Supporting Students' Learning To Learn in General ... - ACS Publications

Article pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc

Supporting Students’ Learning To Learn in General Chemistry Using Moodle Maritza Lau González,† Ulises Jáuregui Haza,† Aurora Pérez Gramagtes,‡ Gloria Fariñas León,§ and Nadine Le Bolay*,∥ †

Department of Radiochemistry of the Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences (INSTEC) Avenida Salvador Allende y Luaces, La Habana, Cuba A.PP. 6163 ‡ Department of Chemistry, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22453-900, Brazil § Methodological Department of the University of Havana, San Lázaro y L, La Habana, Cuba A.PP. 6163 ∥ University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique, ENSIACET, BP 44362, 31030 Toulouse Cedex 4, France S Supporting Information *

ABSTRACT: A combination of regular classroom teaching with the use of resources available on the Moodle platform has been designed to foster the development of skills for learning to learn for students in an undergraduate general chemistry course. The use of the Moodle platform essentially aimed at strengthening the students’ prior knowledge of chemistry concepts and laws, and at enhancing self-assessment of their study skills. In this combined approach, the use of platform resources is designed to contribute to time management, as well as for information seeking and understanding, in a communication and problem-solving approach. Assessment of the results was made through student surveys, discussion forums, and anecdotal observation by the instructors. The results indicate a high degree of acceptance by students of the use of this combined approach, promoting an increase of self-awareness on their learning process, which is an essential prerequisite for developing self-learning processes throughout life. KEYWORDS: First-Year Undergraduate/General, Inorganic Chemistry, Computer-Based Learning, Student-Centered Learning

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INTRODUCTION The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has enabled the creation of virtual environments for teaching chemistry in the past decade.1−7 Its impact on the teaching-learning process has been addressed in different ways. For example, some authors have emphasized the increase of communication interfaces between the actors of the teaching-learning process, which facilitates the exchange of ideas and opinions raising awareness of what is being learned.1−3 Jiménez and Llitjós1 have published a historical review of the first use of audiovisual (AV) teaching aids in chemical education. These authors highlighted the concept that ICT can increase teaching quality by facilitating interactions between students, and between students and faculty, beyond the simple student-content interaction offered by other AV resources. This idea was reinforced by Jiménez and Núñez2 when referring to the use of virtual environments using the Moodle platform. On the other hand, Behmke and Atwood3 introduced an original way of enhancing communication and personalization in General Chemistry courses by using instant messaging devices. This method, personalized for large groups, helped providing students an unintimidating way to ask questions, receiving in turn individualized answers, with an overall positive impact on the student’s performance. Other authors have emphasized the use of resources that can provide students immediate feedback to facilitate seeking and understanding information, thus allowing the reorganization of the self-learning strategy, if needed.6−10 For example, Bell and Volckmann7 have used online communication to send results of © 2014 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

knowledge surveys in General Chemistry, which were applied before the test, to influence the self-awareness of the student’s efficiency regarding the learning process. Other methods have been reported to help students to develop problem-solving skills, by immersing them in an active learning environment, rather than having them passively memorize rules and principles.11−13 Several of these experiences showed how the use of ICTs contributes to a more efficient use of study time.3,8,14 For example, Flynn8 proposed a method that integrates online postclass questions with clickers, a tablet, and active learning strategies in each class. The method connected in- and out-of class learning; provided prompt, regular, and relevant feedback to students and to the instructor; encouraged students to spend time on different tasks; and enabled the classroom time to be focused on topics that the students found particularly challenging. Clearly, raising the quality of teaching-learning processes lies not only in the incorporation of ICT, but also in the ability to motivate and engage students in the use of these technologies as self-learning tools. This concept agrees with Giordan and Gois15 in that ICT should not be seen or used as mere teaching devices, but rather as facilitators to create the appropriate conditions for learning through the articulation of cultural and technological tools within the purposes of education. In other words, the extra time gained by using these technologies to transmit information should be used in the learning tasks that allow students to build their own knowledge. Published: August 22, 2014 1823

dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3007605 | J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91, 1823−1829

