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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - CHM6810
Tracking Number - 5168

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2016-06-01
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: Elective for Chemistry. To GC. Apprd. To SCNS. Apprd eff 6/1/16. Nmbr 6755 apprd as 6810

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2015-01-13
  2. Department: Chemistry
  3. College: AS
  4. Budget Account Number: 121300
  5. Contact Person: Scott Lewis
  6. Phone: 8139743099
  7. Email: slewis@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: CHM
  9. Number: 6810
  10. Full Title: Methods of Instruction in Higher Ed Chemistry
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: Y
  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): Methods Chemistry
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites: No prerequisites
  23. Corequisites: No corequisites
  24. Course Description: This course presents pedagogical approaches associated with evidence-based effective instruction for postsecondary chemistry education.

  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 specializing in discipline-based educational research or interested in college science teaching as a career in Ph.D. programs in Chemistry and other programs served.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 1 time
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Ph.D. in Chemistry Education, Science Education or Chemistry with post-graduate training in Chemistry Education.
  29. Objectives: This course seeks to promote experiences:

    • with a diverse range of pedagogical approaches and an understanding of the underlying rationale behind each.

    • with planning a lesson including creating lesson objectives and planning a multiple class sequence of activities to address the objectives.

    • with modeling a mini-lesson for the class cohort.

    • developing a teaching philosophy and outline for a teaching portfolio.

    • conducting a reflective cycle of teaching improvement.

    • using the educational research literature to support professional development.

  30. Learning Outcomes: • Students will be able to identify appropriate pedagogical techniques for a variety of chemistry learning objectives.

    • Students will lead a mock-lesson for their classmates complete with lesson plans and a post-lesson write-up.

    • Students will create a student assessment to aid in evaluating their mock lesson.

    • Students will create a set of learning objectives for a chapter in a chemistry textbook.

    • Students will develop a teaching philosophy that illustrates their knowledge of pedagogical approaches and reflections on their past classroom experiences.

    • Students will investigate the educational research literature and identify research-based pedagogical approaches.

  31. Major Topics: • Learning objectives

    • Lesson plans

    • Pedagogical approaches

    • Assessment plans

    • Educational research literature

    • Reflective practice

    • Instructional lab safety

  32. Textbooks: Required text: Chemistry ConcepTests: A Pathway to Interactive Classrooms. Recommended texts: Survival Handbook for the New Chemistry Instructor and Chemists’ Guide to Effective Teaching (Volume 2)
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Course readings include research articles and review articles that discuss pedagogical approaches and evidence-based instructional practices. Journal articles are primarily drawn from Journal of Chemical Education, Journal of College Science Teaching and Chemistry Education Research and Practice.
  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. Students will have at least two weeks notice prior to each assignment due date. The majority of assignments will be scored by rubric that will be provided to students when the assignment is announced. The rubric will specify the conditions necessary for successful completion of each aspect of the assignment.

    Grading is dependent on several class assignments as follows with the weighting for each described. First, students will create a set of learning objectives to match content covered in a chemistry textbook. Second, students will create a detailed lesson plan of approximately 15 pages to describe at least 5 hours of course work.

    Third, each student will lead a mock-lesson for 50 minutes on a select topic for the class and will be responsible for a post-lesson reflective write-up of at least two pages. Fourth, students will create a personalized teaching philosophy of two pages that would be intended for applying for an academic position. Fifth, students will craft a five page lab management and safety plan for leading lab instruction that includes a hand-out for students. Finally, students will need to be active participants in the course, contributing to in-class discussions and participating in the mock-lessons of their colleagues. The class will use a ten-point grading scale:

    90 – 100% A; 80 – 89% B; 70 – 79% C; 60 – 69% D; Below 60% F.

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: Learning objectives (5%), lesson plan (20%), mock lesson and reflective write-up (30%), teaching philosophy (10%), lab management and safety plan (15%) and class participation (20%).
  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: Missed assignments with a valid and verifiable medical or legal reason that makes missed assignments out of the student’s control will be accepted at the next class meeting. Missed assignments without a reason as listed above will necessarily result in a grade penalty.
  38. Program This Course Supports: Chemistry
  39. Course Concurrence Information: Cell and Molecular Biology, Integrative Biology, Geology, Mathematics and Physics.


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