Assessment Report
CHEM 1010
– SPRING 2007
Instructor:
Doug Harris
Course Description:
For nonscience majors. Includes basic chemical concepts and a survey
of the various branches (general, organic, and biological) of chemistry.
Heavy emphasis on everyday applications.
Enrollment:
135
Assessment method:
Use student centered learning strategies in the chemistry classroom.
Outcomes Data: In an
effort to determine what students are learning on a daily basis, a series
of learning checks (non-graded formative assessment checks that occur
during each lecture) have been developed within the PowerPoint lecture
slides. Students are encouraged to work with each other and direct questions
to the instructor in order to successfully answer these learning checks.
Questions 8 and 9 of the Utah State University Teacher/Course Evaluation
form specifically address the topics of how the students feel about
the opportunities of asking questions/expressing comments in class and
most closely relate to the learning check formative assessment technique.
| Question # | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor | Very Poor |
| 8. Opportunity to ask questions: | 49% | 37% | 13% | 1% | No poor responses received | No very poor responses received |
| 9. Opportunity for students to make comments and express opinions was: | 44% | 33% | 25% | 1% | No poor responses received | No very poor responses received |
Summary: The previous
CHEM 1010 (Fall 2006) assessment summary indicated that additional efforts
would be directed to include more in-class demonstrations that present
principles which directly relate to the topics being discussed. Nearly
50% of the student evaluations directly included a positive comment
of appreciation for the many demonstrations that were included as part
of the Spring 2007 lecture presentations. This high percentage of positive
responses was most satisfying.
Students also commented about the poor lighting in the lecture room ESLC 046. These types of negative comments have never been received from students participating in previous CHEM 1010 courses taught in Widtsoe 007. In order to avoid this problem, future CHEM 1010 courses will be scheduled to be taught in Widtsoe 007.