Assessment Report
CHEM 1010
– FALL 2006
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:
164
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: | 50% | 36% | 11% | 2% | No poor responses received | No very poor responses received |
| 9. Opportunity for students to make comments and express opinions was: | 43% | 45% | 9% | 3% | No poor responses received | No very poor responses received |
Summary: The largest
percentage of the class has indicated that the course provides a lecture
environment that is conducive to the asking of questions and expressing
comments and/or opinions.
A prevailing suggestion from questions #1 and #2 on the reverse side of the evaluation form (regarding teaching and course content strengths and improvements) indicates that the students particularly enjoyed the use of classroom demonstrations and would like to see additional demonstrations. This is to be expected for a liberal arts chemistry course in which the students attempt to find relationships of things that they can observe in their everyday lives with the chemistry principles that they are being taught.
Students have indicated that the course demonstrations were relevant to the lecture material and assisted in understanding the presented chemistry principles. I have found that chemistry demonstrations do provide a positive learning atmosphere and inspire greater student interest. Perhaps this interest will encourage further student comments/questions.
Future endeavors will attempt
to include additional interesting, safe, and relevant classroom demonstrations.
Additional learning check questions will also be added to the lecture notes in order to ensure that students fully understand chemical principles. A method will also be devised that will allow students the opportunity of submitting questions before each lecture that will subsequently be answered directly in class. This will encourage further anonymous questions from students that feel uncomfortable about asking questions in front of a large class setting.