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Effectiveness of a 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry Sequence

Effectiveness of a 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry Sequence. Doug Schirch. BCCE, August 2010. 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry. Covers material from a standard 2-semester course in a different sequence:

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Effectiveness of a 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry Sequence

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  1. Effectiveness of a 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry Sequence Doug Schirch BCCE, August 2010

  2. 2-Cycle Organic Chemistry • Covers material from a standard 2-semester course in a different sequence: • First semester: Survey course of the fundamentals of organic chemistry (functional groups, nomenclature, major reactions, etc.) • Second semester: Builds on top of the first semester, more in-depth coverage, more rigorous.

  3. Problems with Standard Sequence • 1-semester students (Biology and Environmental Science majors; 40%) • Miss many functional groups common in nature (carboxylic acids, amides, esters, amines, etc.) • Forced to learn less relevant material • All students: often can’t see the forest for the trees. • Small schools can’t offer separate courses

  4. With 2-Cycle Sequence • 1-semester students: • Get a survey of the most pertinent organic chemistry. • 2-semester students (Chem. majors and pre-professionals) : • Build a solid foundation in basic organic chemistry before engaging more advanced material. • In 2nd semester, forced to recall 1st semester material to build on it, resulting in better learning.

  5. Outline • Background • Course content in each semester • My experiences • Results of standardized final exams before and after adopting a 2-cycle approach • Student opinions.

  6. Background • Previous publications: • Minter and Reinecke. J of Chem Ed. (1985), Vol. 62 • At Texas Christian Univ. • Sartoris. J of Chem Ed. (1992), Vol. 69 • At Wittenberg Univ. • Gravert. J of Chem Ed. (2006), Vol. 83 • At St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

  7. All 3 reported higher ACS scores after adopting 2-cycle approach • Material covered in 1st and 2nd semesters … • Textbook options • 1st: Survey text, then 2nd: 2-semester text • 2-semester text used both semesters • [Interested in a text for 2-cycle approach?] • Number of schools using this approach?

  8. Sequence I Use

  9. Sequence I Use

  10. My experiences: what worked, what didn’t • Textbook: 2-semester Carey for both semesters • Homework: • Submitted more frequently, but • Insufficient problems in 1st semester sometimes • In 2nd semester students are stronger, better prepared, and have better study skills • Weekly help sessions no longer needed • Problematic for transfers (?)

  11. Comparison of Scores on Standardized Final Exam at End of 2nd Semester Standard sequence 2-cycle sequence

  12. Comparison of Scores on Standardized Final Exam at End of 2nd Semester Standard sequence 2-cycle sequence

  13. Survey of Student Perceptions • Survey sent to all previous students from the years a 2-cycle sequence used. • Of 31 one-semester students, 17 (55%) responded • Of 49 two-semester students, 30 (61%) responded

  14. “I think it was good to have the first semester of the course be a general survey of organic chemistry that covers the fundamental topics relevant to biology.”

  15. “I found it confusing to be skipping some chapters or sections in the textbook.”

  16. “I think it would be better to follow the standard sequence, going through the first half of the text in the first semester and the second half of the text in the second semester..”

  17. “For the content we covered in the first semester, I think I would have learned better with a smaller textbook designed for a 1-semester introduction to organic chemistry course, instead of the larger 2-semester text that we used parts of.”

  18. “Instead of the large 2-semester text that we used for both semesters, I think I would have learned better with a smaller textbook designed for a 1-semester introduction to organic chemistry course in the first semester, and then only using the larger 2-semester text for the second semester.”

  19. “Seeing some material twice during the year (at an introductory level in the first semester and in more depth during the second semester) helped me learn the material better by the end of the course.”

  20. Summary • 2-cycle sequence allows a much better experience for 1-semester students • 2-semester students show increased learning and prefer the 2-cycle approach • The most significant problems (lack of specific text and transfer students) are minor For copy of PowerPoint or more info: dougms@goshen.edu Questions??

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