Developing online collaboration skills in general chemistry
Scott Sinex and Ted ChambersPrince George’s Community College
Largo, Maryland
Presented at 2012 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education held at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Why online collaboration?
• 2. Communication and Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. (ISTE NETS Students, 2011)
• Recommendation - Use technology in more transformative ways, such as participatory and collaborative interactions and for higher level teaching and learning that is engaging and relevant to students’ lives and future plans. (ECAR National Study of Students & Information Technology in Higher Education, 2011)
• Engaging in argument from evidence (NRC The Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, 2012)
Only lab dimensions!
The collaboration tool - Google Docs
• Use online form to collect data
• Examine class data in spreadsheet LCD projector and computers at lab stations for each group
• Use chat function to discuss class resultsScenario for mock collaboration
• Collect student feedback too via a form
Provide links on course webpage
Drive
Class Laboratory activity Collaboration effort
In first semesterGeneral
Chemistry
Nuts & Bolts of Extrapolation -Massing bolt with 1 to 5 nutsDetermine bolt mass by extrapolating to zero nuts Spring /Summer 2012
Masses, slope, y-intercept, r2; compare via chat
Lights, Color, Absorption (Beer’s Law) - calibration curve and unknown analysis
To be piloted in Fall 2012
Standards, unknowns, slope, r2; compare via chat as post-lab activity
In second semester General
Chemistry
Nuts & Bolts of Let’s Make an Error -introducing systematic error; Al nut in place of stainless steel nuts
Spring 2012
Errant nut location in sequence, slope, y-intercept, r2; compare via chat
Fe(SCN)++ Equilibrium Constant - Multiple values done by serial dilution
Since Spring 2008
Examine error as a function of serial dilution; form submission and then class results posted
Online collaboration is done in…
Nuts & Bolts of Extrapolation
See linear regression
and goodness of fit in action!
No prior knowledge
required
http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets/Nuts_&_Bolts_activity.pdf
Mass from y-intercept
The form in Google Docs
submit
Draft questions in order More data to add plus button
Drive
Drive
Very easy to create!
The spreadsheet in Google Docs
The spreadsheet sets up from the form being developed!Can hide previous data!
Drive
http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets/nuts_&_bolts.xls
Using the chat function…
• Students not signed into Google Docs Drive
• Open chat (can bomb completely) Might improve with experience
• Questions posed in activity (ignore questions)
• “Moderated on the fly” by instructor (peer?) keeps chat productive
The chat function in Google Docs
The chat function appears as soon as two or more people have opened the spreadsheet.
Type here
Groups must identify
themselves
Drive
Chat excerpt - open
To capture chat: Must
copy & paste into Word
Spring 2012
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonky
Chat excerpt – “moderated on the fly”
Summer 2012
Student feedback…1. Using Google chat is straight forward and easy.
Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly DisagreeResults: 11 13 0 0 0
4.46 100% aggreement
2. Google chat enhanced the groups’ ability to analyze the data.Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree
Results: 12 11 0 1 0
4.42 96% agreement
3. Using Google chat was more efficient than using hard copy and the telephone or email to discuss ideas and exchange results. Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree
Results: 14 9 1 0 0
4.54 96% agreement
4. What is your overall rating of using Google chat during collaboration? Very Good Good Average Poor Very Poor
Results: 10 9 4 1 0
4.17 79% above average
Summer 201224 students
Student comments…Positive– Exchange of real-time data & rapid communication
regardless of location. Awesome! – It was fun & a real hands-on experiment– Quick & straight forward and don’t have to carry on a
long conversation, quick & to the point
Constructive – Typing in chat is time consuming & people may fall
behind in the conversation ( video chat)– Some information in chat can be missed when many
responds
Summer 2012
Some final thoughts
• Easy way to collect class data for comparison and obtaining class statistics
• Moderated chat can produce some great discussion/debate (prompt for evidence)
• Increases student engagement & thinking
• Great use of 21st century technology!!!
More info…
• Scott Sinex [email protected] http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex
• Ted Chambers [email protected]
• Papers –Mass, Measurement, Materials, and Mathematical Modeling: The Nuts and Bolts of Extrapolation, Spreadsheets in Education http://epublications.bond.edu.au/ejsie/vol5/iss1/3/
Mass, Measurement, Materials, and More Mathematical Modeling: The Nuts and Bolts of Let’s Make an Error, Spreadsheets in Education to be submitted
…and thanks for attending today!