A major emphasis in science education over the past decade has been the development of programs to enrich undergraduate understanding and appreciation of knowledge, and to improve the skills necessary for continued learning. However the assessment techniques typically employed do not necessarily assess the kinds of learning emphasized in national standards. The Interactive Multi-media Exercises (IMMEX) project at UCLA has been exploiting modern technology to allow educators the opportunity to teach, observe and assess student performances in realistic settings. More than 10 years of experience with integrating IMMEX learning and assessment technology into primary, secondary and medical school classrooms suggests to us that there are ways to overcome the perils of authentic learning and assessment, and to use these methods to achieve the goals envisioned by the NRC and others. We are building upon this proven assessment technique by developing a full suite of IMMEX materials for a two semester general chemistry course. The major partners in this plan are Learning Chameleon (the licensing organization for IMMEX software), Clemson University and the University of Kansas. Pilot testing also is being carried out at Hutchinson Community College and Claflin College, and in conjunction with the new American Chemical Society General Chemistry text. The project has three phases: 1. The integration of existing materials (10 problems, 300 cases) into two different general chemistry programs. 2. The development of new problems (a) to address second semester chemistry content, and (b) an experimental type of problem that compresses the problem space and concentrates on one particular concept or skill. These problems are being used both as an assessment tool and as a diagnostic tool to identify different types of problem solvers. 3. The development of specific interventions to help students become more proficient, based on the analysis of the strategies our students actually employ when solving problems. The outcomes of this project will be a suite of IMMEX problems suitable for general chemistry courses, a workbook detailing the program and an instructors manual.
