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Tiffany Turner, Baylor, Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry

More than Lab Reports: Integrating Information Literacy and Writing-to-Learn in Organic Chemistry Labs. Tiffany Turner, Baylor, Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry (Assistant Professor, Erskine College, January 2009) Carol Schuetz, Library, Baylor Glenn Blalock, Professional Writing, Baylor.

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Tiffany Turner, Baylor, Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry

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  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

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

  5. Challenges: OChem Before • One semester organic chemistry lab (2 credit) • Curricular “Fit” • Students • Curriculum • Coordination • Supervision • Reputation

  6. Solutions: OChem After A 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

  7. 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

  8. Solutions: OChem After • The Library: Undiscovered Territory • Introducing Information Literacy • Develop discerning information users • Good information vs bad information • Selection criteria

  9. Solutions: OChem After Library: Information Literacy

  10. Solutions: OChem After Library: Information Literacy

  11. Solutions: OChem After Library Scavenger Hunt • “Fun” activity • Introduce students to library • Familiarize students with resources

  12. Solutions: OChem After • OChem 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

  13. Solutions: OChem After • Preparing for the Research / Writing Assignment • Return to the Library: Information Resources • If not the internet, where? • Library information resources • Electronic Databases • Scholarly vs. Trade

  14. Solutions: OChem After • Using Research to Write Journal Article • A sequence • Experimental • Results & Discussion • Introduction • Abstract

  15. Solutions: OChem After Final Portfolio Reflection / Metacognition • Reflective Overview • on learning about chemistry through writing and research • on expanded information literacy

  16. What Happened? • How Do We Know? • Pre / post surveys during semester • Focus groups • After-course online surveys • Reflections / Interviews (pending) • Student Writings (pending)

  17. So What? Now What? The rest of the story

  18. Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 control

  19. Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 control

  20. Questions? Discussion

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

  22. Student Response

  23. What follows is all addendum/notes/references • We may put this on website?

  24. 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)

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