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Tag: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Transition Multiple-Choice Exams Online: A Large-Enrollment Solution

empty notebook with pencil and pencil sharpener

by Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry In 2020 the changes brought about by COVID-19 forced me to transition my normally face-to-face classes to an online format. This fall semester I teach two sections of a freshman Introductory Chemistry class (CH 104), each with about ~200 students, and an Organic Chemistry II (CH 232) sophomore class with ~130 students. One of the worries I had when transitioning online was how to give exams to this large student population. Ultimately, […]

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Electronic Whiteboard Options for Online Lectures: iPad & Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

by Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Alabama. After the need for social distancing due to COVID-19, I had to transition my face to face classes to an online format. My teaching style relies crucially on the use of a whiteboard to provide handwritten notes. I believe the use of handwritten notes allows students time to process the information as the instructor is […]

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Details and Procedures: Returning Hand-Graded Exams Electronically

This post details the grading process described in “Scan and Deliver! Personalized Feedback in Large Classes.” We printed individual labels with each student’s name; on each label, the corresponding CWID was encoded in a Code 39 barcode. We used standard 1″ x 2 5/8″ addressing labels, 30 per page, for which MS Word has built-in templates. The barcode labels could be prepared entirely in Word using its barcode generating and mail merge features. The students’ data for the mail merge was […]

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Scan and Deliver! Personalized Feedback in Large Classes

barcodes used to scan and return graded exams

by Marco Bonizzoni and Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry Organic chemistry is a surprisingly visual discipline. Molecules, the fundamental entities of chemistry, exist as 3D objects whose shapes often profoundly influence their properties, so students must learn the visual language of the discipline, which attempts to convey the nature of these three-dimensional objects through two-dimensional drawings. When it comes to testing, students answer open-ended questions in handwritten free form. We both encourage our students to learn from their mistakes, from the […]

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Visual Thinking in Organic Chemistry

Dr. Bonizzoni's organic chemistry class

Instructor: Marco Bonizzoni Course: Organic Chemistry (CH 231 & 232) Audience: Undergraduates Organic chemistry is the study of the properties and behavior of chemicals containing carbon as the key element. These compounds are both the basis of all life on earth (we are all made of organic compounds) and a large focus of the chemical industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals, plastics, advanced materials, fuels). This course aims to show the relevance of scientific and chemical knowledge in everyday life and to advocate […]

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