Investigation of Student Attitudes and Understanding in an Online Versus Face-to-Face Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry Course

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the content-delivery formats in inorganic chemistry to improve academic experiences for students in STEM majors. This study, online and face-to-face student attitudes and understanding will be assessed by quantitative and qualitative measures. An attitude survey about chemistry was given to participants (the ACSI v2) at the beginning and end of the course. To assess student understanding of the core concepts covered in inorganic chemistry, several measures were examined and analyzed, such as grade distribution and final exam scores. The approach will integrate several evidence-based elements that have yet to be implemented in chemistry higher education. This study is intended to strengthen instruction in chemistry, benefit student learning, and foster positive attitudes for sciences. In determining what the students gain from the online versus a face-to-face learning environment will help to determine whether similar types of online course offerings should be integrated into other STEM disciplines.