Case Study - Texas A&M University College Station, TX - Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHEM 101) - Chemistry Reinforcement Module (ALEKS) - Prep and At-Risk Warning System

Q: What problem did Dr. Collins identify when students started CHEM 101 in 2015?

Many incoming students were underprepared because they had forgotten much of high school chemistry, and the university lacked a placement test or remediation course. This resulted in higher D/F/Q rates.

Q: What does the Chemistry Reinforcement Module (CRM) include and when is it completed?

The CRM is completed before students begin CHEM 101, with the last day on the second Friday of the semester. It includes 136 ALEKS topics and 36 related videos aligned to those topics.

Q: How does the at-risk warning system use ALEKS data to support students early?

The system applies five metrics, including an ALEKS initial knowledge check and ALEKS pie completion to predict CHEM 101 success. Students who receive three red metrics are added to an awareness list and contacted for help before the first CHEM 101 exam.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans

Case Study detailing how Texas A&M University implemented the Chemistry Reinforcement Module to support students entering Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHEM 101). Led by Dr. Collins with colleagues Dr. Stephanie McCartney and Dr. Ryan Bethel and the ALEKS Chemistry Implementation team, the 2017 pre-course prep strengthens long-term retention from high school chemistry. The CRM, delivered before CHEM 101, integrates 136 ALEKS topics and 36 instructor videos, while an ALEKS-driven five-metric at-risk warning system uses knowledge checks, completion predictions, assignments, attendance, and the first exam to trigger early, targeted interventions. Results for fall 2017 show initial knowledge at 55% and final mastery at 96%, with completion-based success likelihoods guiding support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

ALEKS Experience

Implementation

At-Risk Warning System

Institution Profile

Results

Case Study Texas A&M University | College Station, TX Course Name: Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHEM 101); Chemistry Reinforcement Module Course Setup: ALEKS Intro Chemistry with Zumdahl & Zumdahl: Chemistry, Atoms First ALEKS Implementation: Chemistry Reinforcement Module: Prep; CHEM 101: Lecture-based Average Enrollment: 3000 students per term Introduction When Dr. Collins arrived at Texas A&M University in the fall of 2015, the students were woefully unprepared for Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHEM 101) . This is because most students have forgetten much of the material learned in their high school chemistry course by the time they arrive at Texas A&M. The university did not have a chemistry placement test or remediation course, so the underprepared students would enroll in CHEM 101 and do poorly. This led to higher D/F/Q rates. Under the direction of the Texas A&M Chemistry First-Year Program, Dr. Collins, along with his colleagues Dr. Stephanie McCartney and Dr. Ryan Bethel, created a prep course that would help underprepared students and reinforce long-term retention and learning of chemistry. With help of the ALEKS Chemistry Implementation team, the Chemistry Reinforcement Module (CRM) was established in 2017 as a pre-course program aimed at solidifying the fundamentals from highschool chemistry for incoming students. ALEKS Experience ALEKS has become a big part of the first year experience for students at A&M. Students learn the foundations of college chemistry on their own time by completing the CRM over the summer. This leads to better discussions in class and students that are more prepared and understanding of what is required of them in CHEM 101 or in CHEM 107, which is a one-semester general chemistry course designed for Engineering majors. ALEKS has become a critical piece of the “early warning system” designed by Dr. Collins under the direction of the Assistant Provost of Academic Affairs. This system ensures “at-risk” students are identified and helped well before the first exam of CHEM 101, unlike traditional courses where students who are at-risk of failing are not identified until the first exam. Because learning [changes everything](changes everythingTM mheducation.com)[TM](changes everythingTM mheducation.com)[ mheducation.com](changes everythingTM mheducation.com) Implementation The Chemistry Reinforcement Module (CRM) is completed by students prior to starting CHEM 101, with the last day of the CRM being the second Friday of the semester. The CRM consists of 136 ALEKS topics that cover college math, algebra, and what would be the first three to four weeks of a traditional chemistry course. There are also 36 videos created by Dr. Bethel, Dr. McCartney, and Dr. Collins that go hand-in-hand with the ALEKS topics in the module. The CRM makes up 5% of the CHEM 101 grade for all students (out of 1000 points) . A five-metric “at-risk warning system” was developed in conjunction with the CRM that allows the faculty to help students well before the first exam in CHEM 101 (see Figure 1) . ALEKS is a critical part of this system because of its ability to accurately diagnose a students’ individual knowledge gaps in chemistry and efficiently remediate them. Figure 1: CHEM 101 At-Risk Warning System | Number | Metric | Purpose | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | ALEKS Initial Knowledge Check in CRM | Identifies each student’s knowledge of chemistry prior to starting the CHEM 101 course. | | 2 | ALEKS Pie Completion at end of CRM | Predicts the likelihood of success in CHEM 101 based on the percentage of completion of the CRM. Students who complete:
• 100% of CRM have a 85-90% chance of passing CHEM 101
• 75-95% of CRM have a 60% chance of passing CHEM 101
• <75% of CRM have a 1 in 3 chance of passing CHEM 101 | | 3 | 1st Assignment in CHEM 101 (differs based on instructor) | Identifies struggling students up to this point in the course. The bottom 25% are notified by the instructor. |

FAQs

What problem did Dr. Collins identify when students started CHEM 101 in 2015?

Many incoming students were underprepared because they had forgotten much of high school chemistry, and the university lacked a placement test or remediation course. This resulted in higher D/F/Q rates.

What does the Chemistry Reinforcement Module (CRM) include and when is it completed?

The CRM is completed before students begin CHEM 101, with the last day on the second Friday of the semester. It includes 136 ALEKS topics and 36 related videos aligned to those topics.

How does the at-risk warning system use ALEKS data to support students early?

The system applies five metrics, including an ALEKS initial knowledge check and ALEKS pie completion to predict CHEM 101 success. Students who receive three red metrics are added to an awareness list and contacted for help before the first CHEM 101 exam.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans