Chem 1210 Syllabus

Assessment Outcomes Data Report

CHEM 1210 – FALL 2006 

Instructor: Joan M. Hevel 

Course  Description: Principles of Chemistry I, First of a two-semester sequence covering fundamentals of chemistry.  Designed for science and engineering students. 

Enrollment:  208 

Assessment method: Embedded questions were presented in the Final exam that pertain to 11 different learning objectives.  Some questions required two or more learning objectives to be mastered in order to answer the question correctly. 

Outcomes Data: The target areas for learning are listed below:

Embedded Question Targets Fall 1210 2006

A.  Mathematical manipulations-interchanging units with conversion factors

B.  Memorization of nomenclature rules and the ability to apply them.

C.  Correct identification of molecules as ions, atoms, elements, compounds, acids, bases, electrolytes, etc.   Write a correct empirical and molecular formula.

D.  Balancing and using a chemical equation to answer quantitative questions about a particular reaction (e.g., use of coefficients, % yield, limiting reagents, etc.)

E.  Knowledge of the physical/spatial properties of an atom including orbital type and where the electrons are likely to be.

  1.  Application of this knowledge to explain physical properties of atoms and their reactivity  (e.g., size, nuclear effective charge, electron affinities, ionization energy, ionization states, oxidation states, redox reactions)

      2.  Application of this knowledge to predict ionic vs. molecular bonds, polar vs. non-polar bonds

  3.  Application of this knowledge to predict Lewis structures, electronic & molecular geometry and formal charge, and polarity.

F.  Knowledge of thermodynamics.  Application of this knowledge to calculate enthalpies of chemical reactions (Hess’s Law).

G.  Knowledge of how gases behave and the ability to apply this knowledge to perform calculations involving the ideal gas equation.

H.  Knowledge of the intermolecular forces that govern the physical properties of liquids and solids.  Application of this knowledge to rationalize differences in physical properties.

I.  Knowledge of terms that provide information related to concentration.  Application of this information to calculate molarity, molality, etc. 

 
 
 

Summary:  Most target questions were answered correctly > 50% of the time when a single principle was required.  However, when more than one concept was required to answer the question, the frequency of correct answers dropped (for example see 6^th question in Target A).  Targets to work on in future semesters include identifying which species is oxidized and which is reduced, defining what is a state function?  what is an extensive property? what are the conditions for an ideal gas? and providing examples of each.   

Overall Summary:  Student evaluations were tallied and the table below summarizes comments: 

Table of Student Evaluation responses

136 responses

What was positive?

      36% WebCT quizzing was beneficial and preferred

      26% liked having the lecture notes on-line ahead of time

      other comments representing less than 10% of responses:

            9/136 liked the Student Instructor (SI)

            11/136 said instructor was well prepared

            10/136 said they liked the explanations and examples given in class

What was negative?

      16% had no comments under “what changes could be made”

      13% said “slow down”

      12% asked for more problems to be solved in class

      13% asked for homework assignments that were graded to help their grade or something to motivate    them to study

      10% said class (lecture) was boring; suggestions ranged from using the I-clicker to handing out candy

      other comments representing less than 10% of responses :

            10/136  said that the test material didn’t match the lecture and quiz material (it was harder) 
 

Web CT was used extensively in this class.  On-line quizzing was well-received and was evaluated by the students as a great learning tool.  Posting of the lecture notes on WebCT was also favored.  Practice exams and keys were available on WebCT and were used quite frequently.  A discussion board where students could post questions and the instructor would answer them was popular especially the weekend before an exam.  Exam mean scores were consistently in the 64-68%, which was not popular with the students.  Students argued that the instructor needed to do something to motivate them to study and requested additional homework assignments that would be graded.  However, homework assignments for a class of 200 is not feasible.   As an alternative, participation in class (e.g., by use of the student adopted I-clicker) will be used to increase the interaction in the classroom.