Active Learning in General Chemistry Specific Interventions

Active learning methods can provide significant advantages over traditional instructional practices, including improving student engagement and increasing student learning. Active Learning in General Chemistry: Specific Interventions focuses on evidence-based active learning methods that offer larger gains in engagement with as well as a more thorough education in general chemistry. This work serves as a selection of techniques that can inspire chemistry instructors and a comprehensive survey of effective active learning approaches in general chemistry. Chemistry faculty and administrations will find inspiration for improved teaching within this volume.

Mark Blaser has been a chemistry instructor at Shasta College since 1996. Prior to that, he taught various combinations of chemistry, physics, physical science, and mathematics at International School Moshi, the University of Colorado, Lakeland College, and Verde Valley School. Blaser has a BA in chemistry and mathematics from Carleton College and a MS in chemistry from the University of Colorado. He was a contributing author to the OpenStax Chemistry textbook and has authored or coauthored five laboratory manuals. Blaser is currently participating in the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) General Chemistry course-- an interactive OER online textbook from Carnegie Mellon University built on the OpenStax Chemistry text. Blaser has been nominated for the Shasta College Excellent Educator multiple times and received the Student's Choice Teacher of the Year Award in 2017 and 2018.

Ted Clark is Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Ohio State University. Clark earned his PhD in chemistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Following a post-doctoral research position with Philip Grandinetti in the area of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, Clark focused on teaching and learning in undergraduate courses at OSU. He has been involved in Modeling Instruction professional development workshops for more than a decade with an emphasis on high school physical science instruction. His research interests include implementation and evaluation of active learning strategies in large-enrollment STEM courses and inclusion of authentic research experiences in laboratory courses.

Liana Lamont is an instructor and course coordinator for general chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW). Lamont worked with Judith Kimble studying cell fate decisions in the C. elegans germline and earned her PhD from the UW Department of Biochemistry in 2006. Following graduate school, she taught general chemistry and biochemistry at Madison Area Technical College and UW. Lamont's current research interests include developing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of learning tools in chemistry courses. She is developing learner-centered activities for use in large lecture halls, smaller discussion classrooms, laboratories, and outside of the classroom.

Jaclyn (Jackie) J. Stewart is a senior instructor at the Department of Chemistry and the deputy academic director of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology at The University of British Columbia. From 2010 to 2017, she was the chemistry departmental director for the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative, which sought to transform undergraduate science courses to include and assess evidence-based active learning pedagogies. She has a BSc degree in honors chemistry, an MSc in wood science, and a PhD in educational psychology. Jackie's research interests span the areas of self-regulated learning, problem solving, and assessment of learning. Stewart received the UBC Killam Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2006 and 2010, as well as the UBC Science Undergraduate Society Teaching Excellence Award in 2010. She recently turned her attention to issues of equity and inclusion in STEM education and is a member of the inaugural UBC Equity and Inclusion Scholars Program.

Preface

Chapter 1. Survey of Tools and Techniques Used in Large Lecture Preparatory Chemistry at Ohio University, Corey A. Beck
Chapter 2. An Iterative Approach to Active Learning Improves Student Outcomes in a First Year Chemistry Course, Bhavani Balasubramanian
Chapter 3 Facilitating the Development of Students' Problem-Solving Skills via Active Learning in General Chemistry, Matt S. Queen and Mark S. Cracolice
Chapter 4. Blended Guided-Inquiry General Chemistry Laboratory Course: An Introduction to Chemical Research, Sophia Nussbaum, Jaclyn J. Stewart, Priyanka Lekhi, and Anne Thomas
Chapter 5. Enhancing the General Chemistry Laboratory Using Integrated Projects Based on Real-World Questions, Kevin L. Braun
Chapter 6. Oral Exams: A Deeply Neglected Tool for Formative Assessment in Chemistry, Daniele Ramella
Chapter 7. Effectiveness of Handout Notes to Group Discussion in a General Chemistry Course at a Two-Year College, Eliud K. Mushibe
Chapter 8. Building a Chemistry Community through the Leland Scholars Program, Jennifer Schwartz Poehlmann, Charles T. Cox, and Brandi Pretlow
Chapter 9. Using Active Learning Methods for Development of Teaching Assistants in High Enrollment General Chemistry Courses, Lindy K. Stoll, Liana B. Lamont, Stephen B. Block, and Theresa M. Pesavento
Chapter 10. Learn Smart: Success Strategies for First-Year Students, Breanne Molnar, Cindy A. Bourne, and Tamara K. Freeman

Editors' Biographies
Author Index
Subject Index