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New Traditions: Introductory Chemistry End-of-semester Survey

John Moore
Department of Chemistry
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1101 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706
email: jwmoore@chem.wisc.edu
(608) 262-5154

Steve Kosciuk
LEAD Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1402 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706
email: kosciuk@engr.wisc.edu
(608) 265-5926


Introduction:
This tool was originally designed to assess the impact of a broad variety of factors related to the processes by which students learn chemistry including: confidence in their ability to master fundamental aspects of chemistry; as well as their perceptions of what were the most effective strategies by which they solved chemistry problems and grasped chemistry concepts. Additional questions on this survey were designed to assess outcomes related learning processes which also rely on student self-report (e.g., students' perceptions of science as a career; ability to work in groups; enjoyment of science). The tool is designed to be given at the end of the semester in conjunction with a beginning-of-semester survey administered in the first or second week of class.

Those who wish to administer only one survey at the end of the semester may obtain related "before-and-after" information by using a before-and-after version of this New Traditions' end-of-semester survey in which students are asked (at the end of the semester) to compare, e.g., their confidence levels at the beginning of the semester with those at the end of the semester. However, the interpretation of this latter sort of before-and-after data will be somewhat different than that arising from comparison of responses on the beginning-of-semester and end-of-semester surveys.

This survey was developed by the LEAD (The Learning through Evaluation, Adaptation and Dissemination) Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the education reform project, "New Traditions Systemic Reform Project." This study is funded by the "New Traditions: Revitalizing the Curriculum" grant, DUE-9455928, administered by the National Science Foundation and awarded to the University of Wisconsin Chemistry Department.

New Traditions: Introductory Chemistry End-of-semester Survey

Chemistry Course Survey Consent Form for Students

The Learning through Evaluation, Adaptation and Dissemination (LEAD) Center is conducting a survey of some of the Chemistry Department's undergraduate courses. The survey is designed to assist faculty in understanding the effects of course innovations on students' learning experiences and may lead to improvements in the teaching of chemistry nationwide.

We are asking students who are enrolled in the participating lectures to complete a brief survey about their learning experiences in the course. The survey should take about ten minutes to complete. In order to correlate responses with demographic data and measures of achievement we are asking you to write your Student I.D. number on the survey.

All student responses will be held strictly confidential. The LEAD Center will generalize about student responses so as to obscure the identity of any particular students before reporting any survey findings. The LEAD Center may publish papers based on the results of this survey, but these materials will contain no information that would identify particular students.

Participation is completely voluntary. (Students choosing not to participate may simply return a blank survey). Refusal to participate will have no effect on your grade. There are no formal benefits or risks associated with participation.

Any questions you have you may ask now, or you may call Dr. Susan Millar, Director, LEAD Center, at 265-5943.

I have read the above and give my consent to participate in the study.



Signature _________________________   

Date ___________

STUDENT I.D. Number ______________________

(Please write your I.D. both here and fill it in on the upper left corner of the "bubble" sheet)


The LEAD Center wishes to thank you for participating in this national study of how students learn in college chemistry courses. The questions in the survey are intended to help LEAD Center researchers understand your experiences in the chemistry course in which this survey is being administered. Your thoughtful responses to the questions in this survey will enable us to help faculty across the nation improve chemistry education.

Copies of this consent form can be obtained at the LEAD Center room 427, 1402 University Ave.


Please fill in your responses using a no. 2 pencil on the separate bubble sheet.

BACKGROUND:

1)
semesters of high school chemistry:
0

1

2

3

over 3
(fill in bubble 4)
2) semesters of high school math:
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8


For each group of factors below please fill in a number on the bubble sheet to indicate the relative impact of each factor on your LEARNING overall in this course.


 

relative impact on your LEARNING overall
 

PEOPLE
not
applicable
negative
neutral
positive

3)		 professor
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
4) TA/lab instructor
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
5) friends/informal groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
6) course organized groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
7) Chem Learning Center
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

 

relative impact on your LEARNING overall
 

ACTIVITIES
 
8) lecture - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9)    - ConcepTests
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
10)    - demonstrations
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
11)    - exams
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
12)    - quizzes
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
13) labs - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
14)    - UW-ChemScape
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
15)    - lab manual
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
16) discussion - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
17)    - Challenge Problems
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
18)    - homework/exercises
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
19) other - Chem You Can Do
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
20)    - textbook
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
21)    - weekly computer exercises
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
22)    - special computer assignments
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7


For each group of factors below please fill in a number on the bubble sheet to indicate the relative impact of each factor on your CONFIDENCE in your ability to understand and do chemistry.


