Memorandum – Formal Report Progress Update

MEMORANDUM

To:            Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL 301 Professor

From:      Jackson Kuan, ENGL 301 Student

Date:        February 27, 2022

Subject:   Formal Report – Progress Report Memorandum 

 

Dear Dr. Paterson,

 

As outlined on the ENGL 301 blog site, the formal report outline is now completed and uploaded to the course site. This memorandum serves to detail the progress on the report: Assessing the Quality of Organic Chemistry Education at UBC.

 

Audience

This report will be addressed to Dr. Jaclyn Stewart, the Associate Dean Academic in the Faculty of Science. Dr. Stewart has experience teaching undergraduate organic chemistry courses, and is currently conducting educational psychology studies in organic chemistry courses. Any feasible results that are outlined in the report may be suggested for their implementation in future courses at UBC.

 

Purpose of the Report

  • The purpose of this report is to identify effective and ineffective teaching models in organic chemistry based on student experiences, and well designed research studies. This will improve the quality of organic chemistry education at UBC, which will aid in removing the negative stigma surrounding this subject. 

 

Significance of the Report

  • This report is important to assess the quality of organic chemistry education at UBC. As times change, teaching models that were effective in the past may no longer be applicable to the next generation of science students. As science progresses, the education system should evolve accordingly.

 

Research Plan

  • Evaluate the problems that students are facing during their courses
    • Sample Questions
      • Are lectures well structured?
      • What are the effective teaching models?
      • Are professors accessible outside of class time?
  • Are students set up for success and given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes?
  • Identify primary sources of data, such as interviews with professors including Dr. Jaclyn Stewart, and surveys regarding their organic chemistry experience from current and past students
  • Compose interview questions for Dr. Jaclyn Stewart regarding her experience with teaching organic chemistry, and how professors integrate effective teaching models into their class structure
  • Compose ethical and well thought out survey questions to assess the quality of organic chemistry education students have received
  • Conduct secondary data research through online databases in search for literature pertaining to effective teaching models 
  • Analyze the data that is collected from the interview and surveys

 

Writing Schedule

  • March 4 – Interview with Dr. Jaclyn Stewart
  • March 5 – Send out survey invitations to current and past students
  • March 10-12 – Summary and analysis of interview and survey results
  • March 16 – Submission of the draft version of the formal report
  • March 26 – Submission of the completed formal report

 

Qualtrics Survey

ENGL 301 – Jackson Kuan – Qualtrics Survey

Interview Questions with Dr. Jaclyn Stewart

ENGL 301 – Interview Questions – Jackson Kuan

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