Student isolation and a lack of efficient knowledge diffusion are long-standing problems in online and blended courses. Using technology to encourage independent learning may obscure critical social aspects of education. We have observed that without structured social activities, student-student interactions tend to be superficial; however, longitudinal studies have shown that our organic chemistry students have a strong desire to seek help from others and report large perceived learning gains when doing so. Thus, there may be a place for structured social activities in large organic chemistry courses.With this hypothesis in mind, we have developed, piloted, and evaluated a peer tutoring website for use in a large organic chemistry course. Student reports of their learning gains due to peer tutoring activities were remarkably high relative to long-standing course activities, suggesting that well structured social activities support student learning in large courses.

Internet-enhanced peer tutoring increases student perceptions of learning in a blended organic chemistry course

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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