More than Lab Reports: Integrating Information Literacy

and Writing-to-Learn

inOrganic Chemistry Labs

•Tiffany Turner, Baylor, Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry •(Assistant Professor, Erskine College, January 2009)

•Carol Schuetz, Library, Baylor•Glenn Blalock, Professional Writing, Baylor

Today: Two Stories

• About a successful curricular transformation, integrating assignments and activities that focus on– significant learning (learning that lasts)– information literacy– writing in the disciplines

• About change in contexts that are structurally resistant and/or systemically indifferent

Our plan for today•Contexts / Background•The Challenges: OChem Lab “before”•Solutions: OChem Lab “after”

•The sequence: what, how, and why •So what? Now what?•Questions and Discussion

Contexts / Background•University•Library•WAC•“Teaching Commons”•Sciences / Chem / OChem

Challenges: OChem BeforeOne semester organic chemistry lab (2 credit)

23, 12%

92, 49%9, 5%

27, 14%

13, 7%

2, 1%5, 3%

1, 1%5, 3%10, 5%

Biochemistry

Biology

Chemistry

Forensic Science

Health ScienceStudies Medical Humanities

Non-Science major

Nutrition

Psycology

University Scholar

•Curricular “Fit”•Students•Curriculum•Coordination•Supervision•Reputation

Solutions: OChem AfterA story of a semester

Objectives

• Beyond a basic exposure to techniques common to organic chemistry labs, we chose to focus on:– Using writings to expand understanding of chemical

concepts associated with reactions performed in the lab

– Introducing and developing “information literacy,” exposing students to chemistry scholarship

– Transfer (expand) learning from this course to other courses and careers

Solutions: OChem After•Overview of sequence:

• Introductions to course• (Re)introduction to library and Info literacy• Reading a journal article• Writing assignments related to lab experiments

• Abstract• Introduction• Results & Discussion• Experimental

• Library- database searching• Complete journal article related to final lab

experiments• Portfolio, Reflective overview and Interview

Solutions: OChem After

The Library: Undiscovered Territory

Introducing Information Literacy

•Develop discerning information users•Good information vs bad information•Selection criteria

Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary: Information Literacy

Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary: Information Literacy

Solutions: OChem AfterLibrary Scavenger Hunt

• “Fun” activity• Introduce students to library• Familiarize students with resources

Solutions: OChem AfterOChem Lab Assignments and Activities

•Reading a Chemistry Article•Analyzing the parts of a journal article•Peer review

•Practice writing the parts of a journal article•Experimental•Results & Discussion•Introduction•Abstract

Solutions: OChem AfterPreparing for the Research / Writing Assignment

Return to the Library: Information Resources

•If not the internet, where?•Library information resources

•Electronic Databases•Scholarly vs. Trade

Solutions: OChem AfterUsing Research to Write Journal Article

A sequence

•Experimental•Results & Discussion

• Introduction• Abstract

Solutions: OChem AfterFinal Portfolio

Reflection / Metacognition

• Reflective Overview– on learning about chemistry through writing and

research– on expanded information literacy

What Happened?How Do We Know?

•Pre / post surveys during semester•Focus groups•After-course online surveys•Reflections / Interviews (pending)•Student Writings (pending)

So What?

Now What?The rest of the story

The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to solve problems as a science student.

Agree

Disagree

Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 control

The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn concepts and strategies that I have used since I finished the course.

Agree

Disagree

Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08control

Questions?

Discussion

•Anything from here on is not part of the slide show, but is part of whatever resources we offer online?

Student Response

What follows is all addendum/notes/references

• We may put this on website?

When selecting books and articles I need to consider the author and source for the information

169, 90%

3, 2%

15, 8%

Always

Never

Sometimes

I am comfortable going to the library and doing research

147%

11763%

5630%

Not at all

Somewhat

Very

I have used the library to do research and locate materials

11% 20

11%

3117%

13571%

Blank

Never

Often

Sometimes

Articles from online databases are better sources of information because they

79, 42%

12, 6%13, 7%

83, 45%are available to everyone

are full text

blank

come from reputable sources

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

didn't know about RefWorks different w ays to better narrow bearcat for journals learned Iming Library databases

W 2-3

W 3-4

T 8-9

T 9-10

T 11-12

T 12-1

T 2-3

T 3-4

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

narrow info f ind sources confused - databases confused - RefWorks Confused - Iming library doing ok

W 2-3

W 3-4

T 8-9

T 9-10

T 11-12

T 12-1

T 2-3

T 3-4

The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to solve problems as a science student.

Fall 06 (control) Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08

Agree

Disagree

The writing activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to apply theoretical chemical concepts in a hands-on laboratory setting.

Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08

Agree

Disagree

The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to conduct library research as a science student.

Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08

Agree

Disagree

Spring 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to

conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:

how to choose appropriate databases (11)

how to evaluate sources (8)

how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (16)

how to analyze scientif ic articles (19)

Summer 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to

conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:

how to evaluate sources (5)

how to analyze scientif ic articles (6)

how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (6)

how to choose appropriate databases (7)

Fall 07The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to

conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:

how to evaluate sources (12)how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (11)

how to analyze scientif ic articles (17) how to choose appropriate databases (19)

Spring 08The library research activities that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to

conduct library research as a science student. More specifically, I learned the following:

how to evaluate sources (14)

how to choose appropriate databases (35)

how to construct effective searches using appropriate search terms (26)

how to analyze scientif ic articles (14)

The lab exercises that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn how to apply theoretical chemical concepts in a hands-on laboratory setting.

Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08

Agree

Disagree

The combination of activities and assignments that I completed in CHE 3238 helped me learn concepts and strategies that I have used since I finished the course.

Fall 06 (control) Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08

Agree

Disagree

What I’ve learned• Two months is not enough time to revamp a course• Organization is key

– Consistency of grading (rubrics and answer keys)– Consistency of communication (TAs, professors, students)

• Teamwork and collaboration– Teaching commons group was an invaluable resource– Professors willing to try something new and support it

• Open to critical statements– Student rebellion

• Students will rise up to high standards– Summer-Fall 2006: 60% passing rate– Spring-Summer 2007: 85% passing rate

• Emphasize team work and writing for understanding• Student comments: Very helpful but wanted more reviews from TAs (experts)• Future: weave peer reviews (student and TA) into all assignments (in-class or as

take-home)

CHEM 3238 Fall 2007 Experiment/Portfolio Schedule

Monday/ Tuesday Wednesday/ Thursday Due Dates for Portfolio/ Writing Assignments

8/27-8/30Check-in

& Introductory Comments

IR Training Discussion of IR and Basic Ochem

concepts. Nothing Due this Week

9/3-9/6 NO LABChemical Info: Can I trust the source?

& Scavenger Hunt in the Library Nothing Due this Week

9/10-9/13Basic Skills

(Reading Abstracts) Carvone

(Discussion of Peer Reviews)

MT Labs - Nobel Worksheet and Article Due MT labs - Basic Skills Prelab & IR Use Postlab Due WR

Labs - Carvone Prelab & Basic Skills Postlab Due

9/17-9/20 Simple Distillation Instrument Use (GC)

(Library) MT labs - Abstract Worksheet Due MT

labs - Simp. Dist. Prelab & InLab & Carvone PostLab Due

9/24-9/27Fractional Distillation (Writing a Procedure)

Radical Halogenation MT Labs - Fract. Dist. Prelab & InLab Due

WR Labs - Radical Prelab & Inst. Use Postlab due

10/1-10/4 Diels-Alder Elimination

(Writing Results & Discussion)

Diels-Alder Procedure Due 9/30 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs-Diels-Alder Pre&Inlab & Radical Postlab Due

WR Labs - Elimination Prelab Due

10/8-10/11 Spinach Chromatography Trimethylazulene(TMA) - EAS

(Writing an Introduction)

Results & Discussion Due 10/12 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs- Spinach Pre&Inlab & Elimination Postlab Due

WR Labs - Trimethylazulene Prelab Due

10/15-10/18 Esterification/Hydrolysis Nucleophilic Aromatic Subst. (NAS)

(Writing an Abstract)

Introduction Assignment Due 10/19 BY MIDNIGHT!! MT labs- Ester./Hydrolysis Prelab & TMA Postlab Due

WR Labs - NAS Prelab & Inlab Due

10/22-10/25Instrument Use (GC/MS)

Library(if needed)Benzoin

(Putting it all together: Final Paper) Abstract Assignment Due 10/26 BY MIDNIGHT!!

WR Labs - Benzoin Prelab Due

10/29-11/1 Benzil Benzilic Acid MT Labs - Benzil Prelab & Benzoin Postlab & Inst. Use(GCMS)

Postlab Due WR Labs - Benzil Postlab & Benz. Acid Prelab & Inlab Due

11/5-11/8 Instrument Use (NMR) Check Out Final Paper Assignment Due 11/9 By MIDNIGHT to Blackboard

WR Labs - NMR Postlab Due

11/12-11/15 LAB PRACTICAL LAB PRACTICAL Full Portfolio Due At Time of Lab Practical!!

11/19-11/22 Make Up Lab NO LAB

Bold - ExperimentRed - Lab Assignments