Developing and Implementing Lab Skills Seminars, a Student-Led

Sep 28, 2017 - This paper describes the successful adaptation of certain components of peer-led team learning (PLTL) as well as service learning princ...
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Developing and Implementing Lab Skills Seminars, a Student-Led Learning Approach in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Mentoring Current Students While Benefiting Facilitators Kalyani Sabanayagam, Vivek. D. Dani, Matthew John, Wanda Restivo, Svetlana Mikhaylichenko, and Shadi Dalili* Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada S Supporting Information *

ABSTRACT: This paper describes the successful adaptation of certain components of peer-led team learning (PLTL) as well as service learning principles into our initiative: lab skills seminars (LSS). These seminars were organized for large, second year organic chemistry laboratory courses. Prior to LSS, the only help available for students was traditional office hours conducted by the course coordinator. Such office hours are not sufficient or effective in large courses for numerous reasons, such that laboratory skill seminars were created to fill that gap and also diminish high levels of anxiety associated with complicated laboratories. Seminars were prepared and facilitated by upper year service learning students or volunteers, who had successfully completed the same course. Facilitators and course students mutually benefit significantly from these seminars, and this article will discuss these benefits in greater detail. KEYWORDS: First-Year Undergraduate/General, Second-Year Undergraduate, Laboratory Instruction, Organic Chemistry, Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives, Student-Centered Learning

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INTRODUCTION Organic chemistry holds a reputation as being one of the most difficult subjects to learn at the college/university level. It requires students to employ a challenging combination of factual knowledge, problem solving, and practical laboratory skills. Thus, many students quickly abandon the subject once they complete basic requirements. The laboratory component of these courses can be particularly challenging as students must put theory into practice, conduct techniques they have never performed before, and work under a time constraint. Subsequently, they are marked on their proficiency in all of these areas. In light of these barriers, educators at the university level must find innovative ways to engage students.1−3 Lab skills seminars (LSS) at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) constitute an innovative teaching methodology targeted specifically toward enhancing student success in the laboratory component of organic chemistry courses. Lab skills seminars have been inspired by the broader teaching models of peer-led team learning (PLTL) and service learning. Here, LSS are presented as a variant to both models. Started in 1991 as an experiment at the City College of New York, the PLTL model has proven to be very successful in teaching of science disciplines and has been adopted in many universities across North America.4,5 The original PLTL idea allowed upper year students, who have successfully completed the same course, to help current students through weekly theoretical workshops. A peer leader works as a facilitator who © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

promotes discussion and active learning techniques among students. This model of teaching helps to break down the hierarchy between teacher and student and makes the learning process more productive.5−11 Lab skills seminars present an adaptation of some key features of PLTL, as they go beyond reinforcing lecture material and seek to teach practical laboratory techniques in a collaborative environment. The goal of LSS is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of laboratory theory and logical reasoning of why they are using certain techniques, with the aim of preventing students from blindly following the lab procedure as a cookbook. There are six critical components to the PLTL model:5 1. workshops are integral to the course 2. instructors are involved in selection of material, training, and supervision of peer leaders 3. peer leaders are selected, trained, and supervised to be skilled in group work as facilitators 4. materials are appropriately challenging and designed for small group work 5. workshops are held once a week for 2 h, in a space suitable for small group work Received: January 27, 2017 Revised: August 10, 2017

