Method for integrating Inventive Teaching with Students Grades: The Creative Quiz Many college teachers use unannounced 10-min quizzes as an effective teaching tool. Normally the policy is "no makeups" hut the system accommodates legitimate ahsences by dropping one quiz per term, having a huilt-in "freebie" or some attendance reward. Such policies are well received by students because points are earned for intangible positive qualities that cannot be evaluated on hour exams. For several years I used such asystem. Then I realized that this "extra" quiz could provide an opportunity for some creative teaching in chemistry. Since students will cooperate with anything if they receive credit for it, the "extra" quiz could he used effectively to explore some theories of chemical education, to encourage the students to attend a soecial event at the universitv. -. or to initiate somethine.. arieinal. Essentiallv it orovides a mechanism for the instructor to forus on a special topic and for the student to earn a few points (which are prerious to mans!,. 1 score ~uehquirzesasExcellent (maximum puints), Cuod (medium).andPoor (but still rarning a few points). Student response is always positive. Among the areas I have explored on a once-a-term basis with the creative quiz are ~~
~
..
. .
1) Standard Nomenclature. Chemical education research studies1 indicate that nomenclature is a perennial student weakness. When prepared for an exam, many students can perform adequately, hut a more meaningful evaluation of progress in nomenclature may he achieved via the unannounced quiz. Is it fair? Certainly! The "extra" quiz format will reward students who have truly mastered the principles of nomenclature. Useful teaching information about deficient areas is a h provided. 2) Creative Nomenclature. Questions such as "How many chemically acceptable names for water can you write?" This stretches the imagination as well as providing a light-hearted quiz. This can be a real morale booster. 3) Conreptuol Problems. The need for introdwing conceptual problem-solving has been established.? However, students are more comfirtshle with these exercises after a little practice. The creative quiz is a good forum fur exposure to these types of problems prior to inclusion on an exam. 4) Participation in a Special University Event. The use of a "quiz" insures that the students will attend. Once present, though, the event should he of such quality that the students will have broadened their interests in chemistry. 5) Introduction of a Research Technique. We used the "creative quiz" to introduce mass spectrometry to undergraduate nonmajors. Their participation was excellent because of the quiz format. Freshmen were provided with a glimpse of modern chemical research methods. The use of a creative quiz can provide variety to the necessary rituals of large lectures. The majority of our students had evaluated these as "worthwhile".
R. B.; Walmsley, F. J. Chern. Educ. 1982.59, 149. 2Nurrenhern,S. C.: Pickerinp, M. J. Chem. Edue. 1987,64,509.
.I Niedzielski,
Karen E. Elchstadt Ohio University Athens. OH 45701 i
326
Journal of Chemical Education
