Project Title:
Integrating Assessment into Activities in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Project Director and Other Associated Faculty and Staff:
Eugenia Paulus, Chemistry Instructor, No. Hennepin CC, Contact: Eugenia.paulus@nhcc.mnscu.edu, Tel.: (763)424-0871
Patricia Pieper, Chemistry Instructor, Anoka-Ramsey CC, Contact: patty.pieper@anokaramsey.edu, Tel.: (763)422-3480
Project Design:
Laboratory activities in Chemistry are designed for active learning. Assessment of lab activities should involve tasks and performances that would simulate problems encountered during academic pursuit or employment. In this project, Chemistry faculty collaborated to produce an Assessment Manual that will include assessment of lab activities through a series of experiments based on outcomes desired. The manual will be utilizable by any organic chemistry instructor since it is not linked to as specific textbook.
Project Evaluation and Outcomes:
The Assessment Manual was designed, produced and distributed to Organic Chemistry instructors. An evaluation of this manual by an outside expert was favorable. Faculty were asked to identify learning goals and outcomes and these were incorporated into the assessment manual. Students were asked to complete evaluations of their lab experience using the manual and these revealed that 70% believed they were better prepared and 100% believed that the manual helped them learn lab skills. A comparison of students in NHCC with those at ARCC was not feasible due to the fact that students at ARCC work in pairs while NHCC students work individually.
Lessons Learned, Dissemination and Sustainability
The anticipated difficulties of student resistance and shortage of time did not affect the project. Students appeared to be eager to learn lab skills so students worked faster and more efficiently using manual. The manual is being distributed to MnSCU institutions, and to the CTL.
