Curious about Chemistry 101C or 102C?

What does Blended mean?

How is the course content delivered and how much work is there?

What about Quizzes and Exams?

Is there a textbook?

How does the Lab portion of the course work?

What is required and what is recommended?

When will there be lab slots?

What suggestions are there for success in this course style?

Other Questions?

Past Student Advice and Interviews

What do the content presentations and prelabs look and sound like?

Yikes! This isn't for me! When are the traditional versions of the courses offered?

How is the content delivered and how much work is there?

The required online and CD portions replace what would traditionally be scheduled class days. Since each of these is a 5 credit course, it is assumed that the equivalent of a minimum of 5 hours per week will be spent working on course material in some manner (this time does NOT include the time spent in the lab). The times you work online, with the CD, and the mix of any optional and required face-to-face which you choose is up to you except for your required attendance during specific scheduled lab sessions and for three on-campus exams. If you are concerned that a blended delivery might not be a good style for you, this course is also taught traditionally several terms each academic year. Computer-based content delivery is not the right style for all learners, so consider carefully whether this style is a good fit for you! Success in a flexible, individually paced blended course requires each student to take responsibility for managing their own progress. Students must plan to leave time to work on the course just as if they were attending a classroom lecture and studying afterwards. Most students will find they need to spend AT LEAST 10-15 hours a week of combined online and study time to succeed in this course. It is also important to plan to work regularly rather than try to do a large amount of content in a short period of time right before a deadline. This delivery version requires discipline on the part of the student to keep working at a regular pace. Students also will need to be organized enough to come to the laboratory session prepared so as to maximize their use of the time slots. Since the course progresses at a pace largely set by the student, study irregularities due to work schedules and emergencies can be overcome with specific effort on the student’s part. (back to top)

What about Quizzes and Exams?

The quizzes, assignments, and even some of the exams will be completed online and may be done on or off-campus. You will be required to take the three major course exams on campus. These may still be mostly online, but will only be accessible in a proctored setting. Proctored exams are usually scheduled into a lab session which involves a mini-experiment as well as time to complete an exam. (back to top)

Is there a textbook?

A suggested textbook is available in the bookstore and also as a used book often online The same textbook is used for both Chemistry 101 and 102. Whether you choose to purchase the textbook or not, you should purchase the course content note booklet, and the lab manual made specifically for Chemistry 101 (101C) or 102/102C (Kinder) as well as a pair of chemical safety goggles. The online content and the course notes booklet go hand in hand and proceed in order for you to work through. Students use the note packet and follow along as they work online, filling in any gaps and adding notes which may be needed.

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How does the Lab portion of the course work?

Open Lab times will be held each week and you are expected to attend lab at least every other week. Most students will do best attending a lab session every week. The times you come to the lab will be arranged around your schedule, other student’s schedules, the instructor’s schedule, and lab availability. Each term available time slots are posted and students select from these possible time slots. In Autumn and Spring term there is always a Wednesday early evening time slot. It is recommended that students try to schedule a lab session with other students so that they may do some cooperative learning while on campus. During the lab sessions, students will not work in the lab unattended, a lab assistant will almost always be present and the instructor will be present whenever possible. These face-to-face lab sessions are also times to ask questions and get help. The labs associated with each of the three units of study must be completed during the time span for that individual unit. The pace at which each student completes the labs is suggested to be two experiments during each 3-4 hours of lab time. Good preparation prior to the lab session and focus during the session should allow all the lab work to be completed in 7-8 sessions, but most students come almost every week to the lab session. Lab reports may be completed from off campus and submitted through Carmen. (back to top)

What is Required:

• Computer with CD drive and sound
• Internet Connection (high speed recommended, but not required; more student time is used waiting for loading if connection is slow)
• Schedule time for minimum of 3 hours every other week on campus for lab work and face-to-face time with instructor; most students come once every week
• Schedule time for three 2-hour proctored exam blocks (these times are lab times or sometimes outside lab time with instructor approval)
• Course specific Note-packet and Lab Manual
• Safety Goggles

What is Recommended:

• Simple arithmetic calculator (for 101C)
• Headphones for computer sound
• Textbook

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When will there be Lab Slots?

Students select ONE time slot to use.

All lab slot scheduling arrangements require instructor approval.

The tentative slots for past terms are shown below; available spaces at some times will be very limited

Autumn Term

(Blended time slots may be W 9:10-12:30; W 4:30-8:30; R 1:30-4:30)

Winter Term

(Blended time slots may be T 9:10-12:30; T/W 1:30-4:30; F 1:30-4:30)

Spring Term

(Blended time slots may be W 4:30-8:30; R 9:10-12:30; R 1:30-4:30; F 9:10-12:30) (back to top)

Suggestions for Success in Blended Chemistry 101C or 102C

BE SURE to leave time in your schedule to work on the course just as if you were attending a classroom lecture and studying afterwards. Most students will find they need to spend AT LEAST 5-10 hours a week of combined on-line and study time to succeed in this blended course. The amount of time required to be successful will vary from student to student, but will certainly be at least as much time as would have been spent listening to in-class lectures and studying afterwards. It is also important to plan to work regularly rather than try to do a large amount of content in a short period of time right before a deadline. The only immediately acceptable excuse for a missed deadline is a failure of the Carmen server for 12 hours or more. Plan ahead and plan to finish before the last second! Many of the scored course events are conditional on completion of other scored events, so trying to complete a lot in very little time will usually result in problems. If you have a temporary crisis which prevents you from making regular progress, it is important to contact the instructor as soon as possible so that your situation is known to them. Realize that working off campus on a home (or other) computer is a convenience and is not guaranteed to work well for you. It is your responsibility to choose to work in an environment and with equipment that lets you proceed readily through the course content. If an off-campus Internet connection is slow, your time investment may be greater than that of a student with a fast connection. If your personal computer stops functioning, this is not reason for lack of progress in the course. Remember that the campus has many available computers all with fast Internet connections for your use. You are expected to progress regularly through the material regardless of personal computer problems. Deadlines will not be changed because of a home computer failure. However, if the entire Carmen server is down so that no one can access material, this rare event is considered an acceptable reason for a temporary lack of progress and will also result in changed deadlines if deemed necessary. Plan to attend as many of the face-to-face lab sessions as your schedule permits, even sessions beyond those required to simply complete the experiments. And, be sure to ask questions and get help using face-to-face sessions, online through Carmen, e-mail, and from on-campus peer tutors. Communication is essential! Be sure to use opportunities to communicate and interact with the instructor and with fellow students. If a student study group gets started, make an effort to be an active member. Study groups can even function in the online setting with a little effort. (back to top)

Additional Questions? Contact Ruth Kinder at kinder.9@osu.edu

Advice and Interviews with Past Students

Written advice from past blended style students.

Listen to students talk about the blended and traditional styles of these chemistry courses. (back to top)

 

 

 

Tour (What do the content presentations and prelabs look and sound like?)

Take a tour to see and hear what some of the materials are like. (back to top)

Yikes…this isn’t for me! When are the traditional versions offered?