Quantitative Analysis Using the Modular Approach The modular approach or Keller Plan has been used successfully for s number of chemistry courses as evidenced by recent reports to this Journal.' During Fall Quarter of 1972, the junior level quantitative analysis course (31 students) a t Southern Oregon College was taught using a modified modular approach. Following is a brief description of this course.2 Lectures were held for the first two weeks of the term. This allowed time for the students to become familiar with the instructor and his approach to the course, e.g., relatrve rmpartanre of marerial presented in the testing, r t r . The rest of the term w a * divided into four self-paced study units, each appror~matelytwu weeks in length. A Nudy guide wa5 prepared for each unit and runtained a reading assignment, an o u t h e i,r listmp: of important concepts, and suggested homework problems. No formal lectures were held for the remainder of the term. The time normally reserved for lecture (3 hr/wk) was used in a variety of ways: The instructor was availablein the assigned lecture room and students were encouraged touse this time to seek help with concepts or homework problems from the study guide. Typically 20% of the students would show up on any given day. Some asked questions and left, others stayed to listen to other questions being discussed. The period was usually quite informal with the students contributing a great deal. These lecture periods were also used to administer tests. A nearby room conveniently served as the test center. Students wishing to take a test normally arrived a few minutes early so the instructor encountered no difficulty in simultaneously conducting tests and a help session. Rarely a period went by without someone taking a test, but seldon did as many as a third of the class take a test on the same day. When a student felt he had mastered the material in a particular study unit, he would take an exam. The prerequisite for taking the test was completion of the suggested homework. Tests were similar in style and format to the one given during the initial two weeks of the course. Exams were graded and made available to the student by the following day. If a student was not satisfied with his score, be had the option of repeating the exam (a different test) one time only to try to improve his grade. The score recorded for a particular study unit was for the last test taken, thus discouraging unnecessary repetition of exams by students trying to raise their scores by one or two points. Each study guide had s suggested test date on it. This was the date a test would normally have been given over the material had the lecture format heen retained. Also on the study guide was a deadline for repeating an exam. This deadline was typically one week following the suggested test date. Students were encouraged to take the exams as soon as possible and not wait until the deadlines. Preferably a student should have the opportunity to repeat an exam as many times as might be necessary; however, due to the time involved in the preparation and grading of exams a limit of two tests per student per unit was set. This particular version of the modular approach was well received by the students. A two-week period appeared to be the appropriate length for study units. Definite deadlines for taking tests kept all students progressing while still allowing some flexibility for the individual student to determine when and how he mastered the material. Frequent users of the help sessions found they could receive more help with the course without spending any additional time. Each student completed a course evaluation form at the end of the term. Moat students felt they had learned more with less time (not necessarily effort) than they would have in a lecturecourse covering the same material. ~~
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'Leo, Micah, W. M., J. CHEM. EDUC., 50, 49 (1973). Lewis, D. K. and Wolf, W. A,, J. CHEM. EDUC., 50, 51 (1913). White, J. M., Close, J. S., and McAllister, J. W., J. CHEM. EDUC., 49,772 (1972). 2 Detailed information available from the author. a Skcmg, D. A. and West, D. M., "Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry," (2nd ed.), Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., New York, 1969. Southern Oregon College Ashland, 97520
Bob Bleasdell
Volume 50, Number 9. September 1973 / 607
