A three-semester pilot program was instituted at Mississippi State University to incorporate active- learning, content focused recitation sessions into the General Chemistry I (CH 1213) course. Now in its fourth semester, the recitation program has supported improvement on the American Chemical Society standardized final exam, with students exposed to the recitation program scoring 14 percentile points higher on the ACS exam (45<sup>th</sup> national percentile) than the control group students. With the recitation program, pass/fail percentages remained essentially the same, with a small increment in pass rate from 65.6% to 67.1%. As a positive outcome; Chemistry GPA of students increased with more students earning higher grades in CH 1213, with a statistically significant mean difference. In order to examine whether student performance is affected by other factors, we binned student scores considering their ethnicity, Math ACT score (as a pre-test score), gender, Spring/Fall semester, instructor, date/time of the class; and in every case the scores of students in ACS final exam was greater with recitation program, with statistically significant mean differences, for any demographic. However; pass/fail rates and GPA in General Chemistry I varied with those demographic factors. Our results suggest that the recitation program, based on weekly practice with problem-solving, team/group work, self-assessment, and other higher-order cognitive skills, improved the performance and knowledge of all student in General Chemistry. Continued evaluation of the recitation impacts is needed to determine if the enhanced knowledge students obtained in Chemistry I supports them to more success as they progress through STEM pathways.

Analysis of active learning recitation program for Chemistry I at Mississippi State University

255th National Meeting (2018)

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