More than Lab Reports: Integrating Information Literacy
and Writing-to-Learn
inOrganic Chemistry Labs
•Tiffany Turner, Baylor, Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry •(Assistant Professor, Erskine College, January 2009)
•Carol Schuetz, Library, Baylor•Glenn Blalock, Professional Writing, Baylor
Today: Two Stories
• About a successful curricular transformation, integrating assignments and activities that focus on– significant learning (learning that lasts)– information literacy– writing in the disciplines
• About change in contexts that are structurally resistant and/or systemically indifferent
Our plan for today•Contexts / Background•The Challenges: OChem Lab “before”•Solutions: OChem Lab “after”
•The sequence: what, how, and why •So what? Now what?•Questions and Discussion
Contexts / Background•University•Library•WAC•“Teaching Commons”•Sciences / Chem / OChem
Challenges: OChem BeforeOne semester organic chemistry lab (2 credit)
23, 12%
92, 49%9, 5%
27, 14%
13, 7%
2, 1%5, 3%
1, 1%5, 3%10, 5%
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Forensic Science
Health ScienceStudies Medical Humanities
Non-Science major
Nutrition
Psycology
University Scholar
•Curricular “Fit”•Students•Curriculum•Coordination•Supervision•Reputation
Solutions: OChem AfterA story of a semester
Objectives
• Beyond a basic exposure to techniques common to organic chemistry labs, we chose to focus on:– Using writings to expand understanding of chemical
concepts associated with reactions performed in the lab
– Introducing and developing “information literacy,” exposing students to chemistry scholarship
– Transfer (expand) learning from this course to other courses and careers
Solutions: OChem After•Overview of sequence:
• Introductions to course• (Re)introduction to library and Info literacy• Reading a journal article• Writing assignments related to lab experiments
• Abstract• Introduction• Results & Discussion• Experimental
• Library- database searching• Complete journal article related to final lab
experiments• Portfolio, Reflective overview and Interview
Solutions: OChem After
The Library: Undiscovered Territory
Introducing Information Literacy
•Develop discerning information users•Good information vs bad information•Selection criteria
Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary: Information Literacy
Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary: Information Literacy
Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary Scavenger Hunt
• “Fun” activity• Introduce students to library• Familiarize students with resources
Solutions: OChem AfterOChem Lab Assignments and Activities
•Reading a Chemistry Article•Analyzing the parts of a journal article•Peer review
•Practice writing the parts of a journal article•Experimental•Results & Discussion•Introduction•Abstract
Solutions: OChem AfterPreparing for the Research / Writing Assignment
Return to the Library: Information Resources
•If not the internet, where?•Library information resources
•Electronic Databases•Scholarly vs. Trade
Solutions: OChem AfterUsing Research to Write Journal Article
A sequence
•Experimental•Results & Discussion
• Introduction• Abstract
Solutions: OChem AfterFinal Portfolio
Reflection / Metacognition
• Reflective Overview– on learning about chemistry through writing and
research– on expanded information literacy
What Happened?How Do We Know?
•Pre / post surveys during semester•Focus groups•After-course online surveys•Reflections / Interviews (pending)•Student Writings (pending)
So What?
Now What?The rest of the story
The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to solve problems as a science student.
Agree
Disagree
Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 control
The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn concepts and strategies that I have used since I finished the course.
Agree
Disagree
Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08control
Questions?
Discussion
•Anything from here on is not part of the slide show, but is part of whatever resources we offer online?
Student Response
What follows is all addendum/notes/references
• We may put this on website?
When selecting books and articles I need to consider the author and source for the information
169, 90%
3, 2%
15, 8%
Always
Never
Sometimes
I am comfortable going to the library and doing research
147%
11763%
5630%
Not at all
Somewhat
Very
I have used the library to do research and locate materials
11% 20
11%
3117%
13571%
Blank
Never
Often
Sometimes
Articles from online databases are better sources of information because they
79, 42%
12, 6%13, 7%
83, 45%are available to everyone
are full text
blank
come from reputable sources
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
didn't know about RefWorks different w ays to better narrow bearcat for journals learned Iming Library databases
W 2-3
W 3-4
T 8-9
T 9-10
T 11-12
T 12-1
T 2-3
T 3-4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
narrow info f ind sources confused - databases confused - RefWorks Confused - Iming library doing ok
W 2-3
W 3-4
T 8-9
T 9-10
T 11-12
T 12-1
T 2-3
T 3-4
The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to solve problems as a science student.
