Two experiments were removed from the first semester organic laboratory chemistry sequence and replaced with targeted in-lab discussion/assessment sessions. Each discussion session involved an interactive exercise to improve learning over lab topics, a self-assessment survey for the students to determine how comfortable they were with the key concepts addressed in the lab/discussion, a multiple choice quiz to assess the basic level of understanding of core concepts, and a higher order thinking scenario to assess understanding and application after the discussion session. Scoring rubrics for the scenarios were developed and validated. Where appropriate, the exercises and scenarios went beyond lab material to include lecture material to reinforce the relationship between laboratory and lecture. A summary of the sessions as well as their impact on student understanding based on the data collected will be presented.

Effect of discussion sessions on student learning in the organic laboratory: What do our students know?

248th National Meeting (2014)

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