CHEM 208A - Organic Chemistry - Stage 5 - Malinda Pauly
Assessment
| Assessment Methods | Analysis of exam, quiz, or homework items linked to specific SLOs |
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| Assessment Description | Fall 2012 Data Collection and Analysis: I collected student scores on specific problems from Homework 1, Exam 1, Exam 3, and the Final Exam. For each question, I calculated the mean and median scores for the class. I also calculated the percentage of the class that achieved the expected achievement I defined for proficiency (65% of the maximum score). Sample questions from the Homework, Exams, and Final Exams are listed below. >Homework 1/Question 3: Consider the structure below, a portion of the natural product terpestacin. Terpestacin, a microbial extract, has been found to suppress tumor growth. Which of the indicated hydrogen atoms is more acidic. Explain your answer; include any relevant drawings in your answer. (structure provided) >Exam 1/Question 3. Using the letter labels, order the following compounds from most acidic to least acidic. Explain your choice for the most acidic compound. (structure provided) >Exam 1/Question 8: Consider the molecule drawn below. Draw a Newman projection of this molecule in the lowest energy conformation looking down the C2-C3 bond. Label any important interactions and indicate why this is the lowest energy conformation. (structure provided) >Final Exam/Question 9: Provide the missing reactant, reagents, or major product(s) for the following reactions. Be sure to indicate stereochemistry and/or regiochemistry where appropriate. If no reaction occurs, write NR. Spring 2013 Data Collection and Analysis: I collected student scores on specific problems from Exam 1, Exam 3, Homework 7, and the Final Exam. For each question, I calculated the mean and median scores for the class. I also calculated the percentage of the class that achieved the expected achievement I defined for proficiency (65% of the maximum score). Sample questions from the Homework, Exams, and Final Exams are listed below. >Exam 1/Question 4: Suppose you must effectively deprotonate (remove a proton from) pentane-2,4-dione, which has a pKa of 9, using one of the four bases shown in the table below. (structures provided) Which base would be the best choice to accomplish this deprotonation reaction? Very briefly justify your answer. (Simply noting pKa values is not a complete answer.) >Final Exam/Question 7. Rank the following structures in order of increasing acidity, where 1 is the least acidic. Explain your reasoning. >Homework 7/Question 3: Provide the structure of a compound with the molecular formula C4H7O2Cl that is consistent with the IR, 13C NMR and 1H NMR data below. Correlate degrees of unsaturation; relevant IR stretches; and NMR chemical shifts, integration, and coupling patterns to your structure. Partial credit will be given for correctly identifying the structural pieces. (spectral data provided) >Exam 3/Question 6: Consider the compound shown on the right. (structure provided) a) Give the number of signals that would ideally be observed in 1H and 12C NMR spectroscopy. b) Carefully circle the H atom/s that produces a signal that is farthest downfield (greatest chemical shift). c) Predict the splitting pattern (multiplicity) of the signal observed in 1H NMR for the group marked with an apple (). |
| Learning Outcomes | SLO B: Students will be able to use structure, chemical bonding, and intermolecular attractions and repulsions to predict polarity, dipole moments, boiling point trends, solubility, and reactivity. –focus was specifically on acid/base reactivity. SLO C: Students will be able to apply conformational analysis and principles of stereoisomerism to organic compounds. –focus was primarily on conformational analysis SLO D: Students will be able to predict the product of organic reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols, ethers, and substitution and elimination reactions. –focus was specifically on alkene reactions. SLO F: Students will be able to identify the structure of organic compounds on the basis of reactions and spectroscopic analysis. – focus as specifically on spectroscopic analysis. |
| Number of Sections | 1 |
| Number of Instructors | 1 |
| Number of Students | ~40 |
Data Analysis
| Data Shared With | Faculty and staff within our department |
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| Data Sharing Methods |
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| Data Summary | Fall 2012 - SLO B: I looked at student scores on three questions: Homework 1/Question 3, Exam 1/Question 3, and Final Exam/Question 7. On Homework 1/Question 3 the mean score was 58%; 37% students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Exam 1/Question 3 the mean score was 54%; 38% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Final Exam/Question 7 the mean score was 77%; 83% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. Fall 2012 - SLO C: I looked at student scores on two questions: Exam 1/Question 8 and Final Exam/Question 3. On Exam 1/Question 8 the mean score was 61%; 48% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Final Exam/Question 7 the mean score was 60%; 39% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. Fall 2012 - SLO D: I looked at student scores on two questions: Exam 3/Question 3 and Final Exam/Question 9. On Exam 1/Question 3 the mean score was 76%; 74% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Final Exam/Question 7 the mean score was 63%; 51% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. Spring 2013 - SLO B: I looked at student scores on three questions: Exam 1/Questions 3, Exam 1/Question 4, and Final Exam/Question 7. On Exam 1/Question 3, the mean