One tool that I've used since its release in 1996 is the ChemSkill Builder , an electronic homework package. It is inexpensive and easy to use for both students and faculty. There is a separate grade-management disk for the instructor. Each section begins with a short review of the topic and many have interactive explanations. If they still miss, the worked-out solution is presented in detail.
Students can work each section as many times as they wish to improve their scores.
Periodically, the students download their data directly into a PC set up by the instructor. The quality and number of graphics and interactive exercises are much improved in this latest version. The preliminary results in Table 1 show an overall acceptable rating of 3.45. Interestingly, the scores given appeared to be independent of the students' midterm grades, suggesting that acceptance of this product might be linked to a specific learning style. All rights reserved.