Implementation of Online Adaptive Learning for Pre-nursing Students

CHEM 5 was designed at the request of the Department of Nursing to allow pre-nursing students to fulfill the GOB chemistry prerequisite in one semester.  Due to extremely broad content coverage from three major areas of chemistry (general, organic, biochemistry), the course is conducted at an accelerated pace, which is problematic for students who don't have the proper preparation.  Student performance is strikingly bimodal, with 40% of the students receiving A's and B's and nearly as many (35-40%) receiving D's and F's.  The average GPA of pre-nurses admitted to the CSUS BSN program is greater than 3.9/4.0, meaning students can afford only one B and nothing lower than a B in their high-stakes prerequisite courses.  Here, we evaluate 1) pre-semester assessment tools for gauging student readiness and 2) on-line adapative learning for improving student performance in CHEM 5.