Teaching-as-Research:
Using Formative Surveys to Guide Teaching Practices
in an Organic Chemistry Class
Steven Burnett,Yakini Brandy, Shimelis Hailu, Pogisego Dinake
Howard University
“ Tell me and I’ll forget; Show me and I may remember; Involve me
and I’ll understand”
--Chinese Proverb
Teaching-as-Research:
The Process
 Setting objectives and goals for students and their learning
 Conveying fundamental knowledge
 Using the scientific method for creating practices that enable





students to meet goals and thrive
Establishing a criteria for success
Developing and implementing teaching practices within an
experimental design
Collecting and analyzing data
Using data to guide teaching practice
Reflecting, evaluating, and iterating
Project Goals/Objectives
 To apply the TAR steps in generating a project that involves
the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning
 To conduct weekly surveys to integrate technology into
pedagogy
 To use the data obtained from the surveys as guidance in the
re-lecture of a specific concept and to monitor
students’/professor’s progress
Project Experimental
 Materials:
 Blackboard
 Survey Monkey
 OWL
 Participants:
 Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Class
 Initial and Final Surveys were conducted on specific concepts using
Survey Monkey
 In Class Activities:
 Based on survey responses, if less than 80% understood the concepts
for a chapter, they were revisited.
 Assessment Measurements:
 Qualitative Assessments:
 Initial and Final Surveys
 Quantitative Assessments:
 Quizzes and Exams
Setting Goals: Sample Outcome Objectives
for A Chapter

Identify Electronegativities of Atoms

Determine Direction of Bond Polarity

Determine if Organic Molecule Has Net Dipole Moment

Determine Formal Charges of an Atom in a Molecule

Drawing Resonance Structures

Identify Bronsted Acids and Bases

Identify Lewis Acids and Bases

Use Pka Values to Predict Direction of Acid-Base Reactions
Class Paticipation for Initial and Final Surveys
Number of Students
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Chpt1
Chpt2
Chpt3
Chpt4
Inital
49
53
34
38
Final
49
44
50
58
Inital
Final
Concepts/Topics
Survey Responce: Chapter 1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% Students with moderate, good, great gains
90
100
Concepts/Topics
Survey Responce: Chapt 1
Knowing how to identify the
hybridization of atoms in
organic
molecules
Knowing the relationship
between
hybridization and molecular
geometry
Survey 1
Survey 2
Knowing how to explain the
concept
of hybridization
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% Students with moderate, good, great gains
90
100
Concepts/Topics
Survey Response: Chapter 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% Students with moderate, good, great gains
90
100
Concepts/Topics
Survey Responce : Chapt 2
Knowing how to use pka values to
predict the direction of acid-base
Knowing how to identify Lewis acids
and bases
Knowing how to identify Bronsted
acids and bases
Knowing how to draw resonance
structures
Survey 1
Survey 2
Knowing the resonance rules
Knowing how to determine if an
organic molecule has a net dipole
Knowing how to identify the relative
electronegativities of atoms
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% Students with moderate, good, great gains
90
100
ID
Ex 1
3
45
2
26
55
33
29
20
16
77
62
66
21
11
38
83
88
71
26
36
49
51
59
8
Ex 2
155
179
135
116
115
180
112
148
38
152
78
172
127
71
139
208
172
124
83
171
67
85
133
51
Ex 3
104
86
81
101
30
Ex 4
126
144
114
94
163
124
76
171
190
103
88
152
65
108
132
75
74
160
140
145
143
92
114
174
137
60
158
166
149
118
74
142
88
127
88
100
0
out of 3
373
437
353
277
283
503
317
389
68
424
78
489
352
207
468
564
424
342
245
465
132
193
353
51
Grades OWL quiz owl grades
62.16667
19.5 22.94118
72.83333
68.2 80.23529
58.83333
82.5 97.05882
46.16667
32 37.64706
47.16667
0
0
83.83333
59.7 70.23529
52.83333
52.6 61.88235
64.83333
26.2 30.82353
11.33333
0
0
70.66667
72.7 85.52941
13
0
0
81.5
71.4
84
58.66667
0
0
34.5
0
0
78
67.8 79.76471
94
40.2 47.29412
70.66667
66.4 78.11765
57
62.7 73.76471
40.83333
34.1 40.11765
77.5
40.4 47.52941
22
0
0
32.16667
0
0
58.83333
52.4 61.64706
8.5
0
0
ID
Ex 1
69
63
9
17
27
101
151
98
122
134
166
178
200
195
155
210
212
241
263
293
287
299
288
300
313
Ex 2
115
179
203
137
90
140
165
138
122
149
82
99
25
Ex 3
148
61
88
117
89
80
151
98
157
104
165
149
180
171
131
130
120
78
21
83
157
119
14
81
77
152
130
98
86
55
164
117
120
Ex 4
51
87
98
68
141
31
104
157
63
143
150
137
123
out of 3
115
507
526
398
0
151
326
412
347
253
322
82
275
25
123
455
169
307
451
270
112
157
248
431
226
Grades
OWL quiz owl grades
19.16667
0
0
84.5
70 82.35294
87.66667
50.9 59.88235
66.33333
73.5 86.47059
0
0
25.16667
5.5 6.470588
54.33333
70.6 83.05882
68.66667
38.4 45.17647
57.83333
45.1 53.05882
42.16667
43.4 51.05882
53.66667
0
0
13.66667
0
0
45.83333
43.5 51.17647
4.166667
0
0
20.5
0
0
75.83333
55.4 65.17647
28.16667
0
0
51.16667
10.7 12.58824
75.16667
75 88.23529
45
4.5 5.294118
18.66667
0
0
26.16667
0
0
41.33333
0
0
71.83333
81.5 95.88235
37.66667
0
0
ID
Ex 1
347
397
355
377
400
416
419
445
491
436
449
487
453
500
509
579
528
532
566
505
518
600
614
Ex 2
196
186
174
187
98
86
131
103
120
41
137
179
45
172
116
163
142
132
145
115
115
Ex 3
195
148
118
128
Ex 4
185
194
129
179
129
69
32
132
32
135
36
166
113
131
101
131
127
114
99
108
2
106
85
156
161
113
101
33
82
170
59
105
144
176
156
155
143
104
88
out of 3
576
528
421
494
98
323
200
137
358
106
304
470
81
497
344
322
420
449
233
430
427
333
302
Grades OWL quiz owl grades
96
80.5 94.70588
88
73.5 86.47059
70.16667
57.9 68.11765
82.33333
40.4 47.52941
16.33333
0
0
53.83333
26.8 31.52941
33.33333
7.4 8.705882
22.83333
17.8 20.94118
59.66667
46.3 54.47059
17.66667
37.1 43.64706
50.66667
0
0
78.33333
81.5 95.88235
13.5
0
0
82.83333
75 88.23529
57.33333
28.9
34
53.66667
41.3 48.58824
70
52.3 61.52941
74.83333
44.9 52.82353
38.83333
30 35.29412
71.66667
81.2 95.52941
71.16667
71.5 84.11765
55.5
55.1 64.82353
50.33333
12.2 14.35294
Results
 The Average for First Exam was 129
 The Distribution was 50/50
 The Average for Second Exam was 97.7
 Only 42% were Above and 58% were Bellow
• 72% of the class participated in the OWL study; from that
number, 43% showed signs of success; and for 28%, the
OWL helped and was a good indicator for success.
 28.3 % of the students that scored 70% or better on OWL
also did the same for the exams
 15% of the students scored bellow 70% on OWL , but
picked up slack and scored 70% or better on exams
 7.5% of the students scored 70% or better on OWL, but did
not pass exams! Outliers due to bad study habits.
 So, 43.3 % of the students used OWL and their exams
reflected it with passing grades.
Conclusion
 Formative surveys enables the professor to adjust his teaching and
place emphasis specific topics.
 Enable students to engage in active learning in the classroom
 Give professor more time to cover course content
 Currently, it is still unclear if lectures or webcasts alone weight heavily on
performance; However, OWL quizzes simulates exam questions and gives
students more exposure
 An unknown variable, students learning behavior, will ultimately
dictate exam performance, As seen in the OWL results
 Effort should be made to inform students of the importance of
maintaining survey integrity.
 Learning outcome surveys would be skewed if different students take the
initial and final surveys
 The survey project is still ongoing in the organic chemistry class to
improve the teaching practices and learning experience of the
students and professors.
Acknowledgments
 Dr. Folahan O. Ayorinde
 University of Wisconsin
 Shimelis Hailu
 Pogisego Dinake
 Yakini Brandy
 CIRTL Network
 CIRTL-at-Howard
 NSF