STACK for chemistry as a tool for integrated performance assessment

Being responsible for large service lectures, my courses are particularly affected by the forthcoming changes related to PAKETH. In an effort to assure a smooth transfer to a new academic calendar, I have been looking into identifying a suitable system for supporting students, offering training opportunities, providing feedback and assessing their performance. Along my efforts, I questioned the potential of STACK questions to be extended beyond mathematics. Upon receiving the financial support from the Rector’s Impulse Fund, I initiated a small project running over two semesters with two students, who designed multiple STACK questions related to some topics of a general chemistry course. We are currently running tests with first semester students to gather experience and define next steps for further optimization and development.

Current questions, however, still rely on a typical structure of STACK questions for mathematics, which are based on a general formula, where variables are defined by a set of allowed values. This is problematic and limiting in chemistry, since the problem sets usually deal with real substances and chemical reactions with given properties, which are tabulated. As the current project will finish within three months, we would like to secure the continuation of the project to design specific questions, which can be applied to any topic. We will then possess a tool for generating numerous STACK questions for training and assessment of large cohorts.

– Develop STACK-questions operating with databases of chemical reactions and properties of chemical substances
– Implement STACK-based quizzes into the concept of exercise sessions
– Establish an efficient, sustainable system to use STACK-quizzes for integrated performance assessment

Students will gain access to a large amount of tasks, which will help them to practise according to their own needs. Furthermore, the implementation of IPA is expected to have a beneficial effect on student’s results. The students will be motivated to deal with the lecture contents already during the semester, and the obtained results will provide an early feedback on their working attitude and abilities.

Lecturers will have the opportunity to witness the performance of the student throughout the semester, offering them the possibility to recap the topics, where poor performance was observed. They will also profit from a better atmosphere in the lectures and exercise sessions. The introductory course relies on introducing concepts, which are relevant for subsequent topics. Permanent studying of the materials is thus an important prerequisite for their understanding. Currently, students do not directly feel the need to learn during the semester.

The study program will profit from the fact that the students› knowledge will be more lasting, as they will deal with the lecture contents on multiple occasions rather than just during the period reserved for the preparation for the exams.

The successful outcome of this project may serve as a source of motivation for other lecturers at D-CHAB or other departments. On one hand, for those who might be sceptic about the potential of STACK questions, on the other hand for those who are reluctant to introduce IPA in their lectures.