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students who have facilitated the LSS, which are elaborated on in the section on Benefits for Facilitators. There are numerous reports of the use of service learning techniques in chemistry and engineering disciplines.23−27 One technique has become rather common, and that is utilizing college students as teachers or mentors to younger students in the greater community. Glover et al. reported using the service learning model in an organic chemistry lab by using undergraduate students as mentors for grade 12 secondary school students, to teach them the process of synthesizing various azo dyes.14 We have adopted this parameter of service learning in the LSS by selecting upper year undergraduate students who have successfully completed the course to facilitate learning of the techniques, procedures, and theory of laboratories for students in the same course. LSS facilitators are usually selected on the basis of their success in previous chemistry courses, especially with proven lab skills, and their enthusiasm in taking on this role. Most LSS facilitators are enrolled in the UTSC Service Learning course, CTLB03 (Introduction to Service Learning), offered through our Center for Teaching and Learning, during the same term. The Service Learning and Outreach (SLO) program provides experiential education opportunities for students, where they are matched with placement opportunities offered by UTSC courses (in-reach), or noncourse/off-campus placements (outreach). As part of the experience, students receive training on presentation skills, reflective writing, and development of teaching portfolios. Service learning students reflect on how their academic knowledge enhances their delivery of service and how that service experience informs their academic understanding.28 The LSS is the peer facilitators’ “in-reach” service learning placement within our chemistry courses. As defined by our service learning and outreach program, “in-reach” placements are “placements in which students who have successfully completed a course can use that experience to return to the course and enrich the learning of students currently taking the same course. In-reach students might develop practice exercises or review modules, assist instructors with teaching tools, and so on. In this kind of placement, the in-reach student can gain a true and deeper understanding of their discipline as they review and deconstruct course content. By re-engaging with course material, instructors, and other students, they can gain new motivation and appreciation for their discipline.”28 The nature of the role provides undergraduate facilitators with a rich experience where they are able to develop a plethora of transferable skills. Examples include the ability to prepare presentations, communication and collaboration with other facilitators and faculty, and facilitation of classroom engagement activities among students. Thus, the LSS incorporates both service learning and PLTL pedagogy as a hybrid method for teaching chemistry laboratories at the undergraduate level and, at the same time, creates a tremendous opportunity for facilitators to build life-long skills. With its shared basis in mentorship with PLTL, and adoption of service learning pedagogy, along with incorporation of elements critical to teaching laboratory skills, lab skill seminars have proven to be highly successful in teaching the laboratory component at the University of Toronto Scarborough over the past eight years. LSS have benefits for everyone involved: facilitators, course students, and instructors. This paper evaluates students’ perceptions of LSS effectiveness in teaching laboratory techniques and enhancing their understanding of performing these techniques. Results show an improved

6. PLTL is supported by the department and institution LSS share several key features with the peer-led team learning model, but vary mainly in the setting for sessions and the requirement of the sessions for the course. Due to challenges related to space availability on campus and to accommodate both students’ and facilitators’ time constraints, course schedules, and other commitments, lab skills seminar sessions are held in lecture classrooms, repeated twice a week, usually for 1−2 h, and are voluntary for students, rather than an integral part of the course. By providing students with an in-depth understanding of lab techniques, LSS encourage students to think critically about their lab work, and thereby empower them with the knowledge to apply relevant techniques in a research setting. While PLTL seeks to reinforce lecture content by working through practice problems,5,6 lab skill seminars are targeted specifically to teaching laboratory techniques. There is evidence of PLTL models being implemented in laboratories, which is effectively summarized in a comprehensive review of PLTL research and STEM education recently published in this Journal.12 Our model is most similar to the PLTL variant used in first year general chemistry laboratories reported by McCreary et al.13 Teaching laboratory skills poses new challenges to educators as it cannot be done effectively through a lecture-based environment,14 but rather it requires the involvement of students to perform hands-on techniques. Service Learning

The LSS also incorporate aspects of service learning as part of their active learning model. Service learning is defined as a combination of active learning and practice which engages students with their greater community,15,16 which we have defined to be the undergraduate students in attendance at the lab skills seminars. It also connects those activities to learning goals for a course.17 Bringle and Hatcher18 define service learning as a “course-based, credit-bearing educational experience that allows students to participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.” Chemistry, as the central science, is uniquely positioned to serve needs in the community. Roles for chemistry students include supporting K−12 education, improving science literacy among the general public, and investigating scientific issues that impact society. Many faculty find that projects with an environmental slant fit nicely into existing courses.18−20 Usually, as is the case with service learning at our university, it is coupled with substantive reflecting and making obvious connections to class work and the role the student plays in the course. Some articles have defined science service learning as college students helping elementary and secondary school students learn to perform hands-on experiments.21 One sample article about service learning22 illustrates what science service learning can do for college students. Specifically, Esson, Stevens-Truss, and Thomas claim that, for college students, positive service learning outcomes include improved courserelated skills and self-reported learning outcomes; increased academic, interpersonal, and leadership skills; improved selfesteem, self-efficacy, and self-confidence; and increased ability to apply course concepts to new real-world situations, to name only a few from the list of proposed benefits.21 We have seen some of these positive outcomes in our own service learning B

