Collaborative Active Learning Activities Promote Deep Learning in a Chemistry-Biochemistry Course.

Area of Science:

• Chemistry Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Active Learning Strategies

Background:

• Higher education is shifting towards student-centered learning models.
• Collaborative active learning promotes engagement and peer communication.
• Developing academic and communication skills is crucial for student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate an active learning curriculum's effectiveness in a Chemistry-Biochemistry unit.
• To assess the impact on deep content understanding and academic skill development.
• To evaluate the correlation between in-class performance and summative assessments.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of collaborative active learning activities (Participation+, Padlet).
• Inclusion of a formative In-Class Writing Task to develop written communication.
• Analysis of survey results, verbal participation, and written assignments/exams.

Main Results:

• The active learning curriculum fostered an engaging and interactive learning environment.
• Students demonstrated a deep understanding of concepts and developed key academic skills.
• Consistent performance in formative writing tasks correlated with higher summative scores.

Conclusions:

• The active learning curriculum successfully promoted deep content understanding in Chemistry-Biochemistry.
• Students acquired and demonstrated both oral and written communication skills effectively.
• This approach provides a collaborative and engaging model for science education.