Sam Houston State University | SACSCOC Fifth Year Interim Report

Assessment : 2011 - 2012 : Educational Programs :
Chemistry BS

5 Goals 5 Objectives 5 Indicators 5 Criteria 5 Findings 5 Actions

GOAL: Deliver A Curriculum Appropriate For Understanding Fundamentals Of Chemistry

Objective

Demonstrate Understanding Of Fundamentals

Chemistry is an intensely sequential discipline. Students must master the material at an average level of understanding in the first semester course (general chemistry I) before they are allowed to attempt the second semester course (general chemistry II). The same is true for each of the first five semester courses in the sequence (general chemistry I, general chemistry II, organic chemistry I, organic chemistry II and physical chemistry I).

The fundamental concepts covered in general chemistry I and II include:
uncertainty in measurement, dimensional analysis, atomic and electronic structure, ionic and molecular formulas, nomenclature, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, bonding theories, valence shell electron pair repulsion theory, properties of gases, intermolecular forces, properties of solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, oxidation-reduction chemistry, chemical thermodynamics and electrochemistry.

Indicator

American Chemical Society (ACS) General Chemistry Test

All chemistry majors will be invited to take a nationally standardized test over general chemistry (written by the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education Examinations Institute) near their completion of general chemistry II. In order to encourage participation, the highest individual score is guaranteed scholarship money for a future semester, and additional scholarship monies will be scaled to percentile performance on the examination.

Criterion

ACS General Chemistry Examination Score

Sixty percent of chemistry majors are expected to score within one standard deviation of the mean or higher than one standard deviation above the mean on the ACS standardized general chemistry examination. The major weakness in 2010-2011 was the low number of majors who took the exam. We are working to motivate more students to take the exam.

Finding

ACS General Chemistry Result

Of the 17 students that took the exam (65 were invited to do so), 9 (53%) scored within one standard deviation of the mean or higher on the ACS standardized general chemistry examination. The criterion was not met overall. For chemistry majors (excluding forensic chemistry majors), 3 students took the exam (14 were invited to do so) and all (100%) scored within one standard deviation of the mean or higher, thus meeting and exceeding the criterion. Overall, the participation rate for the academic year was 17/65 = 26% (and 3/14 = 21% for chemistry majors and 14/51 = 27% for forensic chemistry majors). We need to keep working on ways to encourage participation in this exam.

Actions for Objective:

Action

Fundamental Knowledge

We think sitting for the ACS General Chemistry exam for chemistry and forensic chemistry majors as they finish CHEM 1312 (General Chemistry II) is important. The scholarship money still seems to be a good incentive, but we still want to have increased participation. In an attempt to raise the level of participation, we will contact the majors earlier in the semester in an attempt to increase participation. In the past, notice was given to the students less than one week before the exam was to be administered. We believe that because students receive lots of notices over the semester that earlier notification would not be beneficial. However, since the number of participants hasn't significantly increased, we will try multiple notifications.

GOAL: Deliver A Curriculum Appropriate For Understanding Organic Chemistry

Objective

Demonstrate Understanding Of Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry is covered in the second year of a chemistry degree. It follows a year of general chemistry and precedes physical chemistry.

Students will demonstrate competent knowledge of the topics covered in organic chemistry I and II which include: hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes and alkynes), aromatic systems, functional group chemistry (including the chemistry of alkyl halides, ethers and various carbonyl compounds), stereochemistry, and carbohydrate chemistry.

Indicator

ACS Organic Chemistry Test

A nationally standardized test over organic chemistry (written by the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education Examinations Institute) will be given to all chemistry majors who take organic chemistry II at Sam Houston State University. This test is given as the final examination for the course.

Criterion

ACS Organic Chemistry Examination Score

Seventy-five percent of chemistry majors are expected to score within one standard deviation of the mean or higher than one standard deviation above the mean on the ACS standardized organic chemistry examination. We will closely follow the performance of forensic chemistry majors who scored slightly lower than chemistry majors in 2010-2011.

Finding

ACS Organic Chemistry Result

Of the 15 forensic chemistry and chemistry majors who took the exam (for whom we have data at hand), 11 (73%) scored within one standard deviation of the mean or higher on the ACS standardized organic chemistry examination. The criterion was not met overall for these students. For chemistry majors alone 8 out of 9 students (89%) met the criterion while for forensic chemistry majors only 3 out of 6 students (50%) met the criterion. Those students who did not meet the criterion will repeat CHEM 2325 (organic chemistry II) since this area was identified as needing improvement.