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gain confidence in their own abilities, they tend to complete the experiment at hand in a timelier fashion, and are better able to focus on the chemistry itself rather than step-by-step procedures. Students in the course attend laboratories every 2 weeks; thus, each lab experiment is conducted twice: Half of the class performs a particular experiment one week, and the remaining half performs the same experiment the following week. Thus, the newly implemented undergraduate-run seminars are repeated twice per week prior to each lab and last for approximately 1−2 h each. The same sessions are repeated the following week, to accommodate the large number of students in smaller settings, and their availability based on course schedules. Consequently, 4 identical lab skills seminars are offered for each lab experiment, with overall attendance from half of the class per experiment. Thus, the seminars have good attendance rates despite the fact that they are optional for students. Similar to the PLTL pedagogy, the lab material and the lab skills seminar content are selected and carefully reviewed by the course instructors for accuracy and interactivity. Additionally, the course instructors routinely review and evaluate the progress of the facilitators by being present at the sessions, which is another variant to the traditional PLTL model. Lab skills seminars are also highly interactive in nature, and course instructors ensure the material presented is challenging, relevant to lab quizzes and tests, and engaging in nature to promote small group discussions at the LSS. Each session involves a seminar-style presentation where students are encouraged to interact with both the facilitators and their peers to understand the material. Facilitators prompt students to think critically about each step of the lab: what is the purpose behind each step, why a particular reagent is chosen, and why certain lab techniques are preferable over others. Topics covered during these seminars are correlated with the upcoming laboratory experiment and include spectroscopy, laboratory techniques such as distillation, recrystallization, liquid−liquid extractions, reflux, and the proper use of a drying agent, to name only a few. Student facilitators collaborate to develop a slideshow detailing the lab theory and the techniques, which they then present to the undergraduate chemistry class. Course instructors advise the facilitators to include 4 key elements in each seminar: 1. The reaction scheme(s) and mechanism(s). 2. The steps of the protocol with an explanation of why a particular chemical, technique, or piece of apparatus is used. Usually these are designed in such a way as to solicit discussion among the students, and facilitators do not provide answers, but rather use guided inquiry and the Socratic method to allow students to reach the answers on their own. 3. A live demonstration of relevant techniques and apparatus setup (e.g., pipetting with a Mohr pipet, distillation apparatus setup). 4. Interactive activities to engage the students, such as hands-on glassware handling, hypothetical lab scenarios, and Jeopardy and Kahoot games to practice quiz and lab test questions, to prompt class discussion and problem solving. Course instructors are involved with the LSS team at each step of the way. A central component of the lab skills seminars is the hierarchy of mentorship and involvement of instructors in

student understanding and comfort level in the laboratory, a reduced amount of stress affiliated with the course lab component, and a good training ground for potential laboratory assistants in the future. Chemistry Laboratories in Second Year Organic Chemistry Courses at UTSC

Second year organic chemistry courses are offered in the fall, spring, and summer terms at UTSC. Class sizes usually range from 70 to 450 students, depending on the term. Like many chemistry courses, students are evaluated both on theoretical concepts gained from lectures and on their performance in the laboratory.29,30 Students are expected to pass the laboratory in order to achieve a credit for the course, regardless of the performance in other components of the course. A generic organic chemistry evaluation scheme is depicted in Table 1. Table 1. General Organic Chemistry Course Mark Breakdown Evaluation Method

Contribution to Final Grade, %

Online homework Laboratory Term test 1 Term test 2 Final exam

5 25 15 15 40

Students enrolled in second year organic chemistry courses are required to complete five laboratories over the duration of the 12 week term and subsequently write a laboratory exam consisting of both practical and theoretical questions.

