Table of Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Study Guide Design

Study Guide Features

Student Response

Conclusions

Future Work

References

Acknowledgements

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CHEMCONF '98

Introduction

The ETE Program at BCIT

"Introductory Applied Chemistry" CHEM 0010 is one of the courses in the Engineering Technology Entry (ETE) Program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

The program is designed to emulate the workload of subsequent technology programs, familiarize the student with BCIT and provide academic and study skills to enable students to succeed in subsequent technology programs.

Students who enroll in the ETE program vary in age, academic background, and experience. Student profiles in a classroom range from a combination of:

Students with such diversified backgrounds vary not only in their academic skills, but also in their studying skills. Most of the students who enroll in the ETE program go on to complete a 2-year diploma at BCIT. The ETE program is critical for building the confidence in academic skills required for sucess in their academic and professional lives.

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CHEM 0010 - Introductory Applied Chemistry

CHEM 0010 is a 15 weeks course. Each week includes:
  • 3 - 1 hour lectures/week,
  • 1 - 2 hour lab/week, and
  • 1 - 1 hour tutorial/week.

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The Evolution of the CHEM 0010 Web-based Study Guide

The development of the Web-based study guide began in the summer of 1996, concurrently as the course was taught in that term. Students were given Internet access on campus and the use of the study guide was left entirely on their own.

Over the years, the overall design of the study guide remained unchanged. In the summer of 1996, the features that were available were:

     1. Content Pages

     2. Interactive Practice Problems

     3. Hypertext Glossary

     4. Navigational Tool Bar

By 1997, the Web-based study guide was incorporated into the course as a CMC (Computer-Mediated Communication) component supplementing tradition classroom face-to-face delivery. Scheduled tutorials were conducted in a computer lab using the study guide as a weekly studying/review tool.

Two new features were added.

     5. On-line Testing

     6. A Student Center         (A space for contribution of student work and access of Course Mark)

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Author: Rosamaria Fong
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Chemistry Department
Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2
rfong@bcit.bc.ca