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

Since 2006, Cuban universities have implemented a new academic curriculum, as a requirement from the Ministry of Higher Education to improve and update undergraduate courses. This academic approach was characterized by a reduced number of instructor-led classroom hours and an increase in the time available for independent study. Therefore, an appropriate correlation between the volume of information to be processed, the allocated time for studying, and the assimilation of course contents has to be considered in academic planning. The Institute of Technology and Applied Sciences (InSTEC) of Havana is one of the Cuban universities that have incorporated this new curriculum design into the study plan of the Radiochemistry undergraduate degree. In the academic program, the General Chemistry course is taught in the first semester of the first year, since it is an essential course for an overall understanding of the discipline, and to serve as a link with other chemistry subjects being studied further in the curriculum. Therefore, it is vital for the students to become true managers of their own learning process, through the development of learning to learn skills, which can be defined here as the intentional process of the subject to improve their skills to learn.16 The knowledge of the subject over their own skills to learn is a necessary condition of personal development. These skills include time management, seeking and understanding information, communication, and problem-solving approaches.17,18 The instructor is then responsible for selecting the appropriate tools for enhancing the development of these skills. The use of the Moodle platform in the teaching-learning process of chemistry has been reported in several studies.2,6,11,12 In the present work, the results from a course experience developed during two academic years (2010−2011 and 2011− 2012) in the general chemistry course of the radiochemistry undergraduate degree are described and analyzed. The approach used here combines traditional classroom lectures with complementary activities on the Moodle platform, which were especially designed for the students to understand concepts and laws related to the subject content, as part of the learning to learn process based on self-assessment of their personal development skills.

Table 1. Class Time Distribution of Course Content in the General Chemistry Curriculum before and after the Curricular Redesign

Topics Chemical Reactions Periodic Table and Chemical Bonding Gases, Liquids and Solids Thermochemistry Solution Chemistry Chemical Kinetics Chemical Equilibrium Electrochemistry Total

Class Hour Distribution before Curricular Redesign (h)

Class Hour Distribution after Curricular Redesign (h)

La

La

TPAb LABc

TPAb LABc

10 12

6 8

8 4

2 6

2 8

4 4

8 8 8 8 14 10 78

4 4 6 4 10 6 48

4 4 8 4 12 4 48

0 2 0 4 8 6 28

6 2 6 4 10 8 46

4 4 4 4 12 4 40

a

L: Lectures. bTPA: Theoretical and Practical Activities (tutorials and seminars). cLAB: Laboratories.

Different additional educational activities for each course topic were organized using modules on the platform, in a way that they focused on stimulating personal skills to learn (learning to learn) as described in the following paragraphs. Time Management

Course Settings. The course is structured in a weekly format. Each week has a repository of materials related to the course topics, such as self-preparation activities for lectures, tutorials, and laboratories. These materials are available both in pdf format and as Power Point presentations containing animations of key content of the different subjects. The main objective is to guide the students in planning the preparation time required for classroom activities. An example is shown in Figure S1 (Supporting Information). Calendar. This resource works as a reminder of the activities. Special importance is given to academic planning, to effectively achieve their goals as students. Time management is a core concept in self-learning processes and in the development of learning strategies, since it implies a set of conscious procedures that are chosen and self-regulated by students (Figures S2 and S3, Supporting Information). Questionnaires. Several questionnaires were prepared for each subject, to be answered in 5−10 min, depending on the complexity of the topic. The objective is to limit the time students devote to this activity, thus involving time planning and management skills. In addition, upon completion of the test, students receive a comment based on the chosen answers, so they can immediately assess their performance and the grading. This not only saves time, but also acts as a psychological trap that helps in the learning to learn process, since students can know immediately if their reasoning is correct, and make the appropriate adjustments, if necessary. Messaging and Forums. The use of this resource can extend the communication interfaces for student−instructor and student−student interactions, promoting a more frequent flow of information and exchange of ideas, and leading to resolution of the students’ concerns. As a consequence, the time employed in instructor-led classroom activities can be efficiently readjusted.