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THE LAB SKILLS SEMINARS At the University of Toronto Scarborough, the preparation for the lab component of chemistry courses has traditionally been achieved via independent study. Students must familiarize themselves with both the theory and practical procedure in advance of each lab by reading the course laboratory manual, but this leaves a void in the students’ understanding of why certain techniques are being used, and in their practical experience with the techniques themselves. Prior to implementation of LSS, there were no formal lab lectures or dedicated lab support options for students in our organic chemistry courses, besides office hours conducted by the course instructor. However, these office hours were quite inadequate considering the high enrollment in our introductory organic chemistry courses and large number of inquiries surrounding lab procedures. Often, not only is there insufficient time for a prelab lecture or demonstration immediately prior to students conducting the lab, but also teaching assistants (TAs) have found these talks to be ineffective, as students cannot focus on the chemistry itself, when they are not familiar with the techniques and the procedures appear daunting. Lab skill seminars seek to address this gap in student knowledge and lack of confidence in their abilities, through explanations of procedures and live demonstrations of practical techniques. Facilitators perform the experimental setup in front of students, and at the end of each seminar, students also have the opportunity to practice the techniques themselves (e.g., pipetting). With these interactive demonstrations, students are able to familiarize themselves with lab techniques and procedures prior to their own lab sessions. When students are familiar with the techniques prior to the day of their lab, and C

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Figure 1. Responses to prompts A, B, and C. Student experience data by course were obtained from anonymous end-of-term surveys, using a Likertlike scale. In the data table, n = total number of responses; m = total course enrollment. NR, no response; SD, strongly disagree; D, disagree; N, neutral; A, agree; SA, strongly agree.

training our facilitators: course instructors select the facilitators, mentor them on lab content selection and design of grouplearning activities, and provide feedback and strategies for improvement in areas such as oral presentation, group facilitation, and promoting discussion. The student facilitators also receive training on small group facilitation from our Center for Teaching and Learning as part of their service learning placement, as well as reflect upon their performance and facilitation techniques through their reflective writing journals. This mentorship of LSS facilitators by course instructors is one of the major successes of LSS as adopted from PLTL pedagogical models. At the beginning of the semester, the facilitators arrange an introductory meeting with the course instructor where they discuss objectives for the LSS, the instructor’s expectations, and the skills the facilitators would like to gain from this experience. They are provided with a guide on facilitating the seminars, a sample of which is provided in the Supporting Information. Prior to each seminar, facilitators meet with the instructor to review the presentation and discuss any changes or improvements. Course instructors are present at each seminar to ensure seminars run smoothly, review the progress of the seminars and facilitators to provide feedback, and answer any questions the facilitators may find challenging, so that all students are obtaining the same information. This provides consistency among the seminar sessions, considering there are multiple sections and facilitators. While the course instructor is always present during the LSS, the facilitator acts to dissolve the social hierarchy that often creates apprehension and unwillingness for students to ask questions freely or engage in discussion with their instructor. Indeed, none of the questions are directed at the instructors, but rather it is the facilitators the students look to for guidance and clarification. Thus, one might argue that students in the LSS have lowered levels of anxiety and increased confidence simply by being present in this designated “collaborative workspace”. Following each seminar, course instructors provide feedback to facilitators on their performance, and the team can determine ways to improve the seminars moving forward. This system ensures that the correct information is being disseminated to the class and that facilitators receive feedback and support on an ongoing basis, which provides material for

their reflective writing exercises as part of their service learning course. To gauge the effectiveness of the seminars, students were requested to fill out an anonymous midterm survey. These evaluations served first to determine the impact of lab skill seminars in improving understanding of lab material, but also as a means to obtain student feedback on how to improve their delivery. On the basis of this feedback, facilitators can make the necessary adjustments in their seminar development. Similarly, a final evaluation was filled out by the students at the end of term to understand the overall effectiveness of the facilitators and the seminar series. The data gathered from these surveys are discussed in detail in the following sections. Advantages of LSS

