Student oriented approaches in the teaching of thermodynamics at universities – developing an effective course structure

Abstract

The aim of this study was to apply current pedagogical research in order to develop an effective course and exercise structure for a physical chemistry thermodynamics course intended for second or third year university students of chemistry. A mixed-method approach was used to measure the impact the changes had on student learning. In its final form in 2014, the course consisted of lectures following a broken lecture structure that incorporated different kinds of activating learning tasks, and a three-tiered exercise structure including qualitative and quantitative tasks with a large emphasis on collaborative problem-solving. The new lecture and exercise structures improved student learning as measured by students' exercise points, exam results, and, between 2013 and 2014, the results of a conceptual thermodynamics test the students took at the beginning and end of the course. Even though the new exercise structure increased students' motivation, positive affect and satisfaction with the course, in both 2013 and 2014, it was the interactive lecture structure that students reported to be the most beneficial part of the course. In light of these results, this study demonstrates the advantages on student learning of adopting a multifaceted approach to both lectures and exercises.

Student-centred active learning approaches to teaching quantum chemistry and spectroscopy: quantitative results from a two-year action research study

“…However, based on the sizeable observed effect size between 2016 and 2017 and the partial overlap of the respective exercise systems, it seems likely that the incorporation of the extempore exercises and the peer-and self-assessment of the problems were mostly responsible for the improvements in learning. This conclusion is supported by the gains observed in conceptual understanding through the introduction of an extempore exercise system in my previous study (Partanen, 2016).…”

How student-centred teaching in quantum chemistry affects students’ experiences of learning and motivation—a self-determination theory perspective

“…To allay this problem, I provided mostly grading guidelines for the various course task with minimal personal involvement in the grading process. In general, this study followed the methodology of my previous research (Partanen, 2016), where the ethical aspects were reviewed by two experts in university pedagogy. Furthermore, the whole action research initiative was conducted in close collaboration with the university pedagogical assistance staff at the University of Helsinki, which provided institutional oversight.…”

“…These issues with motivation are not confined to SMS, as studies have found that a substantial minority of students typically enter physical chemistry courses with negative preconceptions and low expectations of success (Nicoll and Francisco, 2001;Partanen, 2016). The experienced lack of competence also made many students set their initial goals low.…”

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“…In contrast to conventional teaching approaches, where the design of instruction is from the standpoint of the teacher, a learner-oriented approach aims primarily to meet the student's educational needs from the standpoint of the student (Linse, 2017). Internationally, colleges and universities discuss the significance of adopting new student-oriented learning approaches resulting in the growing implementation of non-traditional techniques and strategies by progressive academic institutions (Partanen, 2016). The student-centred methodology comprises more than the pursuit of modern techniques; it involves an incorporated idea of education (Sriarunrasmee et al, 2015).…”