Chemistry department awarded $30K grant

The University of North Georgia (UNG) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was awarded a $30,000 grant to fund open-access materials for undergraduate courses.

Dr. Lori Wilson, associate professor of chemistry at the University of North Georgia (UNG) and Myles Sedgwick, lecturer of chemistry, were looking for ways to provide students will more economical class materials and improve student outcomes.

"Lori Wilson and her team deserve a lot of credit for this endeavor and we are very excited for them, Patricia Todebush, interim department head said.  "This is a great team effort and I am excited for our students to be able to benefit from this work."

The switch to open-access and specifications grading will bring great benefits to students.

"There are several advantages for students," Wilson said. "The first is the lower cost. Our students were paying over $200 for their course materials. Now both courses will be completed for less than $50.  Also, with specifications grading, the students and faculty can quickly identify gaps in learning because they are testing one learning objective at a time."

The grant allows the four faculty teaching the course to redesign the lecture and laboratory including Wilson, Sedgwick, lab manager Kaylee Todd, and Ana Rumbao.

Our students were paying over $200 for their course materials. Now both courses will be completed for less than $50.

Dr. Lori Wilson

UNG associate professor of chemistry

Open-access materials are available for all subjects and are covered by an open copyright license, making them available freely to students, teachers and the public. The open-access movement began in the 1990s and has grown in popularity in chemistry education, Wilson said.

"At the end of 2023, we will know if the students are learning from the low- and no-cost materials and specifications grading," Wilson said. "Paying less money is important, but are they getting the same quality education, and are the course outcomes better? Once we have the answer to this question, the next step will be to communicate what we have learned to other chemical educators at a regional or national meeting of the American Chemical Society."