Benefits for Students. In general, it can be said that students benefit greatly from PLTL workshops and seminars because these activities provide an opportunity to learn in an environment that is unique and separate from the traditional classroom lecture style. Indeed, as Astin stated regarding group learning, a student’s academic success and intellectual development has many social determinants and factors.31 The PLTL model is effective because it harnesses the social factors inherently absent in the conventional lecture hall learning environment.5 We have adopted social aspects of this model into the LSS by incorporating interactive demonstrations, activities, and facilitator-led question and answer sessions into the presentations. The ability to learn and work together in an environment that encourages collaboration with peers is invaluable. Students benefit from having a diverse approach to covering the course material, but as Gosser et al. noted, they also benefit from a sense of belonging to a scientific community.5,6 In this collaborative environment, the LSS facilitators function to facilitate debate and discussion among the students and also act as a bridge between instructor and student. Indeed, on surveys done at the end of term for the LSS, some sample student comments have been the following: “Presenters were really enthusiastic and very knowledgeable, presenters were also very prepared and kind and easy to approach” and “Interactive and helpful with understanding theory” (CHMB42_Summer 2015). D

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request that the LSS continue for future offerings of the courses. Despite the overall positive reception, some students felt there was room for improvement. A few reasons provided were the “lack of confidence or clarity” exhibited by the facilitators and “seminars were too short or conflicted with student schedule”. Potential methods that have been applied by the facilitators to enhance their “confidence and clarity” while presenting the seminars have been to routinely practice their presentation prior to sessions, to review additional resources to further understand the content, and to utilize flowcharts, videos, and demonstrations to master the concepts. Alternative resources provided to students to make up for scheduling conflicts were instructor office hours dedicated to lab questions, and e-mail correspondence with lab skills seminar facilitators. A full list of student comments and suggestions is provided as a sample from selected semesters in the Supporting Information. Benefits for Facilitators. Beyond the gains offered to students, lab skills seminars offer a very rewarding experience to the facilitators. All facilitators are themselves students, and LSS provides them with the opportunity to prepare and teach a 1 or 2 h weekly seminar to a class of undergraduate students: a teaching opportunity that is rare at the undergraduate level. A mixed method study combining quantitative and qualitative methods to study the long-term effects on former PLTL peer leaders showed that the majority of respondents to the surveys indicated the benefits they had reaped as mentors were the following: improved presentation skills, teamwork, and an appreciation of “what it takes to be a teacher”.32 Results of this survey, tabulated and analyzed in Gafney and Varma-Nelson’s report,33 confirm previous anecdotal evidence that peer leaders reap significant, ongoing benefits from their roles. Participants reported in overwhelming numbers that leading workshops reinforced the breadth and depth of their own learning, helped them develop personal qualities such as confidence and perseverance, and fostered a variety of presentation and teamrelated skills. Our own instructors have reported enormous transformations in facilitators’ public-speaking and leadership skills following their involvement in LSS, as supported by their comments on surveys discussed in the following sections. Further benefits for facilitators interested in teaching-related careers include gaining teaching experience (such as for UTSC’s concurrent teacher education program students), earning a service learning course credit, and possibly advancing to an undergraduate teaching assistant position. The following sections discuss the development of various skills our facilitators have gained as a result of conducting lab skills seminars. Development of Transferrable Skills. Skill 1: Preparation of Lab Skill Seminars. Prior to each seminar, LSS facilitators must learn the lab content, develop a 1−2 h long presentation including relevant questions related to lab and quiz content, and plan out engaging and interactive activities during sessions. Teaching the material requires facilitators to learn the material in a different way: not only do they need to understand it themselves, but they also need to be able to articulate it clearly and concisely, such that a class of novice students will understand as well. This results in a deeper level of understanding for the facilitators. Indeed, it has been documented in previous studies that those who teach material to others score higher, on average, in future chemistry courses

