Clickers in Organic Chemistry Vincent Maloney Indiana U. Purdue U. Fort Wayne Active Learning in Organic Chemistry Workshop

Outline Structure of presentation Benefits of classroom assessment techniques – Clickers Implementation overview Question types Best practices/Potential Issues

Structure of Presentation Essential same as “traditional lecture plus” Pre-class assignments Lecture interspersed with clicker questions

Why Clickers ? (Student Response Systems Classroom response Systems) Technology for Classroom Assessment Techniques (Active Learning)

Why Clickers ? e.g. Ask a question based on material just covered in lecture – Have all students answer – Quickly check answers – Correct misconceptions/misunderstanding – Ease in grading classroom participation

What is your experience with clickers? A.Have not tried them but am interested B.Use them occasionally C.Use them regularly D.Have not tried them: – wasn’t planning to do so or had not considered them yet E.Opposed to their use

What are the pedagogical benefits of using clickers? A.Improved engagement B.Improved retention of material C.Improved retention of students (course/institution) D.Better attitudes concerning course and material E.All of the above

What are the pedagogical benefits of using clickers? A.Immediate feedback to student B.Immediate feedback for instructor C.All students respond D.Anonymous to students – Instructor can determine who answered and how E.All of the above

Preparation for Course ITS or instructor sets up software/hardware Set up class with software – Register students course management system or students individually Add explanation of Classroom Assessment Techniques and specific clicker instructions to syllabus!

Preparation for Course/Class Start with your current set of lecture notes – Determine points where it would be good gauge understanding of a difficult topic – Add to into notes – Consider time “lost to lectures” by adding questions

Preparation for Course/Class Integration with PowerPoint! – Most systems allow for “floating above” a Powerpoint presentation – Back up questions otherwise

In Class/ After class Start software: consider boot up time Ask questions at appropriate points – Follow student responses Review student responses Download into spreadsheet for grading

What barriers prevent you from adopting clickers? A.Cost to student/department B.Time to develop class materials C.Time to learn new software D.Loss of lecture time E.Other

Types of Questions Review gen chem or recent topics Understanding of concept just covered Assess retention of material Application of concept Inquiry/discovery-based learning

Question types Multiple choice Numerical Text Structures? Sources of questions Publisher generated Instructor generated Student generated

Where Did I Get All My Questions? Most questions started with the usual sources First modified for use with review session Modified for use with clickers What is the major product of the reaction shown?

Predict the Product, Multiple Choice What is the major product of the reaction shown?

Stereochemistry, Numerical How many stereogenic centers which are also asymmetric carbons are present in Riboflavin?

Conformations, Stability, etc., Text Which of the following is the most stable conformation of cis-1-chloro-3-isopropylcyclohexane?

Alkene stability, Nomenclature, Text What is the order of stability from most to least stable? a.2-methyl-2-pentene b.(Z)-hex-2-ene c.2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene d.Hex-1-ene e.(E)-hex-2-ene

Mechanism, Numerical or Text How should the mechanism arrows be written? (Enter a sequence of numbers.) The 1 st number is the base of a curved arrow. The second number is the head. If there is a second arrow, the 3 rd number would be the base and the 4 th number would be the head.

Synthesis, Numerical or Text Propose a multi-step synthesis to convert cyclohexene to ethoxycyclohexane.

Synethesis, Numerical Synthesize 3-methylhex-3-ene from butan-2-ol and 1-bromopropane by entering the number for the correct reagents for the letters in the boxes. You will need to determine what Compounds U, V, and W along the way. Use each reagent only once. 1. (1. LiAlH 4, ether 2. H 3 O + ) 2. Na 2 Cr 2 O 7, H 2 SO 4 3. Compound V 4. Compound W 5. Ph 3 P 6. BuLi, ether 7. Mg, ether 8. NaOEt, EtOH

Spectroscopy, Multiple Choice Student Generated

Best Practices Informal peer learning – Students discuss questions How much time for questions? – Listen to level of conversation What is the minimum number of questions suggested per 50 min. class period?

Best Practices Student “Buy In” – Explain benefits of Classroom Assessment Techniques and use clickers – Use suggested minimum number during class – Address incorrect answers and give immediate feedback – Never just use for attendance

Best Practices Three choices upon seeing overall student response – Short explanation answer/choices – Let students discuss, poll again – Long explanation

Predict the Product, Multiple Choice What is the major product of the reaction shown?

Best Practices Posting % responses – Can affect follow up polling Class participation points – 5 – 15% No grade for % correct Grade based on % correct Combination of both

Best Practices Missed Class reason for absence to avoid losing clicker points Missing or dead clicker during class Write answers on a sheet of paper, sign and date

Potential Issues Random guessing – Check student data and contact students that seem to be guessing Choosing same answer as smartest person nearby – Go around room and ask individual students about their answers

Potential Issues “Helping” absent friend – How do you tell in a large class? Take a picture? (Warn students that you intend to do so.) If possible, count heads, compare to clicker response Short writing assignment that must be handed in at end of class individually Exams and quizzes

Do I have to use clickers? Cards/sheets of paper Index cards Free, but harder to grade/quantify

Clicker References Teaching with Classroom Response Systems by Derek Bruff, Jossey-Bass, 2009 Derek Bruff, Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, Clickers in Action: Active Learning in Organic Chemistry by Suzanne M. Ruder, Norton, 2013

Classroom Assessment Technique References – Thomas D’Angelo and K. Patricia Cross, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, Jossey-Bass, 1993 – Bruff for clickers – David C. Haak, et al. Increased Structure and Active Learning Reduce the Achievement Gap in Introductory Biology, Science 332, 1213 (2011) – Louis Deslauriers, et al. Improved Learning in a Large- Enrollment Physics Class, Science, 332, 862, (2011) – Linda B. Nilson, Teaching at Its Best, Jossey-Bass, 2010, pp. 273 – 280 – S. Freeman et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (23), , 2014

Thanks! Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching – Gail Rathbun – Ludwika Goodson – Stephanie Stephenson ITS – Kathie Surface