MANKATO — A Minnesota State University professor hopes an infusion of technology can help his students learn more and retain more from their intro to chemistry course.
Jeff Pribyl, a member of the chemistry and geology faculty, applied for and received a $149,156 grant to use state-ofthe- art tablet personal computers in next fall’s basic chemistry class.
The grant will fund 20 computers, which will serve a class of about 80 students with four students to a tablet. The classes will be taught using the“guided inquire” method, which involves limited lectures and students working in groups. Each group of four has one tablet PC.
“We’re not unique in using guided inquiry,” Pribyl said. “We’re unique in using tablet PCs and trying to insert this technology into it.”
Tablet PCs are a little different than a standard laptop or notebook computer. The screen sits on a swivel, and can be flattened against the keyboard half for use as a writing pad.
Using a stylus pen, similar to a Palm Pilot, students will be able to do chemistry assignments directly onto a computer.
“It’s of great benefit in chemistry where we use drawings, formulas and other figures that can’t typically be done with a keyboard,” Pribyl said. “It’s a kind of paperless learning.”
Just as traditional paper work, work done on a tablet can be “handed in.” Instead of passing their papers to the end of a row for the instructor to collect, students would submit their work electronically, similar to an e-mail, directly to their instructors.
Part of the grant also allows for the creation of a grading system that will speed up the process of correcting work and giving them feedback.
For example, on paper, Pribyl may simply circle the part of a problem that a student got wrong. But on work submitted using a tablet PC, work can be graded and commented on using pull-down menus that contain the most commonly committed mistakes.
The software portion is being developed by management faculty member John Kaliski. Chemistry and geology faculty member Mary Hadley also is a member of the grant team.
“FastGrade gives more specific feedback on what was wrong and where further information can be found,” Pribyl said. “It goes beyond ‘yes-no, rightwrong’ to putting concepts together, with faster turnaround and less time for students to forget what they’ve learned.”
The grant, however, proposed more than just a classroom full of tablet PCs. Pribyl, Kaliski and Hadley plan to research the effectiveness of the tablets.
Starting in the fall, one group of basic chemistry students will use the tablets and guided inquiry while another group will have a more traditional instructional approach.
Those students, as they progress to more difficult chemistry, will be studied to see how well they retained what they learned.
Pribyl suspects the students using tablets — and who got actual, usable feedback on their work — will show better retention.
For more Free Press news go to www.mankatofreepress.com.
Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