With the facilitators present, the students also benefit by having the ability to gain first-hand knowledge and advice from older, more experienced undergraduate peers. Because all facilitators have previously taken the same course, they may have a different perspective from the course instructor on what aspects of the laboratories are challenging. These different viewpoints can be helpful for guiding students, and further acting to dissolve the aforementioned social hierarchy. Indeed, one student comment mentions that “Small class allows for interactions and discussion, gives us an idea of what is on the lab quiz” (CHMB42_Summer 2015), showing the interactivity and discussion-based approach to laboratories have helped student preparedness in the lab. Finally, another benefit of the collaborative environment based on Gosser et al. is that students feel open to make mistakes during the sessions and learn from their mistakes.5,6 In addition, if a facilitator happens to make a mistake, a student is more likely to speak up and challenge the incorrect statement, initiating a beneficial discourse for all students. Of all the benefits inherent in this unique learning environment, one can say that the most beneficial aspect might be the flexibility offered by the LSS: they are accommodating by nature and do not require strict adherence to a specific theoretical structure. This, we argue, is the beauty of the program. The facilitators, who work in pairs, can exercise more flexibility to engage the class, unlike the course instructors who have a predetermined pace that they must move at to cover the course material. This increased flexibility is beneficial because every group of students taking the chemistry class in a particular semester is different. One semester, the group may need more time to discuss aromaticity, for example, while another class may require more detail/ instruction on a particular synthetic method for a synthesis lab. LSS facilitators can add adaptability to seminars by tailoring their time to meet the specific needs of the students. Figure 1 shows end-of-term survey results. These surveys were administered by facilitators in paper form to the students in lab skills seminars, usually in the last two seminars of the course. Figure 1A suggests that the students perceive that the seminars indeed benefitted them in their ability to understand organic chemistry lab theories, procedures, and techniques. It was observed that over 90% of the students in different semesters and in varying class sizes surveyed either agreed, or strongly agreed, with this statement. Thus, these results show a significant number of students experienced enhanced understanding of lab procedures before coming to their lab, and are more comfortable with the techniques. Similarly, it was observed that over 75% of the students either agreed or strongly agreed that their laboratory performance improved after attending the seminars (Figure 1B), while almost 100% of the students in the Fall 2011 semester of CHMB41H felt their lab performance improved after attending the LSS. Many students expressed that they enjoyed the laboratories more after attending the lab skills seminar, with comments such as “I knew nearly everything that I was doing and was confident in my abilities and knowledge that I obtained in the seminars” (CHMB42_Summer 2015) and “Lab Skills seminars helped me understand things more which made me enjoy the course more” (CHMB42_Spring 2015). To further support that lab skills seminars were widely appreciated, a significant majority of the students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that they would recommend lab skills seminars to other students (Figure 1C). They also consistently E

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Table 2. Comparative Results from the Lab Skills Seminar Facilitator Surveya Categories for Response, % (N = 27)b Statements for Response “The Lab Skills Seminars Have Helped My Ability:...” Q1

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5

Completely Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Completely Agree

No Response

0

0

0

22.2

74.1

3.7

Not at All

To a Great Extent

No Response

0

To a Very Little Extent 0

70.4

11.1

0 0

0 0

11.1 3.7

33.3 18.5

44.5 66.7

11.1 11.1

0

0

0

22.2

70.4

7.4

“...As a mentor to better understand the lab theories, procedures, and techniques.”

“...To present information clearly and effectively (oral communication).” “...To write clearly and effectively (written communication).” “...To integrate experience, disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge, and communicate this effectively.” “...To demonstrate leadership, giving direction and guidance to others, strategic visioning, personal organization, accountability, and time management.”

To a Slight Extent 0

To a Moderate Extent 18.5

a

One-time survey administered in 2016 to all facilitators from 2011 to 2016. bPercentages reflect the responses from a total of 27 facilitators over the last five years.

than those who do not teach.32 This is corroborated by the overwhelming affirmative response by facilitators to the survey question, “The lab skills seminars have helped my ability as a mentor to better understand the lab theories, procedures and techniques”, in which 96% responded either “completely agree” or “ agree”, as shown in Table 2, Q1. One of our facilitators commented that “.....I find that facilitating the seminars helped me understand the lab material very thoroughlymuch more than I did when I was a student taking the course,” and another mentioned “Service learning allowed me to revisit a course that I took previously from a mentor/teaching perspective. I very much enjoyed teaching and guiding students through their prospective laboratory experiments and assignments. While helping students with their learning, it also helped me gain a better understanding of laboratory techniques and theories for reaction mechanisms involved in experiments.” All of our facilitators appreciated the new perspective they got by facilitating the learning of younger students on the same material they had studied and realized the deeper knowledge they obtained through teaching the material. More comments from LSS facilitators and a sample reflection from a service learning facilitator can be found in the Supporting Information. Skill 2: Presentation of Seminar to Undergraduate Chemistry Students. Teaching the seminar to the class presents facilitators with another valuable opportunity: to hone their communication and public-speaking skills. Each presentation involves an overview of the theory behind the lab and a walkthrough of the lab protocol, which facilitators present using the PowerPoint presentation they developed themselves. They then demonstrate the relevant setup and lab techniques, so that students have a chance to see the glassware in advance, rather than encountering it for the first time in their lab. Teaching to a class, even if only 20−40 students at a time, is generally a new experience for undergraduates and can be overwhelming for facilitators initially. However, course instructors have reported that they often do see a transformation in the facilitator’s level of confidence throughout the term, and it can be tremendously rewarding. Many facilitators also affirm the positive experience they have had leading the lab skills seminars. One facilitator (lab skills seminar facilitator, CHMB41H, 2009) reported the following:

