Steps toward a fully online organic chemistry course

CHED 1606

Philip A Janowicz, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801 and Jeffrey S. Moore, Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, 3321 Beckman Institute, Urbana, IL 61801.
As technology continues to shape the world we live in, education must itself adapt to these changes or traditional methods will become obsolete. One way for organic chemistry to adapt is to become available entirely online. The effectiveness of an online organic chemistry course was studied using videotaped lectures and an online structure-drawing program for homework submission. Students were split into three groups: a control group with no online videos or homework with a traditional lecture format, a group with no online videos (traditional lecture) but online homework, and a group with online lectures and online homework. In comparing scores in the overall class and the final exam, there was a significant improvement in grades when the online homework system is used, and there is no significant difference between using online lectures or traditional lecturing. Therefore, moving to an online format is both feasible and beneficial for students and instructors.
 

Using Technology to Enhance Learning in Organic Chemistry
1:00 PM-4:15 PM, Thursday, April 10, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- HEC C, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008