Fall 06 (control) Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08
Agree
Disagree
The writing activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to apply theoretical chemical concepts in a hands-on laboratory setting.
Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08
Agree
Disagree
The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to conduct library research as a science student.
Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08
Agree
Disagree
Spring 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to
conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:
how to choose appropriate databases (11)
how to evaluate sources (8)
how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (16)
how to analyze scientif ic articles (19)
Summer 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to
conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:
how to evaluate sources (5)
how to analyze scientif ic articles (6)
how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (6)
how to choose appropriate databases (7)
Fall 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to
conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:
how to evaluate sources (12)how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (11)
how to analyze scientif ic articles (17) how to choose appropriate databases (19)
Spring 08The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to
conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:
how to evaluate sources (14)
how to choose appropriate databases (35)
how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (26)
how to analyze scientif ic articles (14)
The lab exercises that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to apply theoretical chemical concepts in a hands-on laboratory setting.
Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08
Agree
Disagree
The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn concepts and strategies that I have used since I finished the course.
Fall 06 (control) Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08
Agree
Disagree
What I’ve learned• Two months is not enough time to revamp a course• Organization is key
– Consistency of grading (rubrics and answer keys)– Consistency of communication (TAs, professors, students)
• Teamwork and collaboration– Teaching commons group was an invaluable resource– Professors willing to try something new and support it
• Open to critical statements– Student rebellion
• Students will rise up to high standards– Summer-Fall 2006: 60% passing rate– Spring-Summer 2007: 85% passing rate
• Emphasize team work and writing for understanding• Student comments: Very helpful but wanted more reviews from TAs (experts)• Future: weave peer reviews (student and TA) into all assignments (in-class or as
take-home)
CHEM 3238 Fall 2007 Experiment/Portfolio Schedule
Monday/ Tuesday Wednesday/ Thursday Due Dates for Portfolio/ Writing Assignments
8/27-8/30Check-in
& Introductory Comments
IR Training Discussion of IR and Basic Ochem
concepts. Nothing Due this Week
9/3-9/6 NO LABChemical Info: Can I trust the source?
& Scavenger Hunt in the Library Nothing Due this Week
9/10-9/13Basic Skills
(Reading Abstracts) Carvone
(Discussion of Peer Reviews)
MT Labs - Nobel Worksheet and Article Due MT labs - Basic Skills Prelab & IR Use Postlab Due WR
Labs - Carvone Prelab & Basic Skills Postlab Due
9/17-9/20 Simple Distillation Instrument Use (GC)
(Library) MT labs - Abstract Worksheet Due MT
labs - Simp. Dist. Prelab & InLab & Carvone PostLab Due
9/24-9/27Fractional Distillation (Writing a Procedure)
Radical Halogenation MT Labs - Fract. Dist. Prelab & InLab Due
WR Labs - Radical Prelab & Inst. Use Postlab due
10/1-10/4 Diels-Alder Elimination
(Writing Results & Discussion)
Diels-Alder Procedure Due 9/30 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs-Diels-Alder Pre&Inlab & Radical Postlab Due
WR Labs - Elimination Prelab Due
10/8-10/11 Spinach Chromatography Trimethylazulene(TMA) - EAS
(Writing an Introduction)
Results & Discussion Due 10/12 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs- Spinach Pre&Inlab & Elimination Postlab Due
WR Labs - Trimethylazulene Prelab Due
10/15-10/18 Esterification/Hydrolysis Nucleophilic Aromatic Subst. (NAS)
(Writing an Abstract)
Introduction Assignment Due 10/19 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs- Ester./Hydrolysis Prelab & TMA Postlab Due
WR Labs - NAS Prelab & Inlab Due
10/22-10/25Instrument Use (GC/MS)
Library(if needed)Benzoin
(Putting it all together: Final Paper) Abstract Assignment Due 10/26 BY MIDNIGHT!!
WR Labs - Benzoin Prelab Due
10/29-11/1 Benzil Benzilic Acid MT Labs - Benzil Prelab & Benzoin Postlab & Inst. Use(GCMS)
Postlab Due WR Labs - Benzil Postlab & Benz. Acid Prelab & Inlab Due
11/5-11/8 Instrument Use (NMR) Check Out Final Paper Assignment Due 11/9 By MIDNIGHT to Blackboard
WR Labs - NMR Postlab Due
11/12-11/15 LAB PRACTICAL LAB PRACTICAL Full Portfolio Due At Time of Lab Practical!!
11/19-11/22 Make Up Lab NO LAB
Bold - ExperimentRed - Lab Assignments
