Assessment Report
CHEM 1110
– FALL 2006
Instructor:
Doug Harris
Course Description:
For nonscience majors. Progression made from the basic tenets of general
chemistry to introduction to organic chemistry, with ascent in terms
of practical importance and sophistication.
Enrollment:
170
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: | 62% | 33% | 5% | No fair responses received | No poor responses received | No very poor responses received |
| 9. Opportunity for students to make comments and express opinions was: | 54% | 33% | 11% | 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.
The Chemistry 1110 lecture notes contain a relatively higher number of learning checks in comparison to the Chemistry 1010 lecture note learning checks. Questions 8 and 9 from the CHEM 1110 course evaluation results indicate relatively higher percentages in the “excellent” and “very good” categories compared to the same question categories of the Chemistry 1010 evaluations (refer to CHEM 1010 assessment). These positive results further support the conclusion that additional learning check questions will assist in future CHEM 1010 courses.
Chemistry 1110 contains a high
percentage of nursing majors. The instructor has noticed that many of
the learning checks have inspired questions pertaining to application
of the lecture material to careers in the allied health sciences. Future
endeavors will include a greater number of examples obtained from the
health care setting that directly correspond with presented lecture
materials.
Students have also enjoyed chemical demonstrations and requested additional demonstrations to further assist in the comprehension of lecture topics. These additional demonstrations could be specifically formulated to include a health care emphasis or application. Such endeavors of relating the class presentations to future career responsibilities should be greatly appreciated by allied health science majors.