K.barnes teaching and learning conference

Chem PreLab .

Learning and Teaching ConferenceUniversity of Liverpool

29/06/2011

Kirsty Barnes, Gita Sedghi, Neil Berry, Nick Greeves

Chemistry Pre-Lab Virtual Experiments

Create supporting photos/videos for lab experiments

Initial ideas

The aim of this project is to provide additional innovative support for chemistry students to improve chemistry laboratory courses within the department.ChemLab Pro - design virtual experiments for existing

undergraduate lab experiments.

- Created two virtual experiments (recrystallisation and titration)

Create online learning assessments and feedback using VITAL

ChemLab Pro

ChemLab Pro

Created online assessments for each experiment using VITAL - including multiple choice, fill in the blank, fill in multiple blanks, jumbled sentence, true or false and multiple answer style questions - questions are related to the background, experimental procedure and treatment of results Create photos/videos for the key skills - use of an analytical balance, - recrystallisation from a single solvent, Plan - to create photos/videos for the determination of melting point,

use of a pipette and pipette filler and preparation of a standard solution

CHEM111 Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory course

CHEM111Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory course

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 (a/b)

1.8 (c)

Total no. of questions

6 4 3 4 10 4 6 5 9

Possible marks 10 10 5 7 14 5 12 13 10

Random questions

Yes 1

No No No No No No No No

Type of feedback given

Score, Submitted Answers, Written Feedback

Experiment

No set amount of questions/marks, each experiment is different. Students get the same questions apart from exp 1.1 where they will get 1 burette reading question out of 5.

CHEM111 Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory course

CHEM130 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory course

Created online assessments for each experiment using VITAL - including multiple choice, fill in the blank, fill in multiple blanks, jumbled sentence, true or false, hot spot and multiple answer style questions - questions are related to the COSHH, background, experimental procedure and treatment of results Tested online assessments - students were asked to complete

them for their final experiment in the lab course Created photos/videos for the key skills - thin layer chromatography - use of a separating funnel - drying of solutions - distillation - reaction under reflux


2.1 2.2 2.3A 2.3B 2.4 2.5 2.6a 2.6b


6 5 7 8 7 9 7 8

Possible marks 12 11 11 11 11 10 11 10

Random questions

No Yes 4

No No No Yes 4

No No



Experiment

No set amount of questions/marks, each experiment is different. Students get the same questions apart from exp 2.2/2.4 where they will get 4 random questions.


CHEM152 Introductory Physical Chemistry Laboratory course

Created online assessments for each experiment using VITAL - including multiple choice, fill in the blank, fill in multiple blanks, jumbled sentence, true or false, hot spot and multiple answer style questions - questions are related to the background, experimental procedure and treatment of results Created photos/videos for the key skill: - use of an analytical balance and for the use of: - specific pieces of equipment Plan - to create photos/videos for the use of a pipette and pipette

filler


Experiment A Experiment B Experiment C Experiment D


5 5 5 5

Possible marks 5 10 10 5

Random questions

Yes 4

Yes 4

Yes 4

Yes 4



Set amount of questions for each experiment. Students get a random set of 4 questions out of 19 and they all get a question related to the aim of the experiment. (Bank of 20 questions for each experiment.)


CHEM246 Measurements in Chemistry (Physical and Inorganic)

Created questions for 14 physical experiments Experiments have between 18 and 25 questions each and are

structured in a similar way to CHEM152. Photos have been taken for a number of key steps in all

experiments.

Plan - to create powerpoints for the photos and add them to VITAL

CHEM245 Preparative Chemistry: Synthesis and Characterisation

(Organic and Inorganic) Created questions for inorganic and organic online assessments Experiments have questions based on COSHH and procedure for

inorganic and COSHH, procedure and theory for organic. Photos/videos have been taken for the key skills in the organic

experiments.

Future plan - to create powerpoints for the photos and add them to VITAL

Evaluation and Testing

CHEM130 compulsory to take the online assessments for the final experiment if the student started a new one.

Students had one attempt at the test with a 2 hour time limit

Out of 114 listed on module 83 took at least one test

Number of students taking the tests for more than one experiment = 11

Average pass mark for all tests taken was above 60%

Average mark as a percentage for Chem130 PreLab assessments

89.58%

64.15%

79.55% 77.58%

64.00%68.18%

72.12%77.71%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1Experiment

Perc

enta

ge

Exp 2.1Exp 2.2Exp 2.3 AExp 2.3 BExp 2.4Exp 2.5Exp 2.6 (a)Exp 2.6 (b)

Total attempts of the Chem130 PreLab assessments

5 38

5

22

23

30

24

Exp 2.1Exp 2.2Exp 2.3 AExp 2.3 BExp 2.4Exp 2.5Exp 2.6 (a)Exp 2.6 (b)


6 attempts exceeding 2 hours:

2 attempts In progress

Average time taken to complete online assessments (excludes attempts exceeding the 2 hour time limit)

0123456789

101112131415

1Experiment

Tim

e (m

ins)

2.12.22.3A2.3B2.42.52.6(a)2.6(b)

Experiment Time

2.1 13h 52m 10s

2.3A 21h 54m 25s

2.5 21h 59m 8s

26h 22m

2.6(a) 22h 00m 21s

2.6(b) 22h 1m 23s

Notes:

• The average time taken to complete the online assessments was less than 15 minutes for each experiment

• BlackBoard does not automatically grade attempts that have exceeded the time limit

Total attempts of CHEM152 PreLab assessments

18

21

17

11

EXP AEXP BEXP CEXP D

Average mark as a percentage for CHEM152 PreLab assessments

83.33% 82.13%87.50%

75.99%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Experiment

Gra

de (

%) EXP A

EXP BEXP CEXP D

CHEM152 - Online assessments not made compulsory but students were advised to take them.

Students had unlimited attempts at the test with an hour time limit

Out of 110 listed on module 31 took at least one test

Number of students taking the tests for more than one experiment = 18

Average pass mark for all tests taken was above 75%



3 attempts exceeding 2 hours:

4 attempts In progress

Notes:

• The average time taken to complete the online assessments was less than 7 minutes for each experiment

• BlackBoard does not automatically grade attempts that have exceeded the time limit

Average time taken to complete online assessments (excludes attempts exceeding the 2 hour time limit)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Experiment

Tim

e (m

ins) EXP A

EXP BEXP CEXP D

Experiment Time

A 59h 40m 2s

B 13h 19m 48s

8h 9m 24s

Conclusions

Pre-Lab online assessments have been set up 5 modules covering 1st and 2nd year undergraduate labs.

Slide shows have been made with photos/videos of practical techniques used in the lab.

More students took the online test when they were told it was compulsory. From experience in the physical lab, students who had done the online test

before coming to the lab were more confident about carrying out the experiment.

Module leaders will make the online tests compulsory and award marks for their completion.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to:

The HEA who funded the Chem PreLab project through their Departmental Project fund.

Module leaders in the chemistry department for supplying the multiple choice questions for the 2nd year modules

Project Team:Gita Sedghi –Lecturer in ChemistryNeil Berry – Lecturer in ChemistryNick Greeves – Director of Teaching and LearningKirsty Barnes – Research Assistant

Technology

K.barnes teaching and learning conference