Publication Date

2021

Abstract

For students to become real partners in their education, they must shift from a model of passive absorption of knowledge to one of active participation in constructing knowledge. To encourage this shift, I have designed a variety of active learning modules for my introductory chemistry classes, from short participation polls to full-length case studies. When well-implemented, in-class activities can be a valuable experience for students to practice applying their knowledge with instructor guidance. In this report, I will share both successes and challenges encountered in designing student-friendly active learning modules in an introductory science course.

Author Biography

Anna Christianson is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Bellarmine University. She received her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Texas A&M University and maintains research interests in synthetic inorganic chemistry and chemical pedagogy. She regularly teaches General Chemistry I and II, Inorganic Chemistry, and Instrumental Chemical Analysis courses.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Lessons Learned in Designing Active Learning Modules for the STEM Classroom

For students to become real partners in their education, they must shift from a model of passive absorption of knowledge to one of active participation in constructing knowledge. To encourage this shift, I have designed a variety of active learning modules for my introductory chemistry classes, from short participation polls to full-length case studies. When well-implemented, in-class activities can be a valuable experience for students to practice applying their knowledge with instructor guidance. In this report, I will share both successes and challenges encountered in designing student-friendly active learning modules in an introductory science course.