...My perspective of learning has also changed after taking Science Engagement [Service Learning]. My definition of learning before this course was basically just textbook and chalkboard learning, where I would memorize most of the time. But I think through this placement experience I was able to use the skills I learned for educational and selflearning purposes. Indeed, the facilitators believe the LSS experience has tremendously improved their oral and written communication skills as seen in their responses to survey questions. They were asked to evaluate the extent to which LSS had affected their ability to present information clearly and effectively, both in oral and written form. As shown in Table 2, Q2, 89% “completely agree” or “agree” that the LSS has helped them improve in their oral presentation skills, while 77% reported the same for written communication skills (Q3). This was seen in facilitators’ ability to write expressively about each seminar and reflect critically upon feedback they received, as part of their service learning reflective writing exercises. These writing exercises promoted not only critical thinking but also the development of essential transferable writing skills. A sample of such critical reflective writing is provided in the Supporting Information. One facilitator commented that they had “become more confident working with figures of authority” (a reference to course instructors) and had “learned how to communicate and articulate my thoughts in a professional manner. Also, working together with the students further allowed a refinement of my interpersonal skills. Being a LSS Facilitator was a great experience.” Additionally, it has allowed facilitators to form effective teamworking skills, as evidenced from this comment: ...the LSS has allowed me to greatly improve my presentation skills, public speaking, and also my ability to work within a team. Before doing LSS I considered myself to be an introverted and I was not outgoing or willing to participate in any team activities. And while I’m still not the most outgoing person, LSS has made me more comfortable working with other people. Professional Development. Developing these skill sets mentioned above, both in lesson preparation and seminar presentation, endows student facilitators with many transferrable skills. Many facilitators who taught lab skill seminars go on to become excellent teaching assistants, as they have a robust knowledge of the lab material and have experience F

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aspects of the service learning model of teaching by using t̀ he LSS as a placement for service learning students to provide inreach service to peer undergraduate students. Some students may be fine approaching the instructor, while others feel more comfortable going to facilitators with questions. It can be highly beneficial for students to have multiple sources for help, and, in turn, do better overall in the course. Lab skill seminars have been a remarkable step forward in teaching laboratories as they provide a platform for students to have the lab content and techniques taught to them in advance. This allows students to feel much better prepared and confident in the lab. In chemistry courses, lab work is particularly important as students are building basic skills, potentially for graduate school, and as such, it is fundamental for them to develop a strong foundation.