score was 52%; 35% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Exam 1/Question 4, the mean score was 50%; 28% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Final Exam/Question 7, the mean score was 49%; 41% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. Spring 2013 - SLO F: I looked at student scores on five questions: Homework 7/Question 3, Exam 3/Question 6, Exam 3/Question 9, Exam 3/Question 10, and Final Exam/Question 14-15. On Homework 7/Question 3 the mean score was 73%; 66% students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Exam 3/Question 6 the mean score was 65%; 57% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Exam 3/Question 9 the mean score was 80%; 87% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Exam 3/Question 10 the mean score was 59%; 42% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. On Final Exam/Question 14-15 the mean score was 57%; 30% of students achieved a score of at least 65%. |
| Analysis Summary | Scores of 65% and greater indicate successful achievement of the learning outcome. SLO B: In both Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, the average scores are around 50% (D-level achievement). Only about 1/3 of the class demonstrated proficiency in identify and predicting acid/base reactivity. (The only exception is on the Fall 2012 Final Exam question, but I found the difficultly of that question to be less than all the others.) I do not consider this level of achievement successful overall. Surprisingly, the average scores do not increase significantly over the course of the semester even though data from students who dropped were included with Exam 1, but not the Final Exam. Course improvements are needed here to improve outcome achievement. SLO C: The average students scores are in the C-level range, and nearly ½ of the class demonstrated proficiency in this area. More data is needed to make clear conclusion regarding student success in this area. SLO D: Students demonstrated a significant level of achievement. Over ½ the class demonstrated proficiency in this area. SLO F: student success is not clear. On certain questions, the average scores are approximately 73% (B-level achievement). About 2/3 of the class demonstrated proficiency using and predicting spectroscopic data. I consider this relatively successful. However, for other questions, the average scores are approximately 58% (nearly C-level work). About 1/3 of the class demonstrated proficiency using and predicting spectroscopic data. I do not consider this all that successful. However, this topic comes up rather late in the semester and is relatively complex. Still, course improvements are needed here to improve outcome achievement. |
| Next Steps Planned | SLO B: plans for Fall 2013 > add examples of organic acid to a handout with sample acids > work through additional examples in class SLO C: plans for Fall 2013 > allow students to manipulate molecular models during lecture of this area > allow additional time for in-class problem solving > provide handout to reduce lecture time > provide links to Websites that include animations and 3D images of organic molecules SLO F: plans for Fall 2013 > reduce lecture time > increase in-class problem solving > provide links to Websites that involve online spectroscopy problem solving STUDENT PERCEPTIONS: plans for Fall 2013 > conduct survey of students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of various course assignments, activities, and recommended websites |
| Learning Outcomes | SLO B: Students will be able to use structure, chemical bonding, and intermolecular attractions and repulsions to predict polarity, dipole moments, boiling point trends, solubility, and reactivity. SLO C: Students will be able to apply conformational analysis and principles of stereoisomerism to organic compounds. SLO D: Students will be able to predict the product of organic reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols, ethers, and substitution and elimination reactions. SLO E: Students will be able to write detailed mechanisms for addition reactions to alkenes and alkynes, substitution and elimination reactions, and reactions of alcohols and ethers. SLO F: Students will be able to identify the structure of organic compounds on the basis of reactions and spectroscopic analysis. |
Changes
| Details | > included a question on many homework assignments asking students to reference the course SLO supported by the assignment. > revised the content of lecture to clarify acid/base reactivity. > increased the difficulty level of a final exam question on acid/base reactivity to be more inline with the level of expectation on the homework and exams. > added links to website that provide animation of reaction mechanisms. > implemented a data recording system. |
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| Learning Outcomes | All |
Tentative Future Plans
| Term | Fall 2013 |
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| Activities |
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| More Details | SLO B: I will collect and analyze student scores on specific questions from Exam 1 and the Final Exam. SLO C: I will collect and analyze student scores on specific questions from Exam 1 and the Final Exam. SLO F: I will collect and analyze student scores on specific questions from Exam 3 and the Final Exam. I will conduct and analyze a survey conduct of students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of various course assignments, activities, and recommended websites. I will implement changes noted in section 6e above. |
SLO Details Storage Location
- HARD COPY - In my personal filing system (my office)
- ELECTRONIC COPY - In my electronic filing system (hard drive or web server)