Data from 15 years at the University of Washington reveal pronounced demographic disparities in general chemistry grades and failure rates. A peer-mentored program called STEM-Dawgs has been shown to differentially benefit a population enriched in traditionally-underrepresented students in STEM majors, and high structure and active learning has been shown to reduce achievement gaps in introductory biology. A 2018 paper by Deri, et al. suggests that the same can be accomplished in introductory chemistry. Inspired by this work, we implemented several high-structure and active-learning components in first-quarter general chemistry (GC1). Our high-structure components include pre-lecture reading quizzes, weekly assigned problem sets to work in discussion section, and learning objective training; our active-learning components included clicker questions with peer instruction in the lecture hall, and scaffolded group work in discussion sections facilitated by graduate teaching assistants and undergraduate peer mentors trained in the STEM-Dawgs method. Weekly assignments via an adaptive online homework system and laboratory assignments were also employed, and these assignments are common to more passive instances of GC1. In this talk, we present the results of mixed-effect regression analyses of activated versus passive GC1 to explore the following research questions: Can introducing high structure, active learning, and peer mentors 1) reduce the achievement gap in our general chemistry course for underrepresented populations in STEM, 2) increase the proportion of higher-order Bloom’s level exam questions students answer correctly, and 3) improve students’ self-efficacy and sense of belonging relative to this chemistry course? Preliminary results show an average increase of 3-4 points in final exam score—after controlling for prior academic attainment and chemistry content knowledge—in activated versus passive CG1, which is typical of other active learning interventions.

Can an “activated” large-lecture general chemistry course narrow the achievement gap and improve student affect?

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.