TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

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Abstract Volume 18 (2013) pp 074-079
DOI 10.1007/s00897132474a

Online Homework and Student Success in Preparatory Chemistry

David Saiki* and Andreas Gebauer

Department of Chemistry, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA 93311, dsaiki@csub.edu
Received December 20, 2012. Accepted February 23, 2013.

Published: 12 April 2013

Abstract. Adoption of the cyber learning system Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) and subsequent inter-departmental coordination of assignments and deadlines led to increased student success in a preparatory, lecture-only chemistry course with large enrollment, CHEM 101. This article describes the process of our adoption and optimization of ALEKS in this course. As a result of our efforts, we were able to increase the pass rate for this course from 60.8% in the fall quarter 2009 to 73.9% in the fall quarter of 2012. The average GPA in CHEM 101 increased from 1.96 to 2.42. At the same time, students scores on the ACS 2009 Toledo Examination improved from an average of 27 (±6.0) in the pre-test to 34 (±6.8) in the post-test. This represents an improvement from the 25 to the 59 percentile compared to national data.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; online homework; ALEKS; student success

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: dsaiki@csub.edu )

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