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Drs. Mai Yin Tsoi and Sonal Dekhane

Meeting Students' Needs In-House: Software Development with Peers As Clients to Increase Research Skills. Drs. Mai Yin Tsoi and Sonal Dekhane. GGC STEM Mini-Grant Spring 2012. Overview of ITEC/CHEM Partnership. Background ITEC 3870 CHEM 2211 Research Skills Targeted

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Drs. Mai Yin Tsoi and Sonal Dekhane

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  1. Meeting Students' Needs In-House: Software Development with Peers As Clients to Increase Research Skills Drs. Mai Yin Tsoi and Sonal Dekhane GGC STEM Mini-Grant Spring 2012

  2. Overview of ITEC/CHEM Partnership • Background • ITEC 3870 • CHEM 2211 • Research Skills Targeted • Fundamentals of TsoiChem II App • Quantitative Results • Peer Evaluations • Usability Testing • Future Directions

  3. Background • Background: • Inspiration: daughter’s iTouch experience • Dr. Tsoi’s goal: iTouch learning tool • Main objective: • Will using a touch-screen device be effective for learning a new skill?

  4. Demographic Data – ITEC 3870 • Number of participants: 12 • Males: 9 • Females: 3 • Age range: 21 – 50+ years old • Ethnicity: majority Caucasian, 2 African-American, 1 Asian • Previous Experience: 2 students in mobile apps development, 1 in graphics and design

  5. ITEC 3870 – Software Development II • Junior/senior level course • Goal: teach students how to implement SD in real-world projects • Project-based course • Small enrollment • Mobile apps introduced 1st class meeting

  6. CHEM 2211/2 – Organic Chemistry • Required course for majors in: Biology, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dental, etc. • Historically VERY difficult • Visual in nature – utilizes spatial, logical, abstract thinking • Mechanism drawings– difficult skill to master

  7. Why partnership beneficial Traditional SD course GGC SD Partnership Communication skills applied with “client” Written skills: for CHEM students, evaluated by app users Multiple perspectives: enriched by CHEM students • Communication skills: discussed / studied • Written skills: for instructor, evaluated by instructor • Multiple perspectives: limited

  8. GGC’s seven IEE goals • Develop effective reading, writing, and communication skills • Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking • Demonstrate effective use of information technology • Demonstrate an ability to collaborate in diverse and global contexts • Demonstrate an understanding of human and institutional decision making from multiple perspectives • Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical principles • Demonstrate and apply leadership principles

  9. How project supports IEE Goals

  10. Assessment

  11. Oral Presentation Rubric

  12. Peer evaluation

  13. Blog reflection rubric

  14. What IS a mechanism? • Molecular reactivity explained = electron movement • Students required to draw arrows = electron movement • Need to understand origin, direction, target • Many struggle – several concepts used simultaneously

  15. Example of a mechanism

  16. TsoiChem ii: Back for the attack • 3 Modes of Learning • Identify, Draw, Challenge • Tutorial screens, Help screens • Colors to differentiate / guide user • Visuals re-affirmed by color and sound • Positive visuals/sounds as rewards • Sounds/visuals when incorrect

  17. Results of Peer evaluations & interviews • Unexpected group dynamics • Leadership varied • Affected by personality, experience • Learning objectives trumped by project • Students sacrificed learning for sake of project • Pride regardless of participation • Realization of importance = communication • Breakdown caused issues • Feelings, pride hurt • Power issues

  18. Results from Student blogs • Very little self-reflection • More ‘reporting’ than communicative • Little interaction between parties • Majority of communication = phone, email • Mini-teams communicated the most • Future: devise better method to document communication

  19. Results from usability testing • Students found UT extremely helpful • Evidence of awareness of multiple perspectives • Evidence of leadership • Evidence of communication skills improvement • Evidence of critical thinking • Analyzing why user’s comments were new, unforseen

  20. Future Directions • Analyze student interviews further • Analyze student blogs further • Instructor evaluations • Quiz/final exam scores

  21. Thank You! Dr. Mai Yin Tsoi and Dr. Sonal Dekhane mtsoi@ggc.edu sdekhane@ggc.edu

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