CUR - The Council on Undergraduate Research

Getting the Most out of Technology in the General Chemistry Classroom; a Comparison of Online Content Homework with Metacognitive Training Homework

Emily Heider, Faculty Mentor, Department of Chemistry, Utah Valley University 800 W University Pkwy. Orem, UT 84058 Anthony Hefzella, Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida 4000 Libra Dr. Orlando, FL 31816 Holly Wiegriffe, Department of Chemistry, Florida State College Jacksonville 1010 W State St. Jacksonville, FL 32202

Use of online homework for general chemistry courses is increasingly common, especially given recent transition to online course platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many ways online homework assignments can be organized to exploit innovations in technology and cognitive research, such as adaptive, spaced, and massed. The aim of this study was to determine if graded metacognitive self-assessment assignments paired with ungraded assigned homework, could result in student content mastery relative to graded online assessments.  Using four large-enrollment (>300 student) face-to-face general chemistry classes, an online homework platform was presented in delivery of three different organizational methods and compared to a course in which no online homework was used, but for which students completed weekly study inventory self-assessments with metacognition training. Homework times, scores, standardized final exam scores, course grades and survey results were used to compare the various homework delivery methods. The results indicate that mean final exam scores improve with higher average homework scores, but that longer homework times negatively correlate with exam scores. Additionally, weekly student study self-assessments with metacognition training is as effective as any of the online homework delivery strategies, and results in fewer students withdrawing from the course.

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