demonstrating laboratory techniques. At the graduate level, it has been reported in previous studies that the majority of teaching assistants undergo no formalized training for teaching.34 Learning to present lab content clearly and concisely and demonstrating techniques in front of a class of students are very important skills for laboratory TAs, and as such, lab skill seminars can be very effective preparation. In addition to students considering graduate school in chemistry, students in the teaching education program also find lab skill seminars to be a very valuable experience. As future teachers, preparing lessons and presenting in front of a class of students are integral skills, and LSS provide an excellent venue to develop these abilities. Furthermore, providing the LSS as a service learning placement contributes to facilitators’ professional development as future educators, as they are required to develop teaching portfolios and reflect upon their teaching strategies and practices through numerous reflective writing exercises. LSS facilitators’ responses to survey questions have shown that a large majority (85%) believe their experience as a facilitator has increased their ability to integrate disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge to a moderate or great extent, as seen in Table 2, Q4. Course and service learning instructors observed dramatic improvement in facilitators’ abilities to draw connections and create relations between course content and students’ prior chemistry knowledge over the course of the semester, which allows for deeper understanding of core content. Additionally, the LSS has taught the facilitators life-long skills, such as time-management, organization, leadership, and accountability, which are required in any field and any position they aspire to have in their future careers and education. This is overwhelmingly supported by their responses to survey questions, shown in Table 2, Q5, in which 92% indicated they believed LSS had contributed to their development in these areas to a great or moderate extent. Complete responses to several open ended questions regarding the facilitator’s perceptions on the efficiency and utility of the LSS and their visions for improvement of these seminars are included in the Supporting Information. Mentorship from Instructors. Lab skill seminar facilitators meet regularly with the course instructor. The benefits of this are 2-fold. First, as the course instructor is present for all seminars, they can provide feedback to facilitators both on their presentation content and on their presentation style. As teachers themselves and experts on the material, course instructors can be influential role models in helping facilitators refine their technique. Receiving input periodically in this fashion allows them to improve and experience continual growth throughout the term. Second, this close partnership allows facilitators to build a stronger relationship with the course instructor. In this way, they learn from course instructors as role models on how to mentor other students, while themselves benefiting from the mentorship of their instructors for professional development.

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FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF LAB SKILLS SEMINARS Given the observed success of lab skill seminars in second year organic chemistry, the University of Toronto Scarborough has recently implemented them in several first and third year chemistry courses. To date, feedback on lab skill seminars from these groups of students has been overwhelmingly positive. We hope to continue incorporating these lab seminars to other chemistry courses with a laboratory component to ensure student success.

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CONCLUSION Lab skills seminars have been successfully integrated into the chemistry and particularly organic chemistry curriculum at the University of Toronto Scarborough, with substantial positive student feedback. These seminars have adopted several peer-led team learning and service learning principles as key features of their structure. PLTL and service learning programs rely on the motivation and dedication exhibited by upper year students to teach peer undergraduates. As demonstrated, the LSS program has been successful due to these facilitators who have served as a crucial link between course instructors and students. Over 50 facilitators have participated in LSS since the inception of this program, and as a result, they have seen dramatic improvement in their communication, presentation, and leadership skills. Working as facilitators has also provided a stepping stone for potential appointments as future Teaching Assistants and in teaching-related careers. Our data show that students perceive lab skills seminars as an effective resource to enhance their laboratory knowledge, understanding of techniques, and overall lab performance prior to a given lab. This additional preparation resource has enabled students to enjoy their laboratories, which provides them a much more positive and effective learning experience.

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ASSOCIATED CONTENT

S Supporting Information *

The Supporting Information is available on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00073. Samples of course syllabi, list of seminar topics and material provided to students through Blackboard, lab skills seminars facilitator training/guide manual, presentation notes, interactive seminar activities, surveys, student and facilitator comments, course handouts illustrating course evaluation schemes and lab skills seminar schedules, sample of presentations used during

Mutual Benefits for the Course Teaching Team

Approaching course instructors for help can be a challenging barrier to many university students. Lab skill seminars are inspired by the peer-led team learning model in that they emphasize learning socially as a group, as opposed to top-down approaches where students must individually learn the professor’s lectures and lab content.5 LSS also incorporate G

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00073 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

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Article

the seminars, sample midterm and final lab skills seminar evaluations, interactive activities utilized during lab seminars, and student feedback (PDF, DOCX)

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AUTHOR INFORMATION

Corresponding Author

*E-mail: [email protected]. ORCID

Shadi Dalili: 0000-0001-7641-2966 Notes

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at UTSC for creating the Service Learning and Outreach program. Without this program, it would be difficult to obtain motivated and qualified facilitators for the lab skills seminars. We would especially like to acknowledge Kamini Persaud’s efforts towards the service learning program. Her enthusiasm and hard work has led to such a successful program. We also extend our thanks to all the facilitators and instructors involved in this seminar series.

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REFERENCES

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DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00073 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX