Session 14

Title: The CHEM 0900 Preparatory Chemistry Online Course at the University of Manitoba: A combination of new technology learning tools and self-guided reading activities.

Session Description:

For many years, the University of Manitoba has offered a non-credited course (CHEM 0900 Preparatory Chemistry) for students with little or no background in chemistry and who wish to achieve the prerequisites to follow credited first-year courses.

Originally offered on-campus twice a year (in Fall and Spring terms), this course keeps attracting more and more students each year. Due to this expanding demand, the Departments of Chemistry and Distance & Online Education decided to develop an online version of this course to accommodate the schedule of as many students as possible, all year around.

This course is mostly about the fundamental concepts of chemistry that are normally covered in high school programs. The specific order of the topics has been adjusted to help students gradually master important basic concepts and skills that are essential for the success of all their future University-level chemistry courses.

All scientific courses always require a strong development of student’s autonomy and problem-solving abilities. To help students’ learning, concepts are taught using visual means and skills are explained via simple analogies. The use of available online tools (like publishers’ online assignment systems and virtual laboratory environment) along with the tailored design of new ones (like homemade quizzes designed on ANGEL Learning system, and original Flash animations) will be discussed during this presentation.

In the course context, these new technology tools actually complement a series of textbook section readings, through which students are guided step-by-step, in order to vary as much as possible the teaching methods and optimize the understanding of the students. Students can also interact with their instructor using synchronous and asynchronous technologies.

The online format of this course also encourages students to work at their own pace; this can contribute to the development of their autonomy.

Presenters: Dr. François Gauvin, Dr. Cheryl McLean

Dr. François Gauvin taught chemistry for several years at a number of French and English colleges and at Bishop’s University in Québec before coming to the University of Manitoba in January 2002. He currently teaches preparatory and first-year chemistry courses, and supervises laboratory programs. His other professional involvements allowed him to visit Australia, Denmark, Germany, Thailand, and Taiwan, where he was able to share views about science education with many colleagues from around the world.

 

Dr. Cheryl McLean is the Area Director for the Distance and Online Education Program at the University of Manitoba. She has been with the program since 1989. She obtained her Ph.D. at Florida State University, majoring in Instructional Systems. Her current focus is the development of web-based instruction for degree credit courses offered at a distance.