Chem-2-Chem: A One-to-One Supportive Learning Environment for Chemistry

www.JCE.DivCHED.org • Vol. 82 No. 12 December 2005 • Journal of Chemical Education 1859 The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey (UPR–Cayey) is a small undergraduate campus serving approximately 4000 Puerto Rican students, of which one-third are enrolled in science and mathematics programs in the natural sciences and education. In August 1997, a Chem-2-Chem Program (C2C) was designed and implemented with the objective of helping students achieve successful outcomes in the general chemistry course without sacrificing course quality, expectations, and content. In addition to providing academic assistance, the C2C offers a friendly and supportive environment for learning. Learning activities in C2C are centered on three premises: studying chemistry through collaboration, mentoring integrated with the disciplinary content, and establishing an effective learning network through teamwork. Strengthening basic science courses, such as general chemistry, is a first step towards achieving a long-range improvement in science education. Retention problems in our general chemistry made it necessary to do something that could increase student retention. From 1995 to 1997, 42–51% of students enrolled in the general chemistry course obtained unsuccessful course outcomes: either failing (“F”) or dropping (“W”) the course.1 In 1997, a study was carried out to identify student risk factors correlated with unsuccessful general chemistry course outcomes. Students with university admission index scores (IGS, Spanish language acronym for general application index) below a specific threshold were found to have an increased risk of course failure.2 Each student’s IGS is based on his or her College Board Entrance Exam score and high school grade point average. Retention of college students is a complex issue that is affected by many factors. The transitions encountered by students during the first year, after leaving family and high school support networks, are critical. For these entering students, the intensity of academic work and their newly found independence requires an adjustment for them to feel at ease in the university environment. Providing good interaction with faculty and offering peer tutoring are highly recommended for entering students (1). Many models of student retention have been proposed. Tinto (2, 3) proposed that students’ success and retention require integration between the cognitive and affective needs of the students and the academic and social environment of the institution. Tinto also emphasizes that if a strong bond is established between the students and the college, it is more probable that a student persists and eventually earns a post secondary degree. Astin (4) and Pace (5) argued that when students get actively involved in their own learning and personal growth, their opportunity for success increases. One way for the institution to decrease attrition and increase retention is to meet these needs of the students by providing the appropriate environment. According to Vygotsky’s cultural and cognitive theory of development, cognitive skills and thinking patterns are determined in the social and cultural contexts of the learning environment (6, 7). Based on this theory, the zone of proximal development is the difference between students’ independent problem-solving capabilities and their potential with guidance or collaborative assistance. This guidance can be very effective when offered by a peer who has mastered the particular skills that are to be developed. The assistance offered by peers to peers, as in C2C, is very effective because of their similar levels of intellectual and academic development. This complements the learning achieved in the traditional classroom setting. It is important that the affective needs of the students be met to put them on the road to success. Recent pedagogical research has also shown that students learn better through social interaction (8). C2C is based on two foundations: tutoring and mentoring. Tutoring gives entering students the academic help they need to complement the material covered in class while providing social interaction between peers. Mentoring offers the counseling and modeling that is useful in the development of positive attitudes and self-esteem. The affective aspect strengthened by mentoring is integrated in the learning teams with the academic development obtained by tutoring. It has been noted that, after family and love, effective mentoring can be the third most powerful relationship known for having a great impact on the life of individuals (9). An effective bond between the mentor and the mentored is developed to a maximum if the mentor takes an active interest in guiding the less experienced person and develops the ability to be a caring, concerned, and committed individual (10). The C2C program takes advantage of an underutilized resource—undergraduate students as mentors and tutors (11). Peers have credibility, can communicate effectively, and are seen as role models. The C2C program stimulates the students to be actively involved in their own learning by creating a peer support network that provides a space that a traditional classroom setting does not offer for social interaction and for meeting their affective needs. The small teams of learners that characterize C2C could introduce a “small college culture” to institutions of all sizes. Chem-2-Chem: A One-to-One Supportive Learning Environment for Chemistry