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DESIGN OF THE GENERAL CHEMISTRY COURSE WITH SUPPORT ON THE MOODLE PLATFORM The General Chemistry course was designed to be taught using resources placed on the Moodle platform as a supporting aid in the students’ preparation for regular in-classroom activities. The course was divided into 8 topics, as presented in Table 1, which also reports the number of hours devoted to different classroom activities, before and after the curricular redesign. Since in the new curriculum the number of instructor-led classroom hours was reduced, to increase the time available for independent study, the use of the Moodle platform was chosen as intervention to make up for the lost hours. The hours shown in Table 1 include only in-class hours. The original total number of hours devoted to regular classroom activities in the General Chemistry course was 174, and it was reduced to 114 after the implementation of the curricular redesign with Moodle support. The time devoted to classroom activities, such as lectures, where students essentially get information directly from the instructor without their active participation, was reduced by 50 h. 1824



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Table 2. Activities Based on the Moodle Platform Corresponding to the Topic Gases, Liquids, and Solidsa Moodle Resource Questionnaire Link to a file

a

Objective

Activities

Projected/Anticipated Moodle Time

To facilitate self-diagnosis based on studentś previous knowledge To guide students in the preparation of seminar # 3: “Intermolecular forces - Solids and liquids”. To guide students in the preparation of seminar # 4: “Gases - Pressure of a gas - Gas laws - Kinetic molecular theory of gases”. To guide students in the preparation of lab # 3: “Experimental determination of equivalent molar mass of a metal”.

Eleven mixed questions (true or false, multiple choice, matching).

30 min

To explain 12 life phenomena or facts related to the contents of this topic. To solve eight problems applying knowledge related to the contents of this topic.

4h

To solve a problem with data obtained from measuring the volume of H2(gas) obtained in the reaction of magnesium (Mg) with hydrochloric acid (HCl).

4h 3h

Examples of Moodle modules can be found in the Supporting Information.

Information Seeking and Understanding

resources, selected according to the specific design and purpose, are presented in Table 2. In this particular topic, the regular classroom hours were reduced from 16 to 10. After studying this topic, students should be able to characterize the different aggregation states of matter based on the main properties, and to compare the physical properties of substances considering the characteristics of the elementary components.

Students can access materials containing complementary, more detailed explanations of the concepts and phenomena studied in lectures using the text editing page, with links to files or directories, what contributing to a better understanding of the course content. Materials are also available to facilitate the search for information. Questionnaires and glossaries allow students to self-assess their prior knowledge and to receive feedback, which facilitates the understanding and learning process. For example, the possibility to configure the questionnaires with at least two answer attempts facilitates self-diagnosis and self-referential processes: self-conscience, self-evaluation, self-regulation, selfcontrol, and self-determination. Multiple choice, true-false, matching and short-answer exercises are also included. These self-assessment activities are aimed to provide students with information on both their learning process and the quality of the knowledge being built. This information can be very useful to make decisions and, if appropriate, to refocus the learning process in relation to the conceptual, procedural, or strategic aspects. Furthermore, the possibility of receiving systematic feedback gives the students the ability to make appropriate corrections before facing the final exam (Figures S4 and S5, Supporting Information). The discussion forums are designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and the clarification of doubts, which contributed to a better understanding of the topics studied. Messaging is included to increase the communication spaces for student-instructor and student−student interactions, expanding the possibilities of academic support to each student.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION There were 25 students attending the Moodle-based General Chemistry course described in this study. The implementation of activities designed for the self-diagnosis based on the students’ prior knowledge allowed them to recognize misconceptions and to receive immediate feedback. Table 3 shows some examples of the results obtained from students’ answers to the questionnaire on the topic “Gases, Table 3. Question-Answer Correlation of Some Results from the Questionnaire on the Topic Gases, Liquids, and Solids Question Type True or false

Matching

Communication

The transmissive modules were designed to extend and enhance the information channels, which can have a positive impact on the understanding process, since a well understood idea is a better expressed idea. (Figure S6, Supporting Information) The interactive modules allow students to answer questions and to exchange ideas, which can also improve communication. The discussion forums enable the exchange of ideas between students and the instructor. Messaging, by itself, can extend communication.

