Studies have shown that the more invested a student is in academic work, the greater his or her level of knowledge acquisition and general cognitive development.  Many different strategies, that span across disciplines and go beyond merely lecturing at the students, have surfaced in the last decade.  One such method gives students their first exposure to new course content outside of the classroom. The method, known as Course Preparation Assignments (CPAs), requires students to read and analyze the course material prior to attending class.  The incorporation of CPAs into Analytical Chemistry courses at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution will be described.  This teaching approach is particularly useful in chemistry subdisciplines that involve a significant amount of reading such as Instrumental Analysis.  The pedagogical approach for creating a primarily discussion-based course, the development and use of CPAs for teaching Analytical Chemistry, the leading and facilitating of course discussions in class, and preliminary outcomes of the method will be explained.  Adoption of this teaching strategy has resulted in increased class attendance, student motivation and student participation during class, improved examination scores, and decreased the number of questions asked by students during office hours and by email.

Course preparation assignments: A strategy for using class time in analytical chemistry courses to enhance learning and student participation

246th National Meeting (2013)

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