Redesigned Course
Principles of Chemistry I
UMES MCRI Team
Jennifer L. Hearne, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Joseph M. Okoh, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry and Chairperson of the Department of Natural Sciences
Yan Y. Waguespack, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry
Gladys Shelton, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences
Charles Williams, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs
Amelia G. Potter, M.S., Laboratory Coordinator and Lecturer, Department of Natural Sciences
James R. Hayes, M.B.A., Director of Academic Computing
Summary
The redesign of Principles of Chemistry I at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore employs
the Replacement Model developed by The National Center for Academic Transformation. Three
weekly 50-minute lectures were replaced by two 50-minute lectures and one hour in a chemistry
computer lab. The UMES Redesign Team utilizes Chemistry, The Molecular Science, 3rd ed., by
Moore, Stanitski, and Jurs, published by Thomson, Brooks/Cole and accompanying web-based
program, CengageNOW. CengageNOW is employed to assign and grade homework, monitor student
progress, and monitor time-on-task.
Improved Learning
The success of the UMES project to redesign CHEM 111, Principles of Chemistry 1 is evident in
the comparison of the final grades earned by students in the taught in the traditional format
and those earned by students in the redesigned format. The number of students in the Redesigned
Course who were eligible to enroll in the second semester chemistry course Principles of Chemistry
II offered in spring 2009, was 69% compared to 55% in the Traditional Course (Spring 2008).
Students in the Full Implementation Course (Spring 2009) performed much better (+14.8%) than
those enrolled in the Traditional course (Spring 2008), as measured by those earning the grade
of C or better. To be eligible to enroll in Principles of Chemistry II, students are required
to earn the grade of C or better in Principles of Chemistry I.
Impact on Cost Savings
The average cost per student in the traditionally offered course is $268. The Redesigned Course
decreased the cost per student to $80, or a 70% decrease in cost. The most effective cost reduction
strategy was the consolidation of course sections by increasing the population per section from 50
to 110. The increase in section population has currently resulted in two sections of Redesigned
Chemistry 111E taught per academic year in place of seven sections of the traditional Chemistry
111. Prior to the Maryland Course Redesign Initiative, it was common for the traditional course
to employ up to six professors per year to teach Chemistry 111. The increased section population
decreased the sections offered per year from seven to two.
By reducing the number of sections offered, the number of faculty members needed to teach the
traditional course is reduced correspondingly, thus allowing concerned faculty more time to
pursue scholarly endeavors. Another cost reduction strategy is the mixing of personnel in
course management. Professors and have traditionally been involved in Chemistry 111. In
the Redesigned course, learning assistants and undergraduate learning assistants were employed.
Professional Accomplishments stemming from the Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I
The success of the UMES Redesign Team was featured in the following literature:
- Featured in AASCU, Nov/Dec/Jan, 2009-2010, p6-11. Extreme Makeover College Edition, The
Transformative Power of Course Redesign. Stephen Pelletier.
- Baltimore Sun, November 27, 2009, State to redesign more college courses, Foundation
gives money to help more students pass. Childs Walker
- Featured in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, April 30, 2009. Cutting Costs, Improving Learning. Ronald Roach.
Insights to course redesign provided the basis of the following professional accomplishments:
- Two pending refereed publications
1) Jennifer L. Hearne, Jay R. Dee, Alan B. Henkin. Enabling initiative and enterprise: Faculty-led course redesign in a STEM discipline. International Journal of Science Education. Submitted March 2010
2) Jennifer L. Hearne, Joseph M. Okoh, Charles Williams, Nancy Shapiro, Yan Waguespack, James Hayes,
and Amelia Potter. Opening the Gateway: A Redesign of Freshman Chemistry. Association for Institutional
Research. Submitted February 2010
- Three National Presentations
1) National Center for Academic Transformation's Annual Redesign Alliance 2010, Orlando,
Florida, March 29, 2010
Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
2) Association of American Colleges and Universities 2010 Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.,
January 22, 2010
Fiscal Responsibility and Institutional Inertia
3) Association of American Colleges and Universities: General Education, Assessment, and the
Learning Students Need, Baltimore, MD, Feb 26-28, 2009
Course Redesign: Doing More with Less is Not a Myth
- Five Regional Presentations
1) University System of Maryland Board of Regents Meeting, University of Maryland College
Park, Maryland, September 18, 2009
Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I
2) University System of Maryland Board of Regents Education Policy Committee Meeting,
University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland, June 3, 2009
Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I
3) University System of Maryland Course Redesign Initiative, TechCenter@UMBC, Baltimore,
Maryland, May 29, 2009
Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I
4) University System of Maryland STEM and Competitiveness Initiative, University of
Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland, .April 22, 2009
Course Redesign Initiatives
5) University System of Maryland Course Redesign Initiative, TechCenter@UMBC, Baltimore,
Maryland, May 30, 2008
Lesson Learned from the Pilot Phase of Principles of Chemistry I Course Redesign
- Two Local Presentations
1) Deans and Chairs Meetings, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne,
Maryland, August 5-6, 2008
A Model for Course Redesign
2) Center for Instructional Technology Symposium, University of Maryland Eastern Shore,
Princess Anne, Maryland, July 29, 2008
Redesign of Principles of Chemistry I
For more information, please visit:
http://www.thencat.org/States/USM/Abstracts/UMES%20Chemistry_Abstract.htm#FinalRpt
or contact Jennifer via email at CRFellow@usmd.edu or JLHearne@umes.edu
