| Title | Collaborative teaching across freshman information technology and chemistry courses |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2007 |
| Authors | Schwartz, S. K., Kowalski EM |
| Journal | Journal of College Science Teaching |
| Volume | 36 |
| Pagination | 34-39 |
| Date Published | March/April 2007 |
| Keywords | Chemistry, Computer science, Course content and curriculum, Diversity Institute Literature Review, Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Laboratory, teaching, technology |
| Summary | A chemistry teacher teamed up with an IT professor, both of whom work at the United States Military Academy in West Point, to test the theory of classroom collaboration with a select group of 17 cadets. The two teachers worked together to create assignments relating to one another's classroom teaching, to try to improve student understanding of the materials. This experimental way of teaching was found to improve grades and to provide more real life experience. |
| Extended Summary | Schwartz and Kowalski used collaborative teaching by assigning projects within their chemistry and IT classrooms that related directly to the correlating subjects. The 17 students in the study had lower GPAs than their peers, and tended to be dependent on authority figures for their ideas about science. They used computer technology in the chemistry lab. The problem-solving assignments in their IT class related to the chemistry theories they were learning. They used computer programs such as Java to process information and solve chemistry problems. The results of this collaboration between faculty were a rise in the students' overall chemistry and IT grades, as well as a sense of familiarity and comfort with both the teachers and the classmates that attended both classes together. (However, some students also expressed discomfort with the fact that their professors were working together.) The students said they felt as if their homework and assignments were better than those of their fellow classmates taking the regular IT and Chemistry courses. They stated that they were "more real world" than what others were doing. Overall, the collaboration was a success. |
| Recommendations | If faculty members are planning on collaborating and interlinking course materials, it is important to begin preparation as early as possible. The authors suggest "beginning the collaboration at least a semester in advance to provide the time necessary to sit in on each other's classes, design interesting assignments, and identify where collaboration would be most valuable." It is also important to make sure that each of the chosen assignments correlates to the goals or objectives of each course. It is important to make the necessary connections between the classes and to reinforce the course objectives. |
Printer-friendly version