
How a Flipped Course Led to Exam Scores That Surpassed ACS Benchmarks
Since using Aktiv, professor Benjamin Tovrog reported remarkably improved final grades and exam scores that broke national benchmarks
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Memorizing formulas. Understanding dense chemical reactions. Inability to gauge knowledge gaps. These are among the many reasons why so many incoming students feel daunted by college-level STEM courses. The data paints a clear picture: failure or withdrawal rates for General Chemistry are reported to be as high as 50 percent at some institutions.¹ More broadly speaking, just 20 percent of American high school graduates consider themselves prepared for STEM coursework.²
Aktiv Chemistry was designed to address these challenges from day one of the term. Since 2016, our mission has always been to lower barriers to student success in STEM. With an intuitive platform and targeted feedback, students are empowered to make mistakes and persist through problem sets. After speaking to several students who used Aktiv Chemistry in Fall 2024, one thing became clear. The right learning tools have the potential to instill confidence and enthusiasm, no matter how daunting chemistry might be. Get to know each student below.
Students can often struggle with taking notes. The main culprit behind this? There might not be enough detail captured when presenting formulae, or perhaps there’s too much information thrown at students at one given point in time. Jackson Thornburg, a student at Oregon State University, discovered the power of Aktiv’s step-by-step guidance when studying individually. “When I get a question wrong or right, it’ll explain why and that’s the real notetaking process. I will write down my own answers and include some of the explanations that Aktiv provides for me,” he says. Thornburg referred to Aktiv as a “lifesaver” for its ability to surface practice questions that he can complete on his own time. Hear more from Thornburg below.
Reading a textbook shouldn’t be a passive activity. It’s not beneficial in helping students assess their own understanding of chemical reactions or structures. So when Vegas Fetterly at Old Dominion University began using Aktiv, she quickly realized the value of being able to manipulate and draw molecules on her own device. “One of the tools that stood out to me was the 2D models in which we input the elements to build the various structures of atomic molecules and various chemicals,” she says. Get to know Fetterly below.
The pressure to get a question correct on the first attempt is likely a feeling students know all too well. Ask Kester Kwazema, a student at Mercer University, and he’ll share the difference Aktiv has made on his grades. Targeted feedback has helped Kwazema pinpoint where he needs to focus his own study efforts for future tests. “It didn’t tell me the answer but it hinted where I went wrong and showed me what I did and what I needed to do to get the right answer,” he says. Not only is Kwazema more confident when completing homework, his grades are continually on the rise. Hear more from him below.
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Jacob Weiss at Florida State University values being able to digest dense problem sets using Aktiv’s interactive platform. No matter if he’s in lectures or studying at home, Weiss can refer to chemical problems as many times as he needs. “It allows us to go back into Aktiv after questions are posted to review for any quizzes coming up,” he says. In addition, Weiss and his classmates can enjoy multiple attempts on questions—being able to identify their misconceptions early on. “Aktiv gives you three chances per question so that’s been helpful to read why my answer is wrong, understand why it’s wrong and continue moving on to hopefully finding the right answer,” he says. Hear more from Weiss below.
Feelings of uncertainty or discomfort might swirl among students as they wait for feedback on their homework. Rayanne Lazkani, a student at the University of Colorado at Denver, has first-hand experienced that tension. “I can speak for a lot of students when I say it’s tough to submit something and have to wait a couple weeks to get the grades back from the professor,” she says. Since using Aktiv, Lazkani has noticed a clear shift from sporadic feedback to granular, everyday insights that enrich her learning journey. “With Aktiv, the instantaneous feedback and grading is really nice. You also have a better conceptual understanding, which is really important in chemistry,” she says. Hear more from Lazkani below.
Bonding isn’t just a central part of the chemistry curriculum. A sense of peer-to-peer connection can help students feel more inclined to ask their neighbor for guidance when completing problems. Carlos Schein, a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, found Aktiv empowered him to seek help from those around him in his Organic Chemistry I course. “The format is very intuitive in the way that it allows you to learn and build structures, which in turn has allowed me to have fluid conversations not just with my peers but my professor as well,” he says. Get to know Schein below.
On the train. In the waiting room for an appointment. In the break room at work. Allowing students to learn at a time and place that fits within their employment and social schedule is paramount to their success. Ryann Makowski, a student at Grand Valley State University, enjoys using Aktiv for self-paced study on her own schedule. “I love using Aktiv. It’s great on the computer, on the phone and I use it on my iPad too. It’s so easy to use. I’m thankful for Aktiv and how it’s assisted me in my journey throughout organic chemistry,” she says. Aktiv’s interactive drawing tools have also made it easier for her to visualize molecular reactions. “If you don’t have access to a model set, it’s great to see the lines of structures and how things connect,” she says. Hear more from Makowski below.
References
¹ Ye, L., Shuniak, C., Oueini, R., Robert, J., and Lewis, S. (2016). Can they succeed? Exploring at-risk students’ study habits in college general chemistry. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, (17), 879-892. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6RP00101G
² Cohen, B. (2023, January 9). To Improve STEM Education, First Break with Tradition. Top Hat Blog. https://tophat.com/blog/stem-equity-gaps/
Senior Growth Marketing Specialist
One of our Learning Specialists will give you a tour of the Aktiv Chemistry learning platforms and provide a free instructor playground account with access to the content library.
One of our Learning Specialists will give you a tour of the Aktiv Chemistry or Aktiv Mathematics learning platforms and provide a free instructor playground account with access to the content library.