Discipline: Chemistry & Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: STEM Science and Mathematics Education
George Armstrong - Tougaloo College
POGIL Pedagogy Increased Student Success in Organic Chemistry I and II POGIL is an acronym for Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning. It is a student-centered, group-learning instructional strategy and philosophy developed through research on how students learn best. Because POGIL is a student-centered instructional approach, in a typical POGIL classroom or laboratory, students work in small teams with the instructor acting as a facilitator. The objective of this project was to maximize the new pedagogy and technology to make chemistry more user friendly and to increase the % of students passing chemistry courses, increase retention and increase recruitment in the chemistry major. The author developed POGIL class material for Organic Chemistry I and II, using the textbook Organic Chemistry 9th, edition John McMurry, making use of the PowerPoint that accompany the book addition, and online homework was assigned to reinforce the concepts coverage. The material contained key concepts, examples, then questions and or problem for the student to answer. The instructor moved about the class and observed each group. A student that seemed to have difficult was engaged and given assistance, including the group. Some topics that seemed complex were begun with a mini-lecture from the instructor. Most students actively engage in the groups. A higher % students passed these courses than that for the traditional lecture. Students highly favor the POGIL course for grasping concepts, compared to traditional instruction. POGIL classrooms are characterized by a high level of activity, student discussions about the content, partnerships among students, and immediate feedback to the instructor about what students know and how they are thinking.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF Target Infusion
Faculty Advisor: None Listed,
NSF Affiliation: HBCU-UP