School of
Chemistry
Presentation

Chemistry IT Workshop 16 November 1998

The Potential for Teaching and Learning on the Web in Chemistry 1

There are four different computer based systems used in Chemistry 1. They cover both formative and summative approaches to teaching but only one of them currently delivers material via the web. One computer aided learning package, "The Old System", has been used for many years in Chemistry while the other three (ChemCAL, RLT and Question Mark) have been trialed over the past year or two. In all cases the applications are no different, in principle, to the teaching material being delivered by book or assignment, however the medium has several important advantages:

the greater interaction/feedback provided by computers hopefully stimulates interest and learning in the subject;

instant feedback to the students provides help, correction and encouragement at the time the student is thinking of the problem and not some time afterwards;

automatic marking and logging of work submitted for summative assessment can release staff from correcting tasks;

increased learning flexibility as students can choose their time to use the CAL modules; and

web-based material aids equity of access.

"The Old System"

"The Old System" has been successfully used for many years by the main cohort of the Chemistry 1 class. A formative approach is adopted and is pitched to students with weak or no Chemistry background. The 8 computers associated with the system have a booking sheet that ensures fair access to the large number of students who use the system at the start of the course. The system is robust and has a low maintenance and running cost. The computers are located adjacent to the room occupied by the duty tutor who can provide additional feedback when on duty.

The programs are black and white with graphics at a low level of sophistication. The system is not web-based and unlikely to be adapted to the web. The system will be surpassed by more attractive packages but provides a useful resource meanwhile.

ChemCAL

ChemCAL is a package developed by the University of Melbourne, which (on payment) has modified the basic modules to our specifications. The system is currently run on a Macintosh platform though there are plans to make it web based. The formative material has been used as an aid to the Introductory Chemistry and small semester 2 CHEM1101 classes. The classes have found the material very helpful and have provided positive feedback in students' evaluations of the system. The presentation is good with colour, movement and a reasonable level of sophistication.

The current small number of host computers limits its use to selected classes. Should the School of Chemistry purchase the web-based version once it becomes available, it will provide an extremely useful on-line resource for our first year students.

Resource Learning Technique

RLT - Resource Learning Technique is a sophisticated program developed by the University of Queensland. There is a large bank of questions to which the School of Chemistry has added more. It has been used for summative assessment of part of the 1997 Chemistry Advanced unit of study and in the 1998 Chemistry Summer School. RLT is used to generate individual student assignments using a range of question delivery formats. It is particularly good for numerical questions where the program can randomly generate a number (within defined limits) and determine the correct answer based on that number. This encourages group collaboration while minimising plagiarism. For example, a question may require the student to calculate the energy of light associated with a particular wavelength. Each student is given a value of wavelength picked at random from between 400 and 800 nm. In all cases the method used to solve the problem is the same, but the student has to use the wavelength assigned to them in order to achieve the correct answer.

Student feedback on the system has been very positive. RLT is not web-based though it might be possible to make it so. The main disadvantage with the system is that it requires considerable computer knowledge and time to write the program for a question. While there is a bank of questions already available, there will always be a requirement to generate new questions that are tailored to the course being taught. The program does not handle imported structures/diagrams, which limits its use in Organic Chemistry for example.

Question Mark

Question Mark is being used in the School of Chemistry in both a formative and summative way. The material may be delivered via a PC platform or converted to web format and both modes are currently used (see http://www.chemlab.chem.usyd.edu.au/). A big advantage of this package is that it has a straightforward authoring tool enabling staff to construct and modify their own questions and texts. There are a variety of presentation formats. Libraries of similar questions may be constructed and students may log into a test that randomly picks a defined number of questions from the libraries.

Like the RLT system, this encourages cooperation while minimising plagiarism however if the same student logs into the same test on a number of different occasions, they will be presented with a different set of questions. This has the disadvantage that the student can not go back to complete a half finished test but the advantage that the student can do the same test a number of times for revision purposes and be presented with a different set of questions. The tests may be timed allowing open-book exam type conditions. Structures and imported diagrams are readily incorporated and feedback to students is good. Student's evaluations have been very positive and an updated version of the program (renamed Perception) appears to have addressed some outstanding issues such as security.

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