Assessment Outcomes Data Report

CHEM 5700 – FALL 2006 

Instructor: Scott Ensign 

Course  Description: General Biochemistry,  

Enrollment: 70 

Assessment method: Students in this class are expected to develop proficiency in the principles listed on the class schedule and the attached “Learning Objectives” list.  Questions provided on midterms, webCT quizzes, and through the use of the in-class iclicker personal response system (PRS) will be used to assess your understanding of these principles.  The formats to be used for assessment will include instructor-designed questions (essay, short answer, problem solving, multiple choice) and possibly standardized questions provided by, for example, the American Chemical Society (ACS) standard exam in biochemistry.  Please note that assessment is a tool used by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to improve the quality of instruction and proficiency of our students.  Your grade will be based on your performance on the assignments indicated above, some of which will be used for course assessment . 

Outcomes Data: Students comprehension of key biochemical principles was assessed through essay examinations, in-class responses to iclicker questions, and a comprehensive multiple choice final examination.  Key concepts as defined by the ACS standardized examination and Subject Graduate Record Examination for Biochemistry were tested on the comprehensive final examination.  My analysis of the exam reports suggests that our students mastered key biochemical concepts significantly higher than the national average for the standardized examination.  I have performed extensive comparisons of my exam formats, difficulties, and level of coverage to exams offered by professors at other institutions, test banks questions, as well as the aforementioned standardized exams, and am confident that the rigor and expectations in chemistry 5700 are comparable to or exceed the level expected of ACS and ASBMB (the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) for a two semester biochemistry sequence.

Student summary evaluations were generally positive of the testing/assessment techniques employed, including the new usage of the iclicker personal response system.  A number of students, per normal, commented that the course was overly rigorous and perhaps too demanding, but I would rather have students feel that too much was expected of them than too little.

Anecdotally, I have received many comments from previous chemistry 5700 students over the last 10 years, unilaterally agreeing that their undergraduate biochemistry class prepared them very well for subsequent biochemistry courses in graduate and medical school programs. In particular, many of our students who have gone on to attend medical school have told me personally that they performed at the top of their medical biochemistry classes relative to peers, attributing a portion of their success to the level of two-semester biochemistry we are providing at USU.  

Summary:  Assessment results and student evaluations indicate that we are providing a rigorous and quality biochemistry learning experience.  The use of the iclicker personal response system allowed me to obtain real-time feedback on mastery of key concepts covered in lecture, as well as mastery of general chemistry and organic chemistry concepts the students should have already mastered. The PRS system was very useful in correcting and/or reinforcing students’ perceptions regarding key chemical principles such as chemical thermodynamics, acid-base equilibrium, and organic reactivity. The students were generally enthusiastic about using the PRS system and I intend to continue to employ it as a key assessment tool on Chemistry 5700.