Chemistry

Activities

Course Evaluation & Redesign:
The Chemistry CWSEI program is presently concentrating on evaluation and redesign of the CHEM 123 lab – Physical and Organic Chemistry and CHEM 121 lab - Structural Chemistry, with Application to Chemistry of the Elements. read more...

Curriculum:
  • As CHEM 121/123 is in many ways a service course, identify interdisciplinary science lab skills that other science streams consider to be important and/or are expecting students to get from 1st year chemistry to improve “service”.
  • Survey Co-op employers to aid in focusing efforts of optimization and determining impact on upper level laboratory revitalization.
  • Modification of course curriculum for CHEM 415/425 approved by Chemistry Department to expand research opportunities to chemistry majors.
TA Development:
The second round of modified TA training was implemented by Anka Lekhi and Sophia Nussbaum, with support from the TA Training Program through the Provost and Vice-President Academic Office and the Chemistry Department.

Research:
  • Attitudinal Survey: C-LASS CHEM given in multiple courses, statistical comparisons between UBC and CU-Boulder.
    Poster (April 2009): General chemistry students' belief about chemistry and learning chemistry: An international comparison — Jennifer Duis, Carl Wieman, Laurel Schafer
  • CHEM 123 Lab Learning Goals: Assess students’ achievement of lab learning goals.
  • 1st Year Practical Lab Skills: Compare students’ achievement of practical lab skills as determined by written vs. hands-on assessment
  • CHEM 233 Learning Objectives Alignment Study: Investigating students’ perceptions of the alignment between learning objectives and assessment, probing their ability to judge cognitive complexity of learning objectives, assessment items, and study tactics.
  • Chemistry Concept Diagnostic Tests: Propose administration and validation of an existing chemistry concept test to first year chemistry students.

Other:
Presentations at national/international meetings: 237th & 240th American Chemical Society National Meeting, 21st Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, 92nd & 93rd Canadian Chemistry Conference, Improving University Teaching 34th International Meeting.