Kimberly Barss: Preparing Students for Success in Biochemistry and Chemical Bonding
PROJECT NAME
Preparing Students for Success in Biochemistry and Chemical Bonding.
Project Intent
The goals of this project are two-fold. The primary goal is to "test the waters" regarding the design of an online mini course. The mini course is a component of the Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism class that I currently teach face-to-face. The class only earns students 1 credit and is strapped for time and loaded with information. This leads me to my second goal, which is to help students, either online or from my face-to-face classes, understand a concept that I find them struggling with every semester: chemical bonding.
For other instructors looking to implement this online supplement to the traditional introductory biology course as well, please see the Implementation section below.
Needs Assessment
1. Instructional Problem: The problem with the course is simple: students begin course with little knowledge of science, if any, and the course only meets for 1 hour and 40 minutes once a week for 8 weeks. Students consistently average 20+ points lower on the exam for the chemistry portion of the course as compared to the other 3 chapters in the same class. Students report on course evaluations at the end of the module that they would have preferred a longer class period or for opportunities for more instruction.
2. Nature of What is To Be Learned: Students will be learning the fundamentals of chemistry. The online structure of the unit will break the chapter into three lessons, and allow the student to work at his or her own pace on their own schedule.
3. About the Learners: Albany, NY, where the school is located, has a high school graduation rate (Albany High School) of 54% overall. Chemistry is often not required for graduation in high school and my students report great apprehension when we begin our chemistry chapter. While not all of my students come from one of these backgrounds, there is still a large enough need to warrant more help.
4. Instructional Content: Basic chemical principles will be covered:
- Matter
- States of Matter
- Elements
- Atoms and Atomic Structure*
- Bonding *
*section includes a link to additional assistance.
5. Exploration Into Instructional Problem and Solution: Student anxiety and apprehension regarding chemistry coupled with a fast-paced course schedule (meeting for only 90 minutes once a week for 8 or 9 weeks, depending on the schedule) prove a formidable challenge to understanding and retaining course material. According to student surveys, there is a desire for additional time and instruction on course material.
6. Goals: The goals of this unit are:
1. Introduce the basic principles of chemistry.
2. Introduce the basic principles of chemical bonding.
3. Introduce the applications of chemistry to other sciences.
Performance Objectives
After completing the three online lessons within the unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate proficiency using the terms elements, matter, bulk elements, trace elements, ultra-trace elements, electrons, neutrons, protons, nucleus, atomic symbol, atomic mass, atomic number, valence electron shell, ion, cation, anion, ionic bond, covalent bond and hydrogen bond with at least 80% accuracy as established by the end-of-lesson quizzes.
2. Identify the parts of an atom given a diagram.
3. Identify an atom of an element given the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons within the first 18 elements.
4. Analyze a given bonding situation and identify the type of bond being formed with at least an 80% accuracy as demonstrated on the end-of-lesson quizzes.
5. State the significance of types of bonds and elements in the human body by achieving a score of at least a 3 out of 5 per lesson on the discussion rubric space.
Task Analysis
Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamental concepts of chemistry that will be essential during their study of Anatomy and Physiology.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the three lessons, students will be able to:
1. State the definitions of matter, an atom and its properties such as atomic mass, symbol, and number.
2. Identify the subatomic particles of proton, neutron, and electron given the location or properties of an "unknown" particle.
3. Analyze a chemical reaction and determine the bond type being formed from ionic, covalent, or hydrogen.
4. Identify applications of chemistry and chemical bonding to physiology and health sciences.
Essential Prerequisite skills
- Basic computer skills including typing and internet navigation
- An understanding weight/mass
- An understanding of positive and negative charges
- Basic mathematical skills including an understanding of addition and subtraction of negative and positive integers
- An English comprehension and reading level of 8th grade or higher
Supportive Prerequisite Skills
- A self-motivated learner
- An interest in science
- A basic competency using a personal computer and the internet
The Lesson
The entire unit of Chapter 2 is divided into three distinct lessons.
Lesson 1 is an introduction to chemistry and is a two-part lesson.
1. The student will read the corresponding pages of the chapter in their textbook and the notes.
2. The student will continue to Part 2 of the lesson and read the corresponding pages in the textbook and notes.
3. The student will complete the lesson.
4. The student will participate in the discussion online with their peers: one initial post and one reply post are required.
5. The Lesson concludes with an interactive quiz. At the end of the quiz the student can print or download and e-mail the certificate of completion that also displays their score on the quiz.
Lesson 2 is one part.
1. The student will read the corresponding pages of the chaper in their textbook and the notes.
2. The student will complete the lesson.
3. The student will participate in the discussion online with their peers: one initial post and one reply post are required.
4. The lesson concludes with an interactive quiz. At the end of the quiz the student can print or download and e-mail the certificate of completion that also displays their score on the quiz.
Lesson 3 is one part.
1. The student will read the corresponding pages of the chaper in their textbook and the notes.
2. The student will complete the lesson. The lesson includes three videos (one for each bond type discussed) and an interactive bonding demonstration.
3. The student will participate in the discussion online with their peers: one initial post and one reply post are required.
4. The lesson concludes with an interactive quiz. At the end of the quiz the student can print or download and e-mail the certificate of completion that also displays their score on the quiz.
Implementation
Implementing this online mini course in the classroom is quite simple, but highly depends on the instructor's or students' needs.
- This course can be assigned as homework to supplement traditional face-to-face lecture during the chemical bonding component.
- This course can be offered as extra credit to students to supplement traditional face-to-face lecture.
- This course can serve as a required supplement to a face-to-face course that must be completed to receive full credit.
- This course can act as a chapter/module to an entirely online distance education course.
- This course can easily be revised to fit the individual needs of students/instructors in a variety of settings.
-The role of the instructor during the mini course is that of a guide and will best serve his or her students by allowing them to explore the course in a self-directed manner.
-Students will proceed through the material at their own pace, and can revisit sections that were unclear.
-To help motivate those students who are not as intrinsically motivated, assigning due dates for quizzes and discussion participation is highly recommended.
Curriculum Map
The Online Course
Preparing Students for Success in Biochemistry and Chemical Bonding
Resources and References
Gagne, R.M., Wager, W.W., Golas, K.C., & Keller, J.M. (2005).Principles of Instructional Design. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Inc.