Using admissions data our department was able to develop a model for predicting which students would be at-risk of performing poorly in our first term general chemistry course. Only students who fit this profile were encouraged to participate in a pilot of an "enhanced" section of general chemistry. This section is identical to all other sections of the course with the exception that it meets for 1 extra hour per week, and utilizes a different online homework platform. The extra class time is used for review and for focused help on troublesome topics, which are usually mathematics related. Preliminary results of the effectiveness of this approach will be presented, as well as observations and insights gleaned from spending a whole semester (and an enormous number of office hours) working with at-risk students.

"Enhancing" general chemistry for students predicted to be at-risk

255th National Meeting (2018)

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