Multiple choice

a

Questions Intermolecular forces are generally weaker than intramolecular ones. Instantaneous dipole−induced dipole interaction occurs between polar molecules and depends on the polarization degree of the molecules. The forces that determine the strength of a chemical bond are intra-atomic, intramolecular, intermolecular. The forces that determine the macroscopic properties of substances (e.g., melting point, boiling point) are intraatomic, intramolecular, intermolecular. A soft solid which is a weak electricity and heat conductor is made of crystals: ionic, molecular, covalent, metallic. A hydrogen bond is An ionic bond A dipole−dipole interaction A covalent bond

Correct Answers, %a 78 38

87 92

44

87

N = 25.

liquids and solids”, evaluated using the “Analysis of items” resource provided on the Moodle platform. Meanwhile, using this resource the instructor could know which mistakes were conceptual, how many students made the same mistake, and what the most common mistakes were. For example, five students gave a wrong answer to the question related to the strength of chemical bond: four of them answered in favor of the intermolecular forces, while one student considered correct the intra-atomic forces. It can be

Problem Solving Approach

The development of this ability is drafted through learning tasks that are discussed during tutorials, seminars, and laboratories. Some examples of specific activities used in the General Chemistry course related to the topic “Gases, Liquids and Solids”, as well as the corresponding Moodle platform 1825



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concluded that these students did not acquire/understand the previous knowledge that the chemical bond forces must be overcome to separate atoms that were originally in the same molecule, and the intermolecular forces must be overcome to separate one molecule from another molecule. An example of how the results are presented in the Results-Item analysis is shown in Figure S7 (Supporting Information). As a result, the instructor had a clear and precise idea of the weaknesses and the deficiencies of the students, and how it was proportionally affecting the whole group, before starting the classroom activities. Thus, it was possible to establish personalized attention, emphasizing the aspects that presented major difficulties. For example, regardless of the feedback that is provided directly through the platform, the contents related to items with a higher level of difficulty were studied using activities that required information search by the students. In other words, the starting point for achieving an active student participation in the learning process was erected on the basis of self-diagnosis, based on students’ prior knowledge, and on the initial diagnosis of the instructor. Furthermore, the activity log also allowed a better characterization of the students, by keeping a record of the time and frequency in the use of supporting materials. A similar result was reported by Torres19 using collaborative platforms as tools to study the learning process in General Chemistry, by incorporating lectures, text reading and tutorials, with the results of diagnostic tests performed online. A closed survey was applied for the final course evaluation, in order to evaluate the role of the General Chemistry course in the Radiochemistry curriculum, using the Moodle platform as a complement to regular classroom teaching, and to enhance students’ learning to learn skills,. This survey included multiplechoice questions, with possibility of answer scaling, to assess the degree of approval of the different aspects. In addition, observations were conducted by the instructor and several discussion forums were implemented to obtain feedback on the extent of compliance with the objectives. The survey was addressed to four target areas: 1. Assessing the impact of the new course, including the use of the Moodle platform on the development of learning to learn skills: time planning and management, information seeking and understanding, and communication. 2. Evaluating the efficacy of the Moodle platform as a complement to the regular General Chemistry classroom course. 3. Determining the students’ opinion on the quality of the supporting course materials. 4. Determining the overall degree of acceptance of the students about the General Chemistry course using a Moodle platform support. This survey was applied to 93.3% of the students in the 2010−2011 course (RC 10−11), and to 100% in the 2011− 2012 course (RC 11−12). All surveyed students answered the questions. Figure 1 shows the results on the students’ perception of the influence of the course with Moodle platform support on planning their time. The results show that about 40% of the students considered that the use of the Moodle resources helped them to make more rational use of their time in a systematic way. Indeed, publication of the weekly activities and calendar reminder was

