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January/February
2004 - Discussion Board-Based Group Work in a Large
Enrollment First Semester Organic Chemistry Lecture Course
By: Tyson A. Miller, Visiting
Teaching Associate, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, tmiller2@uiuc.edu
Keywords: chemistry;
large enrollment; online course; online education; discussion
board; group work; organic chemistry
Note: This version contains a detailed account of the work discussed.
There is a synopsis for
those who would like only the highlights.
Abstract:
This work examines
the practicality of a single facilitator implementing online discussion
board-based group work in classes with large enrollments (> 200 students).
Simultaneously, student perception of online group work value and utility
via this methodology was also measured and provided insight on the benefits
and costs with implementing discussion board training on this scale.
Comparisons between opinions from students in face-to-face and distance
education students
are also made. 669 students in a first semester non-majors organic chemistry
lecture course were teamed in small subgroups of 5-6 students to solve
a potential exam question via discussion board on the WebCT course management
program. Over the course of two weeks, students oriented themselves with
one another, developed a timeline for solving the problem, discussed
their
answers, and posted their collective answer on a group discussion board
forum. Students were surveyed before and after the exercise about computer
background, experience with online tools and courses, perceptions about
group work, and value of the assignment. Their opinions merited the following
conclusions: a) opinions about group work did not change overall from
the experience, 2) an overall positive experience from the assignment was
gained,
3) students benefited most by experiencing group work online, learning
how to use discussion boards, and learning how to better use one of the
functions
of WebCT. A stark increase in student confidence using discussion boards
was reported. A higher percentage of distance education students (vide
infra) benefited from the assignment as compared to the rest of the class.
Facilitator
effort in design, construction, and execution, and grading of the assignment
was rather intensive. A reduction of student support for the exercise
in later midterm and end of semester course surveys was determined. This
result
predictably reflects the need for the integration of online work in a
sustained manner within the design of the course to be practical for the
facilitator
and popular with the students.
Background
Objectives of the Work
The WebCT Assignment
Experimental Design
Facilitation of the Assignment
Grading the Assignment
Results - Student Surveys
Acknowledgements and References
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