Actions for Objective:

Action

Organic Chemistry

Compared to last year, the results are less promising. However, the data is limited. Of the four sections of CHEM 2325 (organic chemistry II) offered in the fall and spring semesters, we only have data for two sections. These sections account for 47 of the 106 students enrolled on the 12th class day. It is our impression that this data is limited and not completely representative. We will endeavor to collect better data in the coming year and will assess the students' performance on an ongoing basis.

GOAL: Deliver A Curriculum Appropriate For Understanding Instrumental Analytical Methods In Chemistry

Objective

Demonstrate Understanding Of Instrumental Analytical Methods In Chemistry

The modern analytical laboratory makes extensive use of electronic instrumentation for the analysis of chemical samples. Our Instrumental Analytical Chemistry course (CHM 4440) is designed to introduce students to and have them learn the importance and use of spectrophotometric, chromatographic, and mass spectrometric analytical instrumental methods and computers in analytical laboratories. The course's laboratory component includes a focus on complex technical writing and use of the scientific literature. Students must master this material to meet the objective. Dr. Thomas Chasteen has been the instructor for all sections of CHM 4440 for more than a decade. (Note--the course number has changed from 440 to 4440)

Indicator

Examinations In Instrumental Analytical Chemistry

All students in Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (CHEM 4440) are required to master the electronic, sampling, schematic, and computational fundamentals of modern analytical instrumentation as evaluated by 80-minute written tests requiring essays, laboratory data evaluation, and calculator-based computation. There are three tests and a final examination in this course. The testing of this knowledge and its application is standardized within the department across all sections.

Criterion

75% Of Chemistry Majors Meeting Expectations

Seventy-five percent of chemistry majors are expected to score within one standard deviation of the mean or higher than one standard deviation above the mean on the four examinations in this class. In 2010-2011, students tended to do slightly worse on the third exam which addressed complex reagent mixtures, HPLS schematics and nondispersive versus dispersive IR spectrometers. We are eager to determine whether the performance on the third exam requires intervention or is just statistical variability.

Finding

Performance On CHEM 4440 Exams

On the first, third and final exam, 24 of the 29 students (83%) scored within one standard deviation of the mean or higher. On the second exam, 25 of the 29 students (86%) scored within one standard deviation of the mean or higher. Overall the criterion was met. The exam with the highest test average was the third exam--clearly intervention is not needed.

Actions for Objective:

Action

Monitor Instrumental Analysis Performance

We will assess student performance in CHEM 4440 on an ongoing basis. Clearly we are seeing year to year variations in student performance, and this is to be expected. Since our students are hitting the 75% criterion, we will raise this to 80% next year.

GOAL: Deliver A Curriculum Appropriate For Mastery Of Advanced Chemistry Topics

Objective

Demonstrate Mastery Of Advanced Topics In Chemistry

The material learned by the third year in the chemistry curriculum is refined and supported theoretically in Physical Chemistry I (CHEM 4448). The successful student will demonstrate a mastery of the advanced topics presented in this course. These topics include quantum theory, wave functions, the dipole approximation, electronic configuration, molecular structure, molecular orbital diagrams, symmetry, group theory, and the application of these topics to X-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, Raman, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All sections of CHEM 4448 have been taught by Dr. Darren Williams since his arrival at SHSU in 2004. (Note--the course number has changed from 448 to 4448)

Indicator

CHM 4448 Final Examination

CHEM 4448 is required of all chemistry majors. The final examination in Physical Chemistry I (CHEM 4448), written by Dr. Darren Williams, is recognized by the faculty of the Department of Chemistry as being comprehensive and covers all of the advanced topics listed in the objective statement. Dr. Williams is the sole instructor of CHEM 4448 at SHSU having taught all sections of CHEM 4448 since his arrival on campus in 2004. All students are required to complete the final examination. Examples of final exams are on file and secured within the Department of Chemistry and may be viewed by contacting Dr. Williams directly at williams@shsu.edu.

Criterion

75% Of Chemistry Majors Scoring At Least 60%

Seventy-five percent of chemistry majors are expected to demonstrate a mastery of at least sixty percent of the material (score 60%) on the comprehensive final examination. We are particularly interested to see if students perform better in the area of molecular orbital theory relative to the 2010-2011 performance.

Finding

Physical Chemistry Final Exam Results

More material was covered this year in CHEM 4448, and thus, there was more on the final exam. Of the 38 students who took the final, 87% of them made at least 60% on the final exam. The criterion was met. Very modest improvement was seen on the molecular orbital theory examination. Data for this exam back to 2007 shows a very wide variation from year to year.

Actions for Objective:

Action

Physical Chemistry Action

Since the data show, for example, on the molecular orbital theory examination that there is a wide variation in student performance from year to year (since 2007), yet the instructor's presentation and coverage of the material has changed to a lesser degree (there has been increased coverage of this material in the fall semesters of 2010 and 2011), it does not appear to be fruitful to focus on individual year variation in these numbers. We will assess student performance in this area on an ongoing basis.

GOAL: Deliver A Curriculum With Appropriate Written And Oral Communication Skills Developed

Objective

Demonstrate Adequate Written And Oral Communication

Students will demonstrate the ability to present to an audience of their peers a talk (seminar) based on their own research or research that has been reported in the scientific literature.

Indicator

Chemistry Seminar Presentation

All chemistry majors are required to take CHEM 4100 "Chemical Literature Seminar". Students typically do so in their senior year. One of the requirements of this course is giving an oral PowerPoint presentation over either their own research or research from the published chemical literature, to the other students in the class.

Criterion

Acceptable Peer-Review Rating

All chemistry majors are required to receive an acceptable peer-rating on a required research presentation. Within the course, each student evaluates all other student presentations. The rubric is the last page of the syllabus. In 2010-2011 we found that peers tended to rate presenters rather highly. We hope to see more helpful feedback after providing additional instruction in constructive feedback.

Finding

Seminar Presentation

All students received an acceptable peer-rating on a required research presentation. Within the course, each student evaluates all other student presentations. Student comments are improving, be we still want to remove any concern that student evaluators may have in regard to signing their evaluations. We will thus make their comments anonymous.

Actions for Objective:

Action

Seminar Actions

Next year, the student evaluation forms will not have the evaluator's names on them. A different method of taking role in the class will be used.

Closing the Loop

This year presented a new challenge, and as the year comes to an end, another challenge has presented itself.

The challenge that came crashing in last summer and permeated the year was the move to BANNER and Degree Works (for advising). A very practical issue with the conversion to Banner is our ability to count and track majors. In the old Legacy system, it was easy to do a report of both official majors and unofficial majors (and minors too) on the 12th class day. Official majors were those that had signed a declaration of major form and unofficial majors were those that had not. The 12th class day is the official "census" day for the semester. In the Legacy system, a student could change their unofficial major online at any time.

With BANNER, students can indicate a possible major when they first apply to the University, but after that they cannot change it online. They must fill out a paper form. This particularly impacts forensic chemistry majors. As incoming freshmen, many of the students think that all forensic topics must reside in the College of Criminal Justice, so they indicate that they are CRIJ majors. This leads to a decrease in the apparent number of forensic chemistry majors especially at the freshman level.

In the fall semester of 2011, the reporting aspect of BANNER (COGNOS) wasn't in place by the 12th class day. In fact, it wasn't really in place at the end of the fall semester. This means that we do not have 12th class day figures for majors. When the report is run after the 12th class day, the current (at whatever point the report is run) data are used, so if a student changes their major from some type of chemistry major to something else, they would not be counted. Of course, if they change to a chemistry major, they would be counted. Typically, however, we have considerably more students changing from chemistry to something else.

For the past five fall semesters, number of majors in chemistry and forensic chemistry were: 2007, 80 chemists, 159 forensic chemists (239 total); 2008, 88 chemists, 169 forensic chemists (257 total); 2009, 102 chemists, 177 forensic chemists (279 total); 2010, 108 chemists, 214 forensic chemists (322 total); and 2011, 110 chemists, 154 forensic chemists (264 total). Is the drop from 2010 to 2011 real? The spring data helps (for the past 5 years as well): 2008, 79 chemists, 136 forensic chemists (215 total); 2009, 79 chemists, 141 forensic chemists, (220 total); 2010, 95 chemists, 163 forensic chemists (258 total); 2011, 95 chemists, 188 forensic chemists (283 total); and 2012, 105 chemists, 201 forensic chemists (306 total). Thus we can tell that the apparent fall 2011 drop in majors is most likely a problem with when the data is collected--end of term versus 12th class day, and that, in general, our enrollments are still growing.

Not only is this difficulty related to the number of majors, it also relates to the identification of chemistry and forensic chemistry majors in our courses. This is an issue particularly for general chemistry and organic chemistry where our assessments target these majors.

Hopefully the COGNOS reporting for majors will no longer be a problem, and the fall 2011 major numbers are an aberration.

The conversion to BANNER also caused issues with course prerequisites and the enforcement of those prerequisites. The legacy system rosters would flag students who did not meet the prerequisites. The BANNER system does not, which makes it harder to check to make sure that students who do not meet the prerequisites are removed from the course.

The change that is looming large in the summer of 2012 is the revision of the core curriculum.

With the changes in databases in the past year, and the absence of data for some of the organic results, definite conclusions for the past year's data are hard to reach. The best thing for us to do is to assess the situation on an ongoing basis, and try to increase participation in the general chemistry ACS exam.

Sub Content Box