Boot Camp To Improve Student Perception and Performance in Sophomore Organic Chemistry? Hoorah!
Abstract
The sophomore organic chemistry sequence (Organic I and II) has a reputation: one that has prospective students worried. Their anxiety is well-founded, given estimates of the national success rate (defined as a grade of "C" or better) of 50-75%. In an attempt to improve both student success and student opinions about chemistry, we implemented a one-week "boot camp" (preparatory) course that we called Preparing for Organic Chemistry. This course reviewed the concepts of general chemistry required for success in Organic Chemistry I and II. We found improvements in student opinion of Organic Chemistry I (both before starting and after taking the course). Further, we have found that the boot camp had a measurable and statistically significant impact on student success rates.
Department(s)
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Information Technology and Cybersecurity
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00963
Keywords
second-year undergraduate, curriculum, organic chemistry, analogies/transfer, multimedia-based learning, testing/assessment, enrichment/review materials
Publication Date
2017
Recommended Citation
Siebert, Matthew R., Todd E. Daniel, and Brian D. High. "Boot camp to improve student perception and performance in sophomore organic chemistry? Hoorah!." Journal of Chemical Education 94, no. 12 (2017): 1860-1865.
Journal Title
Journal of Chemical Education
