Background

In Fall 15 Erik Wasinger conducted a course redesign to create a significantly enriched active learning component relative to previous all-lecture style formats in Chem 111, the first semester chemistry course for STEM majors. The results of this work can be found here.

• This project uses student records data to explore historical trends of Chem 111 students.

• The aim is to use data to provide support to the current Sustaining Success project for Chem 111.

• Specifically we use data visualization and statistical analysis techniques to
  • understand how the set of students taking Chem 111 compares to the overall campus population.
  • understand how the characteristics of this group have changed over the past 5 years.
  • understand how existing factors such as demographics and academic preparation contribute to a Chem 111 student’s success.
  • assess the current course redesign for differential impact on different student groups.

How Did you Sustain Course Redesign Success?

• Assessment of course redesign tends to occur by comparing course-level aggregate level measures such as DWF rate or average GPA after one semester of a redesigned course, to the same course by the same instructor one semester prior.
  • This is an acceptable surface level comparison, but it does not do a sufficient job at explaining or examining factors that also contribute to student success in a holistic manner.
  • Aggregate measures do not take into consideration student level factors that also contribute to success.
  • It is inaccurate to claim that a redesign caused student improvement without accounting for other factors in a student’s life, such as how they are performing in other classes, their academic preparation and other demographic statuses that the literature have shown to be related to academic performance.

• Digging deeper into the factors leading to student success helps to ensure that redesigned courses are serving the target population sufficiently.

• Examining how the characteristics of students taking Chemistry 111 are changing allows instructors to better understand the students that they are serving.
  • This could lead to development of culturally relevant teaching strategies or curriculum.
• Furthermore, this information will be useful to administration to ensure support systems are in place to serve the current and future student body.
  • Such as allocating additional resources to evidence based student success initiatives such as Supplemental Instructions in light of a growing first generation population.