Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 10:10 AM
Medical Arts Building, Rm M-133 (Queensborough Community College)
6

Promoting Learning through Group Problem Solving

Madhu Mahalingam, Fred Schaefer, and Elisabeth Morlino. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

We describe the implementation of group problem solving in recitation sections associated with the general chemistry course at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and discuss the impact on exam averages as a result of the structured group work. To supplement the lecture portion of the course, recitation sections limited to approximately 45 students are utilized with the primary goal of having students solve problems in small groups. Students are placed in groups of mixed ability based on math SAT scores in their first semester and regrouped based on their first semester course grades for the second half of the course. The groups provide opportunity for students to interact in solving problems that are specifically designed to foster collaboration and discussion among group members. Students are assigned homework through WebAssign� prior to the recitation sessions to prepare them for the group activity. In addition, students rate their level of participation and preparation for the group activity and that of their peers twice a semester. The peer evaluation system was modeled after that of Barbara Oakley [Journal of Student Centered Learning, 2 (1) 2004, 9-34]. The students' recitation scores are adjusted based on the peer evaluation. The effect of this structured group work on exam averages will be presented. We show that it is possible to enhance student learning through implementation of structured group work in the course with minimal changes in faculty hours.