Collaborative and Active eLearning: Contributing, Ranking and Tagging Web Resources in First Year Chemistry

To enhance peer-to-peer and student-to-educator collaboration and to promote active eLearning, students and educators are invited to contribute, tag and vote on web-based resources via an application hosted on the eLearning site. These resources are organised according to the topics in the syllabus and hence are available in a succinct, week-by-week format as well as by common tags and by contributor. The resources are also feed to social networking sites to act as external resource libraries and to promote a sense of community and shared learning amongst the large and diverse groups taking our first year chemistry units. By encouraging our learners to contribute in this way and by utilising the large numbers of student in a positive way, the project also seeks to provide a manageable and reliable way of sourcing checking and ranking the vast amount of existing and ever-growing resources on the web

Using very short writing tasks to promote understanding in chemistry

Writing promotes deeper learning and critical thinking and can assist in knowledge retention, yet students write very little in lectures and tutorials. Very short and informal writing tasks requiring students to explain, describe and summarise their understanding in 1 or 2 sentences have been introduced into chemistry lectures and tutorials as part of our active learning activity toolkit. Development of writing skills is the responsibility of each discipline and every level of a degree and these tasks are used regularly throughout the semester to encourage students to use writing as a way of clarifying ideas and learning new concepts

A matrix isolation and computational study of molecular palladium fluorides : does PdF₆ exist?

Palladium atoms generated by thermal evaporation and laser ablation were reacted with and trapped in F₂ /Ar, F₂ /Ne, and neat F₂ matrices. The products were characterized by electronic absorption and infrared spectroscopy, together with relativistic density functional theory calculations as well as coupled cluster calculations. Vibrational modes at 540 and 617 cm⁻¹ in argon matrices were assigned to molecular PdF and PdF₂ , and a band at 692 cm⁻¹ was assigned to molecular PdF₄ . A band at 624 cm⁻¹ can be assigned to either PdF₃ or PdF₆, with the former preferred from experimental considerations. Although calculations might support the latter assignment, our conclusion is that in these detailed experiments there is no convincing evidence for PdF₆

Collaborative Laboratory for Quantitative Data Analysis

In this project, students share experimental results to perform data analysis and to develop an appreciation of precision, accuracy and reliability of experimental data and of the scientific method. The number of students taking Junior Chemistry means that the data sets are large and naturally contain random, systematic, and even deliberate errors. By forcing students to work with a wide range of measurements including their own, students develop an appreciation of the importance of the role of human error in the physical sciences. In doing so and in using spreadsheet software, key generic attributes including quantitative, problem solving and inquiry skills are developed and deficiencies in the computer skills are addressed. The project has led to real improvements in the development of generic attributes in our courses, at minimal expense

Embedding Core Information Skills At The Point Of Need In First Year Science

Online information literacy modules have been integrated into semester 1 units of study so that every commencing first year science student is now engaged in developing information skills as part of their disciplinary learning (Kift, 2004). A certificate of completion system has enabled these activities to be easily introduced by staff from a range of disciplines. This methodology has enabled skill development to be introduced with no duplication or overlap in the workload for students despite the range of course choices available and without core units

An Electronic Calendar for Organizing Assessments in a Large Faculty

Using data from an electronic unit of study outline system, the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science built an assessment calendar to organize assessment schedules and help first-year students transition to university life. The calendar helps students organize and understand their assessments using their preferred computers or mobile calendar applications. The calendar also helps staff in a large faculty compare and rationalize assessment dates and ensure that a variety of assessment modes are used, irrespective of a student's course choices

Investigating the efficacy of flipped learning to promote student engagement and achievement

The use of pre-lecture resources including key content videos and mastery quizzes to promote student engagement with a second year chemistry course has been investigated. Students’ accessing and completion of the pre-lecture materials remained high throughout the semester. The average view count for the videos ranged from 1.2 to 1.8 times per week, depending on the complexity of the material. The attempt counts for the weekly quizzes followed the trend of the view count, ranging between 2 and 6 attempts over the 10 weeks that specific pre-lecture resources were available. Student perceptions of the partially flipped approach were approximately equally split between favouring traditional and flipped approaches at the beginning of the semester. They were particularly supportive of a more active approach to lectures with worksheets and access to lecturers for questions. Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, The University of Queensland, Sept 28th to 30th, 2016, page X, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT THROUGH DATA MAPPING IN AN UNDERGRADUATE ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

We are all too familiar with the map visualisations in media depicting the spread and severity of COVID-19 across the world. The representation of statistical data on a map is a powerful tool that can effectively convey factors such as magnitude, density and spatial variations. Analysing data in this format can help identify trends (eg “hotspots”, “patient zero”) from large datasets. Whilst students outside the discipline of geosciences may be familiar with analysing a data map; constructing one would be a rare experience. In our undergraduate environmental chemistry laboratory, students analyse the metal ion content and hardness of water samples collected on campus. We have used Google Maps Application Programming Interface (API)1 to allow students to geotag their results on a Google Map. The resulting bubble map is live and continually updated as students complete the lab and submit their results.2 This map is shared with the cohort so students can view the evolution of data, their contribution to the “project” and generate their own hypotheses as to why certain concentrations may be linked to certain locales (eg. age of building). This approach offers rich context-based learning that could be modified to address other datasets/contexts, locations, and disciplines

Code for success: a roadmap as an organising device for the transition of first year science students and the development of academic skills

An online roadmap has been introduced to improve the standard of academic skills by embedding a semester long sequence of stimuli and resources for new students within our large, general science degrees. This device is faculty managed and links administration, curricular and support services to the just-in-time needs of the students. This institution-wide curricular and co-curricular approach extends and supports our existing workshop and mentoring activities. It answers and prompts frequently asked questions, inducts students into the broader culture of the faculty and integrates information literacy and other academic skills which will be taught, practised and assessed during their first semester at university

First year science: when information skills are someone else's business

The University of Sydney requires all graduates to possess information skills as part of their graduate attributes (http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/graduateAttributes/policy.htm). This can only be achieved through a close working relationship between the faculties and the library; it’s always someone else’s business as well as our own. Within first year science, information skills development is challenged by: • lack of compulsory units of study • absence of a foundation unit • separate curricula for each school within the faculty • immediate commencement of subject-based learning • assumed knowledge of some skills • inadequate time spent on skills development. The Library provides integrated information skills sessions in some first year science units, but the 3000 plus student cohort may receive this content multiple times or not at all, depending on which units they choose. A creative solution was required to systematically engage with the cohort in the priority areas of academic honesty and evaluation of scholarly or non-scholarly research. Library staff partnered with concerned academic staff to implement a coordinated information skills program across first year science. Pre-existing iResearch learning objects (http://sydney.edu.au/library/elearning/index.html) were incorporated into a range of units with large enrolments, and were also trialled in conjunction with the University’s new ePortfolio system. Four schools in the Faculty of Science made the Plagiarism and Academic Honesty and Scholarly versus Non-Scholarly learning objects compulsory components of their first year assessment program. Because of large numbers of enrolments and overlap between first year science units, virtually every student completed the required online information skills content. We added certificates of completion to the learning objects as evidence of graduate attribute development. Partnerships with unit of study coordinators were essential to complete the project. The use of online learning technology was particularly effective for a large cohort, facilitating the development of information skills outside of the traditional face-to-face classroom context. The end result was a sustainable, low-cost information skills model for first year science. This model could be applied to other faculties and universities, effectively streamlining and sharing the development of information skills