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Chem 106: Chemical Concepts

Chemistry, Teaching Credential, Integrate visuals

Reflection on Instructional Change:

The technique I implemented is to Ensure comprehension by integrating visuals (diagrams, videos, pictures, etc.) Most students I teach tell me that they are visual learners. For the students in Chem 106, visuals are even more helpful to them because most of the students don’t have any college chemistry backgrounds. Therefore, I decided to integrate visuals, such as free online videos in my classroom. I first searched videos based on their relevance to the chemistry concepts covered in the course. Then I took the students' backgrounds in the class for consideration, for example, not much chemistry preknowledge and preparing to be K-8 science teachers. Therefore, short videos that are strongly related to the level of comprehesion are selected and integrated in Chem 106.

Consistent with the literature that I have read and the references included in the ACUE module, the visuals were engaging and helped students learn the important chemistry concepts covered in the course, which can also useful when they teach their students in their future careers.

Visuals are usually more attractive than texts and, therefore are essential for students’ conceptual understanding and chemistry learning. This is the most influential change I made after participating in the FLC. The new teaching practice was assessed via CTL "Observe and Analyze" synchronous zoom session with my colleagues.

The colleagues liked the use of short videos, closed captions in the short videos, clean slides, the integration into the classes.

**Evidence of Instructional Change**
Short video embedded in the slide.	Connecting video with chemistry concepts covered in class.	Instruction for the final classroom activity project.

**Faculty Bio**
	Yujuan Liu holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry Education and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Liu teaches general chemistry lectures and general and organic chemistry laboratory courses. Her research interests include (1) developing and evaluating green chemistry experiments for undergraduate laboratory curriculum and (2) investigating student affect (e.g. motivation, self-efficacy, and goals) based on theory-based instruments for interventions to improve student achievement and retention. She is an active member of the Younger Chemistry Education Scholars Committee in Division of Chemical Education of American Chemical Society and has published many conference papers and journal articles on green chemistry laboratory, evidence-based instructional practices, student motivation, and social network analysis.

**Program Sponsors**
	This work was supported by: US Department of Education Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions Project Degree with a Purpose P031S210061 US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution STEM Project STEM4Equity: P031C210012 National Science Foundation Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEMZone 1832335 *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 the US Department of Education or the National Science Foundation.