UW-Madison, ChemLinks)	*To create new, easily adaptable thematic instructional materials for teaching chemistry	*Draft module placed on WWW and sent to 70 educators *Module used in Chem. 108 (West) and 104 (Landis)	*Complete module in ChemLinks format (Fall, 1996) *ChemLinks evaluation data
HIV Protease Module (Landis, Vosejpka, UW-Madison, Alma, MC2)	*To create new, easily adaptable thematic instructional materials for teaching chemistry	*Draft module placed on WWW *Pretested materials in Chem. 345 at UW-Madison	Complete module in MC2 format (Fall, 1996) *Evaluation data
Polyolefins Module (Landis, UW-Madison)	*To create new, easily adaptable thematic instructional materials for teaching chemistry	*Outline of module
Critical Technologies Module (Landis, Hamers, UW-Madison)	*To create new "capstone" instructional materials that reinforce chemical concepts through their application to critical technologies	*Leveraged support obtained from UW System UTIG Program	?Course materials: including lecture notes, reading packages, WWW access
Integrated 2-Year Course (Branz, Scharberg, Landis, SJSU, UW-Madison)	Blur distinctions between Gen. and Organic Chem. using topics to introduce principles	*Discussions among UW and SJSU faculties *Proposal submitted for integrated course at SJSU and approved by Admin. & Curriculum Comm.	Course outline and materials

 

Inquiry Based/Open-Ended Laboratories

Leaders: Jim Spencer, Robert Ricci

Experiment	Goals	Accomplishments	Deliverables
Gen. Chemistry and Chem. 103/104 Expts. (Moog, Spencer, Farrell, Shaw, Moore, Zumdahl, Arena, Ricci; F&M, UW-Madison, UIUC, Holy Cross)	*Develop skills in investigative strategies, data handling and analysis, pattern-recognition, and teamwork *Develop laboratory skills, techniques and safety awareness	*A lectureless, cooperative learning approach to teaching Gen. Chem. was developed and piloted at F&M *Eight inquiry-based lab experiments have been developed *Preliminary data indicates higher retention of students in lectureless vs. traditional formats *Inquiry-based labs modified and tested at MATC *Reformed set of labs has been tested in Chem. 103 at UW-Madison *Training materials for teaching assistants have been written and are being tested at UW-Madison *All seven Chem. 103 sections at UW-Madison used inquiry-based labs in Fall 1996 (~2300 students) *Revised & tested Chem. 104 labs.	*Open-ended laboratory experiments (?Date) *Tested training materials for Teaching Assistants in inquiry-based labs and cooperative learning situations *Evaluation data TA training materials/methods for computer-assisted inquiry expts. ?Laboratory and course materials
Organic Chemistry Branz, Scharberg, Schatz, SJSU, UW-Madison)		*Branz tested inquiry-based labs in Organic course at SJSU *Branz and Schatz collaborated on inquiry-based lab at UW-Madison
Physical Chemistry (Ricci, Van Doren, Holy Cross)		*Six inquiry-based labs have been developed and tested at Holy Cross	Laboratory descriptions with instructor manuals
Analytical Chemistry		*J. Wright has developed inquiry-based and open-ended labs for Chem. 110 at UW-Madison	Laboratory descriptions with instructor manuals

Information Technology/Computer Tools

Leaders: Maureen Scharberg, John Moore

Experiment	Goals	Accomplishments	Deliverables
ChemScape Implementation (Moore, March; UW-Madison)	*Provide a multimedia encyclopedia of lab techniques that will free instructor time, support inquiry-based labs, and facilitate distance learning	*18 ChemScape modules have been developed and tested in first semester Gen. Chem. at UW-Msn *Additional modules developed for second semester Gen. Chem. *Discussions underway regarding use of these modules at UW-Eau Claire, UW Centers, and CIC (Big 10) institutions *Tested in Chem. 103 at UW-Madison in Fall 1996	*ChemScape modules deliverable via the WWW and on CD-ROM *Evaluation data *Articles in J. Chem. Ed. and published materials in JCE Software
CyberProf Chemistry Modules (Whitmarsh, UIUC)	*Develop an integrated, easy-to-use system for delivering course materials via WWW	*Materials providing individualized assignments, records, announcements, and on-line tutoring using CyberProf were used and evaluated at UIUC in Fall 1996.	*World Wide Web documents (Summer, 1997?)
Interactive Texts (Coleman, Hardgrove, Pavlik, Zielinski, Rioux, Young; Wellesley, St. Olaf, Mich. Tech., Niagara, St. John's, UW-Madison)	*Develop and collect interactive texts for Physical Chem. that can be integrated into a full-year course	*Hardgrove has developed six Mathcad texts at UW-Madison *Coleman has developed ca. 25 texts *Zielinski has developed 14 texts *Zielinski and Hardgrove have collected 99 interactive texts from several authors *Zielinski has set up a WWW site with links to 19 texts	*Mathcad interactive texts published in JCE Software and available on WWW *Organized structure for maintenance and upgrade of interactive texts
Molecular Modeling (Moore, Branz, Schatz, Spencer; UW-Madison, SJSU, F&M)	*Integrate molecular modeling concepts and software into courses at all levels	*Molecular modeling exercises have been developed for use in Chem. 103 and 346 at UW-Madison *Molecular modeling exercises have been created for use at F&M	*Molecular modeling exercises
Support Activities (Moore, Peace, Shaw; UW-Madison)	*Disseminate information about the project and make project materials readily available	*WWW site at UW-Madison has been set up. *Established WWW browser access at MATC	*Ready access to information for NSF's "Adapt & Adopt" Program.

Interdisciplinary Course Clusters/Learning Communities

Leaders: Clark Landis, Ann Burgess

Experiment	Goals	Accomplishments	Deliverables
Freshman Learning Community Program (FLCP) (Denton, Landis, Shakhashiri, McIntosh, Millar, Penberthy, UW-Madison)	*Enhance student-student, student-faculty, and student-TA interactions *Forge linkages between and among courses and/or disciplines to reduce the "compartmentalization" of knowledge	*Implemented two semesters of course clusters involving ~ 100 students concurrently enrolled in Calculus and General Chemistry at UW-Madison *A student-initiated learning community involving Organic Chemistry and cellular biology evolved at UW-Madison *A Learning Communities Conference co-sponsored by the NT Project took place in November, 1995, involving about 160 UW-Madison faculty, staff and administrators *Collaborated with Women in Science and Engineering Program at UW-Madison to create residential learning community	*Evaluation report *Articles in science and engineering education journals *Student exercises and problems that integrate mathematics and chemistry *Longitudinal study of effects of FLCP on choice of major, retention, graduation rates, etc.

Evaluation

Leaders: Susan Millar & Craig Bowen