Colleges' Onilne Learning Academy (COLA)

Colleges' Online Learning Academy (COLA 2023), Michigan State University

Reflection on Promoting Student Classroom Engagement

I participated in the workshop as part of the COLA 2023 program, and it completely transformed my perspective on how to effectively engage students using various tools. The workshop provided valuable insights, giving me a clear and concise understanding of student engagement both inside and outside the classroom. Engaging students means sparking their interest and curiosity in the course materials, encouraging active participation in class activities, and fostering interactions among peers.

Student Engagement is a comprehensive concept which consists of three different types of engagement i.e., (1) Behavioral engagement, (2) Emotional engagement, and (3) Cognitive engagement. I got to know the concept of ‘Intentional Metacognitive Activities’ and their usefulness in promoting engagement.

Student engagement is part of student-centered teaching and learning where an active learning environment and the integration of technology in the classroom is a must. This workshop provides some handy techniques on how to keep students engaged during the class whatever the group sizes are. I found those options very helpful, and I intend to apply them when I become a TA.

As a chemistry graduate student, I need to teach different chemistry labs of different levels. I found pre-class quizzing very helpful before each class because we can put some materials in the D2L, and students can go through those materials and participate in quizzing. This will help students to revisit the theory and some basic concepts. Additionally, I learned the importance of formative assessments, such as Eli Review, Flipgrid, or Slack, to gather feedback from students after each lab class. These assessments help instructors adjust course objectives and teaching methods based on students’ input, promoting active participation in the learning process.

Furthermore, the workshop highlighted the significance of building interpersonal relationships with the students and the qualities that make an effective instructor. Interpersonal relationships are something that helps instructors to know their students, their background, build relationships with them and ensure equity in the classroom. An instructor needs to be approachable and accessible and at the same time he needs to set the tone of the course at the beginning of the semester, that is he or she needs to maintain the professional boundaries.

Finally, the workshop shed light on the role of technology, such as D2L, in measuring student classroom engagement. Understanding how to leverage these technological tools is valuable for assessing and enhancing student participation in learning experience.

Reflection on Cultivating a habit of Reflective Practice in Work

Self-reflection is a powerful and transformative tool that allows us to examine our thoughts, actions, and emotions. Engaging in self-reflection enables personal growth, self-awareness, and continuous improvement. To be honest, I was not familiar with ‘Reflective Practice’ both in personal and professional life. I got familiar with this concept last year as a COLA fellow and after that I have been practicing it regularly. As I engage in self-reflection, I find it to be an invaluable process that positively impacts various aspects of my life.

One of the key aspects of self-reflection is its ability to enhance self-awareness. By taking the time to pause and analyze my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, I have gained a deeper understanding of myself. This awareness has allowed me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses, my values and beliefs, and the impact of my actions on others. With this newfound knowledge, I have been able to make more informed decisions and align my choices with my core values.

Self-reflection also serves as a valuable tool for learning from past experiences. Whether it be successes or failures, every situation offers an opportunity for growth. Through reflection, I have been able to identify patterns in my behavior, identify what works well, and pinpoint areas that require improvement. By learning from my mistakes and celebrating my achievements, I have been able to make positive changes and continue to evolve as an individual.

In the breakout sessions, we explored various methods for engaging in reflective practice. These methods include utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or WhatsApp, incorporating audio or video elements. Alternatively, we can opt for more traditional approaches, such as writing a blog or maintaining a regular diary. The beauty of this practice lies in its flexibility; there is no set time limit or specific location for reflection. It can be done at any time and in any place – during a morning or evening walk, or even while taking a shower. I have got my most intriguing experiment idea even while taking hot shower.

As a research assistant, we implement self-reflective practices within our research lab. Every week, we conduct group meetings where we share our progress and findings with our fellow lab members, either through presentations or discussions. These interactions provide us with valuable feedback, enabling us to refine our research protocols and troubleshoot any challenges we encounter. On a personal level, I maintain a list of tasks that need to be completed, essentially creating a daily work list. This helps me track my accomplishments regularly, whether on a weekly or monthly basis. Now, I am considering adopting a new approach, either by writing a reflective blog or keeping a diary.

