1. SoTL Project Presentation Didem Vardar-Ulu 07/18/2008

2. What prompted the research idea? THE PROBLEM Current discipline based prerequisites (intro chem, organic chemistry, intro bio, cell physiology) didn’t seem to be predictive of student success in the Introductory Biochemistry Course. The students who had trouble building interdisciplinary connections between content seem to lack basic reasoning or informal logic skills. Student interest and confidence in subject matter also seem to play a role in how they performed in the course.

3. The ultimate question I want to ask: What is the relative importance of - prior disciplinary knowledge - competence in informal logic - interest and/or confidence in facilitating student understanding in an introductory level interdisciplinary course?

4. My current SoTL Question: What is the relative importance of - prior biology and chemistry knowledge - competence in solving puzzles - interest and/or confidence in biochemistry in facilitating student’s understanding of the structure-function relationships in biochemistry?

5. Methodology Assessment: For the first stage of this project, I will focus on “cognitive learning” Come up with a learning taxonomy using biochemistry specific learning goals. ExemplaryCompetentDeveloping Factual knowledge Analysis/ explanation/ interpretation Synthesis/ application

6. Assessment of “understanding” Factual knowledge: - weekly content quizzes (multiple choice, fill in the blanks, True/ false, circle) - weekly in-lab questions (short answer questions) - HMW- Problem Sets Analysis/ explanation/ interpretation: - miterm/ final - weekly lab work analysis - assignments Synthesis/ application: - weekly post-lab question (design a follow up experiment) - projects - in-class activities that relates biochemisty knowledge to real life phenomenon

7. Assessment of “prior” factors Disciplinary Background: Collect data on the grades students received in the prereq. Courses Administer a content assessment pre-test that is 50% biology, 50% chemistry in composition Informal Logic Skills: Administer a pre-test composed of three logic puzzles - Data comparison - Use of graphs and charts - Use of fractions and trial and error Interest and Confidence: Administer an in class questionnaire followed by a personal meeting