 

relative impact on your CONFIDENCE overall
 

PEOPLE
not applicable
negative
neutral
positive

23)		 professor
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
24) TA/lab instructor
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
25) friends/informal groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
26) course organized groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
27) Chem Learning Center
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

 

relative impact on your CONFIDENCE overall
 

ACTIVITIES
 
28) lecture - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
29)    - ConcepTests
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
30)    - demonstrations
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
31)    - exams
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
32)    - quizzes
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
33) labs - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
34)    - UW-ChemScape
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
35)    - lab manual
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
36) discussion - overall
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
37)    - Challenge Problems
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
38)    - homework/exercises
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
39) other - Chem You Can Do
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
40)    - textbook
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
41)    - weekly computer exercises
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
42)    - special computer assignments
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7


Please compare your INTEREST levels in the areas below BEFORE and AFTER taking this course. (Fill in a number on the bubble sheet for each row.)


 

interest level

INTEREST IN...
 
 

low
high

science in general...............
43)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
44)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5
chemistry in general............... 45)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
46)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5
taking more chemistry............... 47)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
48)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5
pursuing a chemistry-related major............... 49)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
50)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5
pursuing a science-related field............... 51)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
52)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5
working with others to learn science............... 53)
before
0
1
2
3
4
5
54)
after
0
1
2
3
4
5


Please assess your CONFIDENCE levels in the areas below AFTER attending this course. (Fill in the appropriate number on the bubble sheet).


 

confidence level

CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO...
low
high

55)
understand key concepts of chemistry
0
1
2
3
4
5
56) solve chemistry problems
0
1
2
3
4
5
57) understand the chemistry of lab experiments
0
1
2
3
4
5
58) perform lab experiments
0
1
2
3
4
5
59) visualize key concepts of chemistry
0
1
2
3
4
5
60) apply your knowledge of chemistry to the real world
0
1
2
3
4
5
61) understand other areas of science
0
1
2
3
4
5
62) succeed in this chemistry course
0
1
2
3
4
5
63) succeed in a chemistry-related discipline
0
1
2
3
4
5



64)
What grade do you expect in this course?
 

For...
C
BC
B
AB
A
other
Fill in...
0
1
2
3
4
5


Please rate the relative importance of each of the factors below in terms how you might approach solving a difficult chemistry problem: (Fill in the appropriate number on the bubble sheet.)


 
not very
important
very
important
not
applicable

65)
working on your own
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
66) doing similar homework problems
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
67) reading sample problems in the text
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
68) reading explanations in the text
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
69) asking your instructor (out of class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
70) asking your instructor (during class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
71) working in course organized groups (during class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
72) working in course organized groups (out of class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
73) working with friends/informal groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6


Please rate the relative importance of each of the factors below in terms of helping you to grasp difficult concepts in chemistry: (Fill in the appropriate number on the bubble sheet.)


 
not very
important
very
important
not
applicable

74)
lab experiments
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
75) working on your own
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
76) doing homework problems
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
77) reading sample problems in the text
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
78) reading explanations in the text
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
79) asking your instructor (out of class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
80) asking your instructor (during class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
81) working in course organized groups (during class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
82) working in course organized groups (out of class)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
83) working with friends/informal groups
0
1
2
3
4
5
6


For each statement please fill in one number on the bubble sheet which best represents your view.

 
LAB EXPERIMENTS
strongly
disagree
strongly
agree

84)
The labs helped me understand important concepts in this course.
0
1
2
3
4
5
85) The labs were an effective way to learn laboratory procedures.
0
1
2
3
4
5
86) The labs related well to the lecture material.
0
1
2
3
4
5
87) My TA was effective in helping me learn from the labs.
0
1
2
3
4
5
88) My lab partners were effective in helping me learn from the labs.
0
1
2
3
4
5
89) I understood the chemistry concepts behind the labs before I did them.
0
1
2
3
4
5
90) Eventually, I understood the chemistry behind the labs.
0
1
2
3
4
5
91) Often, enough time was not allowed for labs.
0
1
2
3
4
5
92) Usually, everyone in my lab group contributed about equally.
0
1
2
3
4
5
93) I would have learned more if I had done the labs on my own.
0
1
2
3
4
5
94) I was an effective contributor to my lab group.
0
1
2
3
4
5
95) While doing the lab, I sometimes thought about the concepts the lab illustrated.
0
1
2
3
4
5

 
CHALLENGE PROBLEMS
strongly
disagree
strongly
agree

96)
The Challenge Problems were an effective way to learn key chemistry concepts.
0