Figure 1. Students’ perception about the influence of the course with the Moodle platform support on planning their time.

intended to help students to establish an order of priority of the tasks. Although not all of them took advantage of these resources expressly for that purpose, anecdotal observation by the instructor found that, for all the students, there was an increase in punctuality regarding completion of assignments and the development of planned activities. Therefore, it can be considered that at least those who used the available resources to manage their time were able to establish short and mediumterm goals to accomplish academic activities. Moreover, the online exchange outside the classroom encouraged the efficient use of time in face to face activities. The assessment of the use of the Moodle platform resources to facilitate information seeking and understanding was quite positive. Eighty percent of the students felt that the questionnaires contributed to the self-assessment of their previous knowledge and to the clarification of doubts. It should be reinforced that becoming aware of their own skills for learning (be able to accurately and consciously estimate what they know or do not know academically, and planning to achieve new knowledge) allows students a greater personal development. Similarly, as it is shown in Figure 2, most students expressed that they could objectively orient themselves to perform the laboratory activities. The materials posted on the Moodle platform were aimed at guiding self-preparation, allowing students to act in the laboratory in a more independent way. It was found by the lab instructors that fewer questions of the type “what is this for?” or “how is this done?” were asked by students, and their answers to the instructor’s questions were more frequently correct. Furthermore, about 80% of the students used the resources for searching and finding information. In this sense, the learning activities were developed to foster good participation and preparation of the students in a positive learning environment. Figure 3 compares the students’ perception of the platform resources influence in expanding communication interfaces for student−instructor and for student−student interactions. One can notice that very few students answered negatively. Among the others, there was a high percentage of students who felt positively (always and almost always) about this aspect in the 2011−2012 course. This result was expected since, during this academic year, other disciplines in the curriculum started using the Moodle platform as a supporting aid; therefore, students were more familiar with the opportunities offered by this tool for asynchronous communication. On the other hand, in both courses, but with greater impact in 2010−2011, there was a greater exchange between instructor and students than between students themselves. 1826



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Figure 2. Students’ perception about the influence of the course with Moodle platform support on the seeking and understanding of information.

Figure 3. Students’ assessment of the influence of the course with Moodle platform on communication.

The development of activities on the Moodle platform, as already described, was intended to support the student’s preparation for regular classroom activities. Most of the students reported that they used the Moodle platform course with that purpose, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5. Students’ assessment on the educational character of the materials on the Moodle platform.

interactive modules, and to the impact it had on the guidance for independent study. Finally, Figure 6 shows the degree of acceptance of students regarding the General Chemistry course using the Moodle platform. This aspect was assessed through an indirect question, and the overall positive answer confirms a high level of satisfaction. In addition, students gave their opinions about the course in discussion forums. For example, in the first forum it was asked: “From your position as a student, which were the benefits (if any) from using the supporting material available on the Moodle platform for the General Chemistry course?” Some of the answers to this question were as follows:

Figure 4. Students’ assessment on the use of the course with Moodle platform as a complement to classroom activities.

Students were also asked to assess the quality of the supporting materials available for the course on the Moodle platform. The majority of students surveyed in both courses considered that the instructional materials were readily available, attractive, and not boring. It is interesting to note that most of the students agreed with the educational character of the materials (Figure 5). Further exchange with students revealed that they attributed an educational value to the opportunity for self-assessing their prior knowledge through the 1827



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Table 4. Comparison between Students’ Self-Assessment and the Final Grade Assigned by the Instructors 2010− 2011 Grade Assignmentsa

Student

Students’ SelfAssessment (N = 15)

Final Grades from Instructors (N = 15)

Students’ SelfAssessment (N = 10)

Final Grades from Instructors (N = 10)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

5 4 3 3 3 5 5 4 5 4 3 3 3 4 4

5 3 2 3 3 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 3

4 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 3 4     

5 4 2 4 4 3 4 5 4 4     

Figure 6. Students’ opinion about the general chemistry course using Moodle platform as supporting aid.

