A NIMBLe Approach to Active Learning in Large Enrollment Introductory Chemistry Courses (NIMBLe = New Implementations of Massive Blended Learning)

针对全国各地高等教育机构的教职员工继续寻求循证改革以改善学生在STEM学科中的学习和留存这一事实，PIS设计了一种独特的方法，将主动学习纳入到大招生、普通化学和有机化学课程中。该项目将通过实施新的在线预讲模块来取代传统的讲课，这些模块将与活跃的课堂体验和实验室实验联系起来。该项目还将扩大社会相关的案例学习材料的图书馆，这些材料是由私人投资机构通过以前的国家科学基金会的支助制作的。这种方法融合了科学教育促进新公民参与和责任(SENCER)的哲学，专注于对社区具有重要意义的主题，有可能吸引那些在科学领域传统上代表不足的学生。此外，这些新资源在大招生课程中的成功应用可能会影响大学阶段广泛的STEM入门课程的教学方式。对于有机化学I和II序列，讲课和实验课程将设计补充的课内和课前材料，涉及分子成键、立体化学和光谱学。将对以前开发的普通化学案例进行调整，并将设计新的案例以适应混合学习模式。Sencer主题贯穿两节课，将包括能量储存和生产、手性和生命起源，以及药物化学/药物设计等。形成性和终结性评估将考察该项目在提高学生对科学的兴趣、积极影响学生的学习成果以及提高学生在入门化学入门课程中的成功率方面的有效性。课堂材料将通过国家科学案例研究教学中心发布，而讲座前模块将在该机构的化学案例研究网站上提供。项目成果将通过提交给《化学教育杂志》或《大学科学教学杂志》进行传播。

In response to the fact that faculty at institutions of higher education across the nation continue to seek evidence-based reforms to improve student learning and retention in STEM disciplines, the PIs have designed a distinctive approach to incorporating active learning in large-enrollment, general and organic chemistry courses. The project will replace traditional lectures through the implementation of new, on-line pre-lecture modules that will be linked to active in-class experiences and lab experiments. The project will also expand the library of socially relevant, case-based learning materials that have been produced by the PIs through prior NSF support. This approach, which integrates the Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER) philosophy of focusing on topics of significance to the community, has the potential to be attractive to students who are traditionally under-represented in the sciences. Moreover, the successful implementation of these new resources in large-enrollment courses could influence the way that a broad range of introductory STEM courses are taught at the college-level.For the Organic Chemistry I and II sequence, complementary in-class and pre-class materials on molecular bonding, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy will be designed for lecture and lab courses. Previously developed general chemistry cases will be adapted and new ones will be designed to fit the blended learning format. SENCER topics, woven throughout both classes, will include energy storage and production, chirality and the origins of life, and medicinal chemistry/drug design among others. Formative and summative evaluation will investigate the effectiveness of the project in terms of increasing student interest in science, positively impacting student learning gains, and raising the success rates of students in gateway introductory chemistry courses. In-class materials will be published through the national Center for Case Study Teaching in Science while the pre-lecture modules will be made available on the institution's chemistry case study website. Project outcomes will be disseminated through submission to the Journal of Chemical Education or the Journal of College Science Teaching.