Lessons Learned in Implementing Reforms in a Traditional Freshman Chemistry Course

This paper reports lessons learned from efforts to implement reforms in a traditional first-semester general chemistry course. Online homework and exams, group activities, and ConcepTests using a personal response system were implemented. Student attitudes toward most of the reforms were positive, with ConcepTests in lecture being received the best and the group activities in recitation periods not being received well at all. In addition, student success in the course has increased with the implementation of these reforms. This paper reports details of the student response to the reforms and reflections on the lessons the author learned in the implementation and how the author could have avoided many of the difficulties by implementing or adapting existing systemic reforms.