How do students who have taken CHEM-342 describe
it?
The final course evaluation in CHEM-342 asks students the following
question: In an informative sentence or two, describe or characterize
CHEM-342 to someone who might consider taking the course. The 20 students
who took the course in 1998 responded as follows.
- CHEM-342 is more like a group course than an individual course. This
course might take about a month to get used to.
- CHEM 342 is a course designed for those extremely good at problem solving.
It deals with the learning and understanding of scientific findings and
relates them to similar problems.
- An excellent course using hemoglobin and sickle-cell anemia to invoke
1) asking questions, 2) evaluating questions, 3) seeking relevant information,
and 4) filter and assimilate information to give a reasonable, intelligent
answer.
- CHEM-342 deals with many things that other classes do not, i.e. creativity
(making a creative title to a term paper or drawing creative pictures,
goes a long way towards getting an A), communication, and writing.
- A course that studies scientific articles from many different years
on a particular subject, and appreciates the development of that subject
through time.
- It takes a lot of personal initiative and cooperation. Being able to
work well and efficiently with others is key.
- CHEM-342 is a course which you, as a students, must fully integrate
yourself into a group in order to learn and acquire skills which are necessary
if one is to become a successful chemist.
- It is a class where you do have to know as well as learn some things,
but it's primary focus seems to be on how you think, communicative skills,
and being able to stay awake and focused for an 8 am class three times
a week.
- CHEM-342 is Problem-Based Learning on sickle cell anemia. It incorporates
research and reading articles into cooperative group learning.
- Group problem-based learning based around biochemistry.
- CHEM-342 is a class in which, if you have the initiative, you may succeed.
CHEM-342 does not have very organized information relay from teacher to
student. One must strive to synthesize the necessary information.
- A course in which sickle cell anemia is discussed in groups, then as
a class.
- [No Response]
- As the title implies, this is an introductory course in biochemistry
designed to give basic idea and to teach learning strategies for courses
later on.
- CHEM-342 is a course about the development of biochemistry as a scientific
discipline. Course readings on the research articles which extended the
knowledge of hemoglobin and sickle cell anemia, using them to show how
scientific ideas evolve.
- It is a course designed to teach you intangible necessities. For example,
the ability to find things in the library/web, to work with a group.
- This class is based on the group learning format. It entails reading
scientific articles, understanding the principles in these works and applying
the information in order to formulate answers to questions posed.
- There is a lot of out-of-class work involved and it is a group learning
kind of setting. If you keep up with the readings and find an understanding
in them, you should do fine. Just don't miss class.
- Frustrating for those who like structured classes; even more so for
those who like the approach but lack a strong background in molecular
biology, genetics, cell physiol, etc. Rarely (if ever) are you given a
yes/no response to a question.
- This is a course that depends entirely on your own self-motivation.
It will teach you to find, understand and analyze information. It is necessary
to be self-sufficient in getting the information and education needed.
The students also responded to the following on the final questionnaire:
1. Consider the following items and rate them with respect to how
important they are for success in CHEM-342.
A summary of the responses is in the table below.
Item |
Extremely
Important
|
Very
Important
|
Reasonably
Important
|
Slightly
Important
|
Not
Important
|
Mean
± S.D.
|
Question 2
Responses
|
a. Personal Initiative |
12 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1.50 ± 0.67 |
8 |
b. Library Research Skills |
8 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1.95 ± 0.97 |
9 |
c. Taking Notes in Class |
2 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
2.60 ± 1.07 |
2 |
d. Writing Skills |
6 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
2.16 ± 0.93 |
5 |
e. Collaboration with Classmates |
11 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1.75 ± 0.99 |
10 |
f. Oral Communication Skills |
6 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
2.05 ± 0.94 |
8 |
g. Prior Knowledge |
3 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
2.85 ± 1.15 |
6 |
h. Memorization |
3 |
1 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
3.35 ± 1.24 |
0 |
i. Learning New Information |
10 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1.80 ± 1.03 |
3 |
j. Problem Solving Skills |
10 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1.80 ± 0.98 |
9 |
k. Conceptualization |
12 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1.55 ± 0.74 |
10 |
l. Attendance |
14 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1.60 ± 1.07 |
6 |
2. Reconsider the items a through l in relation to
other science courses you have had. Circle those items which, in
your experience, are more important in CHEM-342 than in those other courses.
(Circle as many as are appropriate.)
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Last updated: 20 January 1999 by Hal
White
Copyright 1999, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of Delaware