During our discussions, we deliberated on the option of making our reflective practices public or private. However, none of us agreed to make them fully public due to the prevalent trends of online bullying and humiliation. Instead, we decided to keep our reflections semi-public, sharing them only within our circle of close friends and family. This way, we can still benefit from the insights and support of trusted individuals without exposing ourselves to potential negative experiences in the public domain.

Reflection on Creating Inclusive Classrooms

Establishing effective and inclusive classrooms is a critical aspect of the teaching and learning process, as it directly impacts the successful achievement of course objectives. Chemistry, with its abstract concepts and complex theories, can be challenging for students to grasp, leading to potential distractions in the class. This poses a difficulty for educators in engaging students actively and facilitating effective learning of the subject matter. As an educator, it is crucial to create a conducive learning environment, and when designing a course, careful consideration should be given to employing instructional strategies that align with desired outcomes. 

Participating in the workshop titled "Creating Inclusive Classrooms" was a transformative experience that profoundly influenced my perspective as an educator. The workshop emphasized the crucial importance of fostering inclusivity within educational settings and provided valuable frameworks to achieve this goal. Three key components were presented: Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Cultural Competence, and Anti-Racist Pedagogy. These components significantly expanded my understanding of how to create an environment where every student feels valued, respected, and empowered to excel both academically and personally. 

The concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) particularly resonated with me. Recognizing that each student has unique strengths and challenges, UDL advocates providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression in the learning process. This reinforced my commitment to adopting flexible teaching methods and incorporating diverse learning tools and materials to cater to different learning styles and preferences, enabling all students to thrive academically. 

The workshop also highlighted the significance of Cultural Competence, which involves understanding and appreciating the diverse cultural backgrounds of students in the classroom. Embracing cultural competence creates an inclusive learning environment where students feel respected and represented, leading to increased engagement and enriched learning experiences. It also equips educators to address potential cultural biases and celebrate diversity in the classroom.

Perhaps the most impactful aspect of the workshop was the exploration of Anti-Racist Pedagogy. This component urged us to critically examine our instructional practices and confront systemic biases within the education system actively. It challenged us as educators to take an active role in dismantling discriminatory practices and fostering an anti-racist environment where all students can feel safe and empowered to excel. 

Overall, the workshop has reignited my dedication to creating inclusive classrooms. I now feel equipped with the knowledge and tools to be more deliberate in my teaching practices, accommodating the diversity of my students and embracing their individuality. I am determined to apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning, integrate cultural competence to create a respectful and empathetic learning environment, and embrace anti-racist pedagogy to promote equity and social justice.

Deliverable 1: Course Structure

Deliverable 2: Overview of Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment in classroom context

Colleges' Online Learning Academy (COLA 2022), Michigan State University

Deliverable 1

A review on effective assessment tools for hybrid chemistry lab: Focus on Self-Assessment and Performance based assessment.

Chemistry is a non-typical subject in the sense that the student not only has to learn, understand, and apply theoretical concepts, but also has to acquire a significant number of manual skills which are associated with the learning of such concepts. However, there is concern in achieving desired student outcomes (Hofstein and Lunetta, 1982, 2004). There is extreme pressure on higher education institute to produce graduates who are both scientifically literate and skilled practitioners. All kinds of laboratory activity have one common feature: they serve as a link between the domain of ideas and the domain of real objects and observable things. But there is mismatch between faculty and students’ goals as students sometimes downplay their engagement and ownership of the learning process. Students try to finish lab works hastily without much thinking just to obtain good grades. Therefore, it is essential to re-focus on the assessment of laboratory outcomes and monitor the process of skill mastery.

An assessment is an important tool to justify student’s ability to critically thinking and demonstration of their understanding about subject matter. Assessment is not the end product of the learning process, rather a process whose orientation has implications for the design of the teaching-learning process as well as on the process itself. In chemistry lab, we must ensure that students do science there and develop their critical thinking power by solving real life problems. There is very few research on the assessment process in a laboratory context.

Student should be monitored from the very beginning of the course and should continue throughout the semester. If student understanding should evaluate less formally, it will help the instructor about where his/her students are now and tweak the course contents for necessary adjustment. Student misconceptions of scientific concepts are common and should be dispelled. For this, instructor can choose effective assessments tools which helps both teachers and students modify their behavior as a result of what is being assessed.

Effective assessment must be valid and reliable, clear and unambiguous and based on learning objectives. Assessment methods should be reviewed for further improvement. Assessment tools are going to provide feedback about students learning about the concept of chemistry. That’s why assessment tools should contain different methods i.e., summative such as lab reports, exams at the end of the semester to get the overall view, formative all through the semester so that course materials can be altered to adjust with the current pace of students, student self-assessment to ‘think about their thinking’ and achieving learning objectives.

Formative assessment is ongoing process while subject knowledge is formed and can be included polls, collection of exit slips. Andrade and Heritage (2017) defined formative assessments as a process where learners reflect on their competencies against performance norms, and iteratively make refinements to close their learning gaps. Formative assessments are low stakes exams often contain no points of minimal points yet very to get the concurrent feedback. Few forms of formative assessment are discussed below which might be taken into consideration in different labs.

Survey: Pre and post survey can be an effective medium to know to what extent learning outcomes are achieved. Surveys can be taken before and after each lab. It may contain some of the core ideas associated with the lab experiments (background information should be included in the reading list) and some of the lab core techniques (video must be provided).

Identifying Lab Equipment can be one of the most effective formative assessments. In chemistry lab especially gen-chem lab or quantitative analysis lab, students work with different glassware. A short quiz can be given asking identification of each of the very common glassware they are going to use all through the semester. Same quiz can be given at the very end of the semester just to recollect.

Writing reflection on each of the labs/projects can be useful to adjust the course materials or project learning objectives. Students can be asked to write reflection including what was their learning expectation and if that desire was fulfilled or not. 

Self-assessment (SA) is a valuable life-long skill to develop several soft skills such as continuous learning, positive self-concepts and increased autonomy in the ownership of learning. Therefore, the performance criteria should thus be clearly communicated to students and instructors to calibrate standards. In self-assessment, students are given a set of skill inventory. They then engaged in self-monitoring and reflection and giving peer feedback to each other. It can increase confidence levels in skill performance, help them in identification of strengths and weaknesses and enable them to improve to their skills Parry et al., 2012). Recent trends in this regard specially in chemical education research has begun to use of video as a means of assessment to evaluate skill attainment (Towns et al., 2015; Hensiek et al., 2016; Hennah and Seery, 2017). It is more likely students made a video on different skill sets in labs showing their competency with a set of given instructions. The videos will be reviewed by peer and instructor. If the competency level is gained, students will gain a badge as visible recognition for skill mastery. 

Performance-based assessment: Performance can be demonstrated in action provided that this action is based on comprehension. This simple fact implies the incorporation of performance assessment strategies. Outcome-based evaluation requires, at the very minimum, performance-based assessment. This is important in a way that it transform the chemistry lab from being a expository (cookbook) approach to a more inquiry-based format in which students are responsible to design their protocol under the super vision of a mentor and do all the measurement with little or no help from teaching assistants. Students demonstrate, construct or develop a product or a solution, starting from some previously defined conditions and standards. This type of evaluation is characterized by an attempt to simulate, as adequately as possible, a real-world situation that the student may well have to confront. Methods used may include written project work, oral presentations, exhibitions and demonstrations. Students works here in a small collaborative group under the guidance of an teaching assistant generally a grad students.

1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Seeing Students Learn Science: Integrating Assessment and Instruction in the classroom. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

2. Anna Prades, and Sebastial Rodriguez Espinar, Laboratory assessment in chemistry: an analysis of the adequacy of the assessment process, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 35, No. 4, July 2010, 449-461.

3. Gonzalez, J., and R. Wagenaar, eds. 2003. Tuning educational structures in Europe. Informe final. Proyecto piloto fase 1. Bilbao: Universidad de Deusto.

Deliverable 2