Transforming Traditional Lab Reports
Track
Research Project / Teaching with Technology
Abstract
Students in a freshman chemistry lab prepared digital lab reports (DLRs) alongside traditional written reports, and conducted peer review evaluations on each. The basic components of the report were consistent and included the following sections: abstract, experimental, data/observations, results, and discussion. Students created videos for their DLRs and posted them on a private social media page. The DLRs necessitated a greater degree of planning by the students in order to capture on video or photograph pertinent aspects of the experiments. A mixed-methods approach was undertaken to examine peer feedback, questionnaires, and grading rubrics. Questionnaires focusing on the process of the project were coded for themes related to Connected Learning theory. An important aspect of connected learning theory is the ability for the learner to gain knowledge as well as establish a network of support in the learning process (Ito, Gutierrez, Livingstone, Penuel, Rhodes, Salen, Schor, Sefton-Green, Watkins, 2013). Peer feedback was compared between the traditional and DLRs to evaluate differences. Grading rubrics for both traditional and DLRs were compared to find specific differences in results regarding mastery of lab report preparation. Project results will be presented, including examples of the students' peer reviews, and a brief explanation of how the process works will be provided.
Session Format
Presentation Session
Location
Room 210
Recommended Citation
Simmons, Carolyn, "Transforming Traditional Lab Reports" (2016). SoTL Commons Conference. 91.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2016/91
Transforming Traditional Lab Reports
Room 210
Students in a freshman chemistry lab prepared digital lab reports (DLRs) alongside traditional written reports, and conducted peer review evaluations on each. The basic components of the report were consistent and included the following sections: abstract, experimental, data/observations, results, and discussion. Students created videos for their DLRs and posted them on a private social media page. The DLRs necessitated a greater degree of planning by the students in order to capture on video or photograph pertinent aspects of the experiments. A mixed-methods approach was undertaken to examine peer feedback, questionnaires, and grading rubrics. Questionnaires focusing on the process of the project were coded for themes related to Connected Learning theory. An important aspect of connected learning theory is the ability for the learner to gain knowledge as well as establish a network of support in the learning process (Ito, Gutierrez, Livingstone, Penuel, Rhodes, Salen, Schor, Sefton-Green, Watkins, 2013). Peer feedback was compared between the traditional and DLRs to evaluate differences. Grading rubrics for both traditional and DLRs were compared to find specific differences in results regarding mastery of lab report preparation. Project results will be presented, including examples of the students' peer reviews, and a brief explanation of how the process works will be provided.