I think it was of great value, and I like to be able to rely on a General Chemistry course with support on Moodle because it facilitated our knowledge and potential development. I think that it should be extended (as it is being done) to other courses offered in the semester. [Student 1]

It was an advantage, not only for General Chemistry but also for other subjects as well, because it is a way to organize the entire course study program, since we can then have quick access to the complements for each activity (tutorials, lectures, etc.). I hope it can go on to achieve its final objective.

2011− 2012 Grade Assignmentsa

a

The scale for the grades ranged from 5 to 2, as follows: 5, outstanding; 4, good; 3, approved; 2, non approved.

was not that all students would receive final “excellent” scores, but rather that they can be active participants in the development of their learning skills and knowledge, and to feel responsible for it. Furthermore, the instructor’s opinion was that in previous courses, not using the Moodle platform, it was very difficult to ensure that there was an appropriate starting level in the course content. In this sense, the essential advantage of the implementation of the supporting platform is that the instructor can focus rapidly and objectively on the student’s previous weaknesses and difficulties, allowing a reorientation of the learning activities to establish a more personalized education. Continuous improvement of this course lies on the basis of a sustained improvement in the development of materials and quizzes. As an additional resource, a selected group of advanced students can collaborate in the development of new activities for subsequent courses, taking advantage of their own experiences with this type of academic approach.

[Student 2]

It was good, I think it has been a great tool for us in the first year, because it helped us a lot to organize our studies; besides, it saves us time. I hope it continues, as it is a very good link with the professor, and it facilitates communication.

[Student 3]

A second forum was designed to investigate the impact that the General Chemistry course had on students’ learning to learn skill. Following are some examples of the students’ comments: This course was very useful for me, although I know that I did not take full advantage of the available time, but I used it as a basis in other courses based on the same format. I think it helped me in the organization of my activities. [Student 5]

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It was good to be systematically evaluated because it is something different in a way that we can prepare ourselves better, using all what we have at a maximum level.

CONCLUSIONS Assessment of the results obtained in the implementation of a General Chemistry course using the Moodle platform for an undergraduate curriculum, taking into account the students and instructors evaluations, indicated that (a) there was an overall acceptance by the students of the use of this resource to support regular classroom activities, (b) the course materials and resources located on the platform complement classroom instruction, (c) the activities for self-diagnosis of students’ previous knowledge facilitated a greater self-awareness on their own learning process, and (d) an extended student-instructor communication was achieved. The complementary use of the Moodle platform also proved to be effective in helping to reduce the number of hours without compromising the academic course requirements. On the basis of these results, we consider that the Moodle platform resources can be designed not only to offer more

[Student 6]

I have achieved a greater and better organization in my studies. [Student 7]

At the end of the course, each student assessed his own performance, and the majority of results agreed with the final grades assigned by the instructors (Table 4). The final grade took into account the previous preparation for lectures, tutorials, seminars, laboratories and the results of midterm and final exams. There were only six cases where there was not a coincidence between the students’ and instructor’s assessment. Four of these grades were overestimated, while two were underestimated by the students. The overall purpose of this approach 1828



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(11) Milner-Bolotin, M. Increasing Interactivity and Authenticity of Chemistry Instruction through Data Acquisition Systems and Other Technologies. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 477−481. (12) Benedict, L.; Pence, H. E. Teaching Chemistry Using StudentCreated Videos and Photo Blogs Accessed with Smartphones and Two-Dimensional Barcodes. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 492−496. (13) Pinto, G. Estrategias Educativas Centradas en los Alumnos para ́ el Aprendizaje de Quimica en los Niveles Universitarios. Anal. Soc. Esp. ́ 2005, 2, 37−43. Quim. (14) Daza, E. P.; Gras-Marti, A.; Gras-Velázquez, À .; Guerrero, N.; Gurrola, A.; Joyce, A.; Mora-Torres, E.; Pedraza, Y.; Ripoll, E.; Santos, ́ J. Experiencias de Enseñanza de la Quimica con el Apoyo de las TIC. ́ 2009, 20 (3), 320−329. Educ. Quim. (15) Giordan, M.; Gois, J. Entornos Virtuales de Aprendizaje en ́ ́ 2009, 20 (3), Quimica: una Revisión de la Literatura. Educ. Quim. 301−313. (16) Nieves, Z.; Otero, I.; Molerio, O. La Formación Profesional en la Universidad de Hoy: de la Educación a la Autoeducación. Ped. Univ. 2007, 12, 2−11. (17) Fariñas, G. Maestro, para una Didáctica del Aprender a Aprender; Ed. Pueblo y Educación: La Habana, Cuba, 2004. (18) Fariñas, G. Psicologı ́a, Educación y Sociedad: un Estudio sobre el Desarrollo Humano; Ed. Félix Varela: La Habana, 2005. (19) Torres, C. Online Assessment in General Chemistry. 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19−23, 2007.

supporting information to regular course contents, but also to enhance the development of communication skills and time management, as well as information seeking and understanding, through the stimulation of learning to learn processes, for both teaching chemistry and in general education. The key aspect here is not aiming to teach specific knowledge, but how to achieve self-sustained learning and performance with selflearning throughout life.

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ASSOCIATED CONTENT

S Supporting Information *

Course configuration in weekly format; example of calendar showing the weekly activities; example of calendar showing the dates when questionnaires will be opened and closed, for handing over assignments, and when midterm exams will take place; example of questionnaire regarding “Matter aggregation states”; example of the wrong answer of one student to question 6 of the quiz and the results of four students to each question of the quiz; example of the structure of a transmissive module used as supporting aid for predicting properties of substances; example of the windows showing the analysis of tested topics. This material is available via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

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AUTHOR INFORMATION

Corresponding Author

*E-mail: [email protected]. Notes

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

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REFERENCES

(1) Jiménez, G.; Llitjós, A. Recursos Didácticos Audiovisuales en la ́ ́ Enseñanza de la Quimica: una Perspectiva Histórica. Educ. Quim. 2006, 17 (2), 158−163. (2) Jiménez, G.; Núñez, E. Cooperación on Line en Entornos ́ ́ 2009, 20 (3), Virtuales en la Enseñanza de la Quimica. Educ. Quim. 314−319. (3) Behmke, D. A.; Atwood, C. H. IM-Chem: The Use of Instant Messaging to Improve Student Performance and Personalize Large Lecture General Chemistry Courses. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 474− 476. (4) Barak, M. Transition from Traditional to ICT-enhanced Learning Environments in Undergraduate Chemistry Courses. Comput. Educ. 2007, 48 (1), 30−43. (5) Sendlinger, S. C.; DeCoste, D. J.; Dunning, T. H.; Dummitt, D. A.; Jakobsson, E.; Mattson, D. R.; Wiziecki, E. N. Transforming Chemistry Education through Computational Sscience. Comput. Sci. Eng. 2008, 10 (5), 34−39. (6) Lovatt, J.; Finlayson, O. E.; James, P. Evaluation of Student Engagement with Two Learning Supports in the Teaching of 1st Year Undergraduate Chemistry. Chem. Educ. Res. Pract 2007, 8 (4), 390− 402. (7) Bell, P.; Volckmann, D. Knowledge Surveys in General Chemistry: Confidence, Overconfidence, and Performance. J. Chem. Educ. 2011, 88, 1469−1476. (8) Flynn, A. B. Development of an Online, Postclass Question Method and Its Integration with Teaching Strategies. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 456−464. (9) Vital, F. Creating a Positive Learning Environment with the Use of Clickers in a High School Chemistry Classroom. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 470−473. (10) Kennepohl, D.; Guay, M.; Thomas, V. Using an Online, SelfDiagnostic Test for Introductory General Chemistry at an Open University. J. Chem. Educ. 2010, 87 (11), 1273−1277. 1829


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