Abstract
Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TILT) is a valuable tool that can be used to enhance student learning and performance as well as to enhance instructor teaching experience. In a STEM core field like chemistry, clarity in assignment instructions is needed, and TILT can be very useful in this. In fact, not many examples from the higher education field are available for reference for instructors who want to utilize TILT in their classrooms. The authors aim to fill this gap by giving examples of TILTed assignments in a variety of settings such as lab experiments, data analysis reports, class presentations, and assignments in both lower and upper level chemistry courses given at two public and private 4-year colleges in United Sates. Grade distributions and student responses are used to gauge the success of incorporating TILT into the courses.
TopBackground
Students from underrepresented groups (African American, Latinx, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander), students with low-income status, women, and first-generation college students are less likely to persist in STEM than their comparable peers (white, Asian, high-income, men, continuing generation). This trend is more evident if underrepresented students earn a C or below in courses. While on the contrary students are more likely to persist if they can earn a C or higher in their courses (Harris et al., 2020).
Chemistry is a discipline that has a reputation for high DFW rates (number of students getting D, F, and W grades). Studies have shown chemistry courses having around 30% DFW rates with African American and Latinx students with an increased 40% DFW rates (Seymour et.al., 2019). Since chemistry is a core course in the STEM field, it is important that chemistry is not considered as an unapproachable discipline by students. TILTing assignments can make the assignments more understandable, approachable, and welcoming to students, taking that extra layer of confusion away from the course material.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Underrepresented Students: Groups of students who make up only a small fraction of the college population. E.g., minorities, low-income, LGBTQ
First Generation Students: Students whose parents did not complete a college degree.
Liberal Arts College: A College that offers an undergraduate education that expands humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and arts.
Bottle-Neck Course: A course that limits student's progress towards graduation. Student may need to repeat the course until the desired grade is achieved.
AP Chemistry: Advanced placement (AP) chemistry courses are high school courses equivalent to college-level freshman chemistry courses.
Core Courses: Mandatory courses that must be completed by the student to be eligible to earn a degree in college.
At-risk Students: Students who are likely to fail a course due to lower grades, lack of class attendance, or other reasons.
Flipped Classroom: A classroom where course material is delivered out-of-class while group work, problem solving, and other active learning methods are carried out during class time.
Retention Rate: The percentage of first year (freshman) students who continue with their second year (sophomore year) at the same college.