Inclusive STEM Teaching Spring 2023

CHEM 160B: Metabolism NSM 21: First-Year Experience

Syllabus Growth Mindset

Reflection on Instructional Change:

Here I am implementing new practices in two different courses. In CHEM 160B I am modifying my syllabus to provide a more encouraging tone in a section on "How to Succeed in this Course" and to encourage peer-to peer interactions as one strategy for success. This new practice is designed to further motivate students and provide them with the resources they need to succeed. I have already re-written the syllabus for the CHEM 160B course and will use it for the Spring 2024 implementation of the course.

In another course, the first-year experience course NSM 21 I plan to implement the DAPPS goal setting & time management activity and the Post-exam debugging activity to further promote a growth mindset. These activities are designed to help students develop study habits to promote success in all courses, but particularly in introductory chemistry courses. I will incorporate the growth mindset activities into the NSM 21 course as I assemble the course over the summer for the Fall 2023 implementation.

Evidence of Instructional Change

How to Succeed in this Course!

My goal is for everyone to do well in the course! Some keys to accomplish this include:

Attend class - I like to see students faces in the class J.
Take good notes, then after class re-copy them and add additional information gleaned from reading the text.
Complete the homework in a timely manner. Homework doesn’t need to be started and finished in the same sitting – work on the problems that relate to the material as we cover that material in class.
When studying for exams use the chapter study guides to focus on the most important concepts for each chapter. The study guides answer the question “What’s going to be on the test?”
Use your fellow students! When you have trouble with a particular concept ask you peers to help you out (and be willing to explain if asked). Find a study partner for the exams to help keep you motivated and focused (it’s how I got through school…).

New language for CHEM 160B syllabus

Calendar exercise in DAPPS goal setting activity for NSM 21

Course Syllabus

Faculty Bio

I teach Biochemistry at all levels, from lower-division courses in support of Kinesiology majors to upper division courses in support of Biology and Chemistry majors to graduate courses in support of our MS students. I also teach a Science and Society course and have recently started teaching NSM 21, the first-year experience course for science majors.

75 years as Sacramento's University 1947-2022

This work was supported by:

Grant funding from Sacramento State Division of Inclusive Excellence

*Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sacramento State.