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    1. UNG
    2. News

    Chemistry department awarded $30K grant

    January 30, 2023
    Dr. Lori Wilson, associate professor of chemistry at the University of North Georgia, helped land a $30,000 grant to fund open-access materials for undergraduate courses.

    Article By: Denise Ray

    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 for the Survey of Chemistry I laboratory were authored in-house by Dr. Gil Katzenstein, a retired UNG faculty. Dr. Theresa Butori and Dr. Irene Kokkala at UNG's Distance Education and Technology Integration (DETI) will support the move to the cloud.

    UNG will host a free interactive lab manual with engaging videos and quizzes on the cloud, Wilson said.

    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."

    Contact the Author

    Cronan named Udall honorable mention

    Cronan named Udall honorable mention

    UNG senior Anna Cronan was named an honorable mention for the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship at the end of her junior year.
    UNG hosts on-campus  REACH Day

    UNG hosts on-campus REACH Day

    REACH Day allowed eighth-grade students to visit UNG's Gainesville Campus and receive information about college preparation.
    UNG receives Google.org grant for entrepreneurship

    UNG receives Google.org grant for entrepreneurship

    UNG has received a Google.org grant to support the development of entrepreneurial resources in rural communities across Dahlonega and Lumpkin County.
    STEM Institute helps local students

    STEM Institute helps local students

    The UNG Summer Scholars STEM Institute provided educational resources to rising fourth-grade to eighth-grade bilingual students from local schools.

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