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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - CHM6945
Tracking Number - 4857

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2014-11-01
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: to GC 4/7/14. Needs revised objectives. Updated; back to GC 5/9/14. Apprd 5/19/14; to USF Sys 5/20/14; to SCNS 5/28/14. # 6750 appd as 6945 eff 11/1/14


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2013-12-08
  2. Department: Chemistry
  3. College: AS
  4. Budget Account Number: 121300
  5. Contact Person: Jeffrey R. Raker
  6. Phone: 8139740169
  7. Email: jraker@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: CHM
  9. Number: 6945
  10. Full Title: Investigating Chemical Education Research in the United States
  11. Credit Hours: 3.0
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?: N
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Investigating CER in the US
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 100
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites: None
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: Introduction to the field of Chemical Education Research including the types and kinds of research conducted, primary publication venues, seminal and recent research contributions.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Replacing Selected Topics with Permanent number; already listed in program
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? Significant number of students enrolling in Ph.D. programs in Chemistry and other programs serviced specializing in discipline-based educational research
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 2 times
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Ph.D. in Chemistry or Science Education with specialization in Chemical Education; Ph.D. in Chemistry with Postdoctoral Research Experience in Chemical Education; Ph.D. in Chemistry with a publication record in Chemical Education
  29. Objectives: The specific course objectives are:

    (1) To explore the breadth of chemical education research including common publication venues, prominent researchers, historical and current topics

    (2) To develop a perspective for critically evaluating chemical education research

    (3) To review learning theories commonly employed in chemical education research

  30. Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course a student should be able to:

    (1) provide a nuanced definition of chemical education research

    (2) identify common chemical education research publication venues

    (3) read a chemical education research article critically

    (4) describe major aspects of several commonly used theories of learning

    (5) understand the contributions of influential chemical education researchers

  31. Major Topics: (1) Where can chemical education research be found?

    (2) What is chemical education research? Who decides?

    (3) How should I read a research article?

    (4) What is the value of scholarship in chemical education?

    (5) What is the value of a research article?

    (6) What constitutes a significant contribution to chemical education research? Who decides?

  32. Textbooks: This course relies on published journal articles. Therefore, there is no textbook for the course.
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Courses readings include seminal and recent journal articles and book chapters on (1) the historical and current definition of chemical education research as well as (2) current topics in chemical education research. Journal articles are primarily drawn from the Journal of Chemical Education, Chemistry Education Research and Practice, Journal of Research on Science Teaching, and the International Journal of Science Education.
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Class participation includes but it is not limited to attending class, completing reading assignments prior to class, working effectively on group activities during class, and contributing to class discussion.

    Reflection papers are short intermediate writing assignments on each on the following topics:

    (1) Who is [instructor chosen Chemical Education Researcher, all students have same]? (one page, plus bibliography)

    (2) What is chemical education research? (3-5 page)

    (3) Who is [instructor chosen Chemical Education Researcher; each student has different]? (2 page, plus bibliography)

    (4) Who is [student chosen Chemical Education Researcher, each student has different]? (1 page, plus bibliography)

    (5) What did I just read? (critical reflection on an assigned journal article) (3-5 page)

    (6) What should we all read by [student chosen Chemical Education Researcher]? (1 page)

    The Final Paper will be 10-15 pages on a chemical education researcher’s body of work; each student will choose an instructor-approved researcher. Papers are expected to provide an overview the scholarly contributions of the researcher and suggest how the researcher approaches the field of chemical education research.

    The Final Presentation will be a 45-60 minute presentation and class discussion on the chemical education researcher written about for the Final Paper. The presentation should provide an overview of the researcher’s major contributions, making the case that the researcher has contributed significantly to the field, and situating the discussion of a particularly influential research paper by the chosen researcher (and read by all class members). The manner in which the discussion is led should demonstrate thorough content knowledge and advance preparation and promote the active engagement of all class members.

    Class Participation (15% of grade), Reflection Papers (50% of grade); Final Paper & Presentation (35% of grade)

    Grades: A (90-100%), B+ (85-89), B (80-84%), B- (75-79%), C+ (70-74%), C (65-69%), C- (60-64%), D (50-59%), F (< 50%)

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: Class Participation (15% of grade), Reflection Papers (50% of grade); Final Paper & Presentation (35% of grade)
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: Late assignments without a valid and verifiable medical or legal excuse will not be accepted without grade penalties.

    Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are not acceptable and will result in negative consequences, most typically no credit for the dishonest work. If you are uncertain whether an action you are contemplating falls under the heading of “academic dishonesty,” ask before you proceed.

  38. Program This Course Supports: Chemistry
  39. Course Concurrence Information: Cell and Molecular Biology, Integrative Biology, Geology, Mathematics, Physics


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.