Derek Behmke | Faculty Profiles | Adelphi University

Diplomas/Degrees

PhD Chemical Education, University of Georgia (2011)

BS Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Green Bey (2004)

Recent Courses

General Chemistry I

General Chemistry I Recitation

General Chemistry I Lab

General Chemistry II

General Chemistry II Lab

Guided Research In Chemistry

S/T: Seminars In Supplemental Instruction

Specialization/Interests

As a trained chemical educator, I am passionate about the teaching and learning of chemistry. I believe strongly that technology should play a central role in improving the teaching and learning of chemistry. I also believe that our assessment practices should allign with the curriculum and the way students learn. I am currently use specifications grading, a mastery-based assessment framework, in my courses.

Teaching Philosophy

My number one goal as a chemical educator is to promote the development of skills in students that turn them into lifelong learners. Lifelong learners take ownership of their own learning in their quest to understand the world around them. An overwhelming body of research indicates that hands-on, student centered learning environments promote the development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills that are found in lifelong learners. These active student engagement practices, combined with the inquiry-based approaches inherent to teaching science courses centered around application of the scientific method, serve as the foundation for my own teaching practices.

In an effort to encourage students to take ownership of their own learning, I employ a flipped classroom approach to teaching. Prior to the start of each class period, students are asked to familiarize themselves with course content through reading assignments and interactions with videos or simulations that illustrate and further explain the material. When students arrive in the classroom, each class period begins with a question-and-answer session that encourages students to seek clarification on difficult topics. To promote conversation, and so that no one student feels put on the spot, I often employ techniques such as think-pair-share during this portion of the class. Following the question-and-answer session, students work in teams to solve problems related to the course material. The session begins with the presentation of a worked example that serves as a problem-solving roadmap and students work additional exercises.

During the problem-solving portion of the class, I circulate throughout the room providing instructional guidance. After class students are asked to reinforce their own learning by working individually on homework assignments. Student learning is assessed by evaluating performance during in-class problem solving sessions, on homework assignments, and on master-based quizzes (spec checks) that are carefully designed to provide information on each important topic.

The lab setting is one the richest learning environments available to the science instructor, because it provides ample opportunities for one-on-one and small group instruction. In order to be successful in lab, introductory students must first master a set of necessary lab skills. The general chemistry lab curriculum I employ provides students exposure to a wide variety of topics and techniques while focusing on skills development. For example, students learn the skills of reading glassware properly and operating a balance, as well as on graphically analyzing data. A badge is earned for each skill the student master throughout the term. Though lab skills are important, students fail to fully appreciate their value if they are not applied. In both my general chemistry I and II courses the lab curriculum concludes with a experiments that emphasize application of the technical and data analysis skills learned throughout the course.

Developing lifelong learners doesn’t stop when class and lab conclude. Learning is a process that must be continuously supported by engagement with the material and with experts in a particular field. Engagement outside of the classroom and lab is essential for success. I encourage students to meet with me to discuss course content during office hours. I also encourage students to form study groups with peers to help facilitate mastery of difficult content. I am an avid supporter of students seeking out private tutoring.

The development of lifelong learners requires an active learning environment that engages the students both inside and outside of the classroom and lab setting. The teaching strategies I employ are aimed at allowing students to become lifelong learners by providing them the skills necessary to take ownership of the learning process.

Research Interests

All of my research work is aimed at improving the teaching and learning of chemistry. I believe strongly that all research we do should immediately inform teaching practice and enhance student learning.

Currently my research group is working on two projects. The first project aims to understand how adaptive homework systems such as ALEKS alter student learning. We are currently assessing the changes in both cognitive load and problem solving abilities, using eye tracking technology and think-aloud interview protocols, of students using adaptive homework systems versus standard homeowrk systems.

Our second project focuses on assessing the impact alternative assessment structures have on student learning, knowledge retention, and attitudes about chemistry. Currently we are evaluating an implementation of specifications grading in general and organic chemistry courses.

Chapters

Behmke, D.A.; Brannock, E.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Paredes, J.; Pennington, R.; Rose, J.*; Deiters, M.*; Camp, M.*; Golovan, A.* AR Chemistry: An Undergraduate, Technology-Based Research and Development Initiative to Incorporate AR Molecular Models in the Chemistry Curriculum. In Technology in Chemistry Education Research (TICER); Gupta, T., Belford, R.E., Eds; ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2019-1318.

* = Undergraduate Researcher

Articles

Villanueva, O.; Behmke, D.A.; Morris, J.D.; Simmons, R.; Anfuso, C.; Woodbridge, C.M.; Guo, Y. Adapting to the COVID-19 Online Transition: Reflections in a General Chemistry Sequence Taught by Multiple Instructors with Diverse Pedagogies. Chem. Educ. 2020, 97, 9, 2458–2465. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00752.

Rose, J.*; Pennington, R.; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Paredes, J.E.B. Maximizing Student Engagement Outside the Classroom with Organic Synthesis Videos. J. Chem. Educ. 2019, 96, 11, 2632–2637. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00234.

Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Paredes, J.; Pennington, R.; Brannock, E.; Deiters, M.*; Rose, J.*; and Stevens, K.* (2018) Augmented Reality Chemistry: Transforming 2-D Molecular Representations into Interactive 3-D Structures. Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference, 2018, 2 (1), Article 3. DOI: 10.20429/stem.2018.020103 Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/stem_proceedings/vol2/iss1/3/.

Behmke, D.A. and Atwood, C.H. Implementation and Assessment of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) Based Questions in an Electronic Homework and Testing System. Chemical Education Research and Practice, 2013, 14 (3), 247 – 256.

Behmke, D.A. and Atwood, C.H. IM-Chem: The use of instant messaging to improve student performance and personalize large lecture general chemistry courses. Journal of Chemical Education, 2012, 89 (4), pp 474–476.

* = Undergraduate Researcher

Conference Presentations

Behmke, D.A.; Brannock, E.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R; Paredes, J.; Pennington, R. AR-Chemistry: A Multiyear Undergraduate Research Experience. Oral Presentation, Spring 2020 American Chemical Society Virtual National Meeting, https://doi.org/10.1021/scimeetings.0c01739.

Iem, D.*; Whitley, H.*; Garcia, E.*; Medhikhani, N.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D. Developing and Evaluating a Usability Instrument for Mobile Augmented Reality Apps. Poster Presentation, Fall 2019 Georgia Gwinnett College CREATE Symposium.

Behmke, D.A.; Brannock, E.; Lutz, R. AR-Chemistry: A Multiyear Undergraduate Research Experience. Poster Presentation, EDUCAUSE 2019.

Iem, D.*; Whitley, H.*; Garcia, E.*; Medhikhani, N.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D. Developing and Evaluating a Usability Instrument for Mobile Augmented Reality Apps. Poster Presentation, Fall 2019 Consortium for Computer Sciences in Colleges Southeast Conference.

Anderson, J.*; Smith, R.*; Shaik, A.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Shared Augmented Reality (AR) Experience of 3D Molecules for Chemistry Students. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Consortium for Computer Sciences in Colleges Central Plains Conference.

Doghaimat, D.*; Tyner, N.*; Patel, S.*; Vazquez, L.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Molecules and Machine Learning Integration Utilizing AutoML. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Consortium for Computer Sciences in Colleges Central Plains Conference.

Anderson, J.*; Smith, R.*; Shaik, A.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Shared Augmented Reality (AR) Experience of 3D Molecules for Chemistry Students. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Georgia Gwinnett College School of Science and Technology STaRS.

Doghaimat, D.*; Tyner, N.*; Patel, S.*; Vazquez, L.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Molecules and Machine Learning Integration Utilizing AutoML. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Georgia Gwinnett College School of Science and Technology STaRS.

Anderson, J.*; Smith, R.*; Shaik, A.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Shared Augmented Reality (AR) Experience of 3D Molecules for Chemistry Students. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Georgia Gwinnett College CREATE Symposium.

Doghaimat, D.*; Tyner, N.*; Patel, S.*; Vazquez, L.*; Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Molecules and Machine Learning Integration Utilizing AutoML. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 Georgia Gwinnett College CREATE Symposium.

Anzovino, M.B.; Behmke, D.A.; Gluick, T.; Morton, M.S.; Tsoi, M.; Villanueva, O.; Woodbridge, C.W. Specifications Grading with a Diverse Chemistry Student Population. Oral Presentation, Spring 2019 American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL.

Behmke, D.A.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E.; Paredes, J.E.B.; Doghaimat, D.*; Tyner, N.*; Maldonado, C.*; Anderson, J.*; Moses, T.* Molecules and Machine Learning: Images Classified by ML Used as Input to an Augmented Reality App for Chemistry Education. Poster Presentation, Spring 2019 American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL.

Paredes, J.E.B.; Behmke, D.A.; Pennington, R.; Kerven, D.; Lutz, R.; Brannock, E. Interdisciplinary Exploration of Augmented Reality to Enhance Student Learning in Organic Synthesis. