Developing online collaboration skills in general chemistry

Scott Sinex and Ted ChambersPrince George’s Community College

Largo, Maryland

Presented at 2012 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education held at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Why online collaboration?

• 2. Communication and Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. (ISTE NETS Students, 2011)

• Recommendation - Use technology in more transformative ways, such as participatory and collaborative interactions and for higher level teaching and learning that is engaging and relevant to students’ lives and future plans. (ECAR National Study of Students & Information Technology in Higher Education, 2011)

• Engaging in argument from evidence (NRC The Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, 2012)

Only lab dimensions!

The collaboration tool - Google Docs

• Use online form to collect data

• Examine class data in spreadsheet LCD projector and computers at lab stations for each group

• Use chat function to discuss class resultsScenario for mock collaboration

• Collect student feedback too via a form

Provide links on course webpage

Drive

Class Laboratory activity Collaboration effort

In first semesterGeneral

Chemistry

Nuts & Bolts of Extrapolation -Massing bolt with 1 to 5 nutsDetermine bolt mass by extrapolating to zero nuts Spring /Summer 2012

Masses, slope, y-intercept, r2; compare via chat

Lights, Color, Absorption (Beer’s Law) - calibration curve and unknown analysis

To be piloted in Fall 2012

Standards, unknowns, slope, r2; compare via chat as post-lab activity

In second semester General

Chemistry

Nuts & Bolts of Let’s Make an Error -introducing systematic error; Al nut in place of stainless steel nuts

Spring 2012

Errant nut location in sequence, slope, y-intercept, r2; compare via chat

Fe(SCN)++ Equilibrium Constant - Multiple values done by serial dilution

Since Spring 2008

Examine error as a function of serial dilution; form submission and then class results posted

Online collaboration is done in…

Nuts & Bolts of Extrapolation

See linear regression

and goodness of fit in action!

No prior knowledge

required

http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets/Nuts_&_Bolts_activity.pdf

Mass from y-intercept

The form in Google Docs

submit

Draft questions in order More data to add plus button

Drive

Drive

Very easy to create!

The spreadsheet in Google Docs

The spreadsheet sets up from the form being developed!Can hide previous data!

Drive

http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets/nuts_&_bolts.xls

Using the chat function…

• Students not signed into Google Docs Drive

• Open chat (can bomb completely) Might improve with experience

• Questions posed in activity (ignore questions)

• “Moderated on the fly” by instructor (peer?) keeps chat productive

The chat function in Google Docs

The chat function appears as soon as two or more people have opened the spreadsheet.

Type here

Groups must identify

themselves

Drive

Chat excerpt - open

To capture chat: Must

copy & paste into Word

Spring 2012

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonky

Chat excerpt – “moderated on the fly”

Summer 2012

Student feedback…1. Using Google chat is straight forward and easy.

Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly DisagreeResults: 11 13 0 0 0

4.46 100% aggreement

2. Google chat enhanced the groups’ ability to analyze the data.Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree

Results: 12 11 0 1 0

4.42 96% agreement

3. Using Google chat was more efficient than using hard copy and the telephone or email to discuss ideas and exchange results. Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree

Results: 14 9 1 0 0

4.54 96% agreement

4. What is your overall rating of using Google chat during collaboration? Very Good Good Average Poor Very Poor

Results: 10 9 4 1 0

4.17 79% above average

Summer 201224 students

Student comments…Positive– Exchange of real-time data & rapid communication

regardless of location. Awesome! – It was fun & a real hands-on experiment– Quick & straight forward and don’t have to carry on a

long conversation, quick & to the point

Constructive – Typing in chat is time consuming & people may fall

behind in the conversation ( video chat)– Some information in chat can be missed when many

responds

Summer 2012

Some final thoughts

• Easy way to collect class data for comparison and obtaining class statistics

• Moderated chat can produce some great discussion/debate (prompt for evidence)

• Increases student engagement & thinking

• Great use of 21st century technology!!!

More info…

• Scott Sinex ssinex@pgcc.edu http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex

• Ted Chambers tchambers@pgcc.edu

• Papers –Mass, Measurement, Materials, and Mathematical Modeling: The Nuts and Bolts of Extrapolation, Spreadsheets in Education http://epublications.bond.edu.au/ejsie/vol5/iss1/3/

Mass, Measurement, Materials, and More Mathematical Modeling: The Nuts and Bolts of Let’s Make an Error, Spreadsheets in Education to be submitted

…and thanks for attending today!