Submission Type
20-minute Presentation
Abstract
Students enter introductory chemistry courses with variable background knowledge and experience in chemistry, which creates a dynamic challenge for chemistry instructors. Preliminary research at Birmingham Southern College and Rhodes College shows that 36% and 25% of the students in the introductory course, respectively, do not continue to the second course in our first-year chemistry sequence. More alarming is that underrepresented minorities drop out at disproportionately higher rates due to a lack of self-identifiable models. We developed lightboard videos to improve student success and reduce stereotype threat in our introductory chemistry courses.
Start Date
5-23-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
5-23-2019 2:45 PM
Description
Students enter introductory chemistry courses with variable background knowledge and experience in chemistry, which creates a dynamic challenge for many chemistry programs. Preliminary research at Birmingham Southern College and Rhodes College shows that 36% and 25% of the students in the introductory course, respectively, do not continue to the second course in our first-year chemistry sequence. More alarming is that underrepresented minorities drop out at disproportionately higher rates. The literature suggests that this problem may be twofold: students who have had limited exposure to scientific reasoning or mathematics lack the problem-solving skills necessary for success in STEM; and/or students are unable to visualize themselves as scientists due to a lack of self-identifiable models presented in the course. These students, therefore, frequently disengage from chemistry. In order to address these retention challenges, we created and implemented a shared supplemental instructional video series for the first-year chemistry course in the fall of 2018. These videos contain fundamental concepts in chemistry, with a focus on problem-solving strategies that served to reinforce the material and assisted students with developing their own approach to solving problems. Additionally, each video began with a different chemist sharing a short vignette of his/her journey through science, highlighting personal challenges and successes, and a brief segment on the kinds of activities they engage in outside of the classroom and research lab. The goal was to showcase diverse models of professional chemists to whom our students can relate, and to create connections with students through our everyday life experiences. In order to evaluate the impact of the videos on both student perceptions of science and their problem-solving skills, students in courses utilizing the videos completed a pre- and post-survey (this was optional) that contained chemistry problems and Likert-style questions. Analyses of these data show that students improved their problem solving skills and had a more favorable view of scientists.
Outcomes: learn about reducing stereotype threat using lightboard videos/other approaches
Session Activities: Develop a 10-12 minute plan for a video
Lightboard Videos, Teaching Introductory Chemistry, and Reducing Stereotype Threat
Students enter introductory chemistry courses with variable background knowledge and experience in chemistry, which creates a dynamic challenge for chemistry instructors. Preliminary research at Birmingham Southern College and Rhodes College shows that 36% and 25% of the students in the introductory course, respectively, do not continue to the second course in our first-year chemistry sequence. More alarming is that underrepresented minorities drop out at disproportionately higher rates due to a lack of self-identifiable models. We developed lightboard videos to improve student success and reduce stereotype threat in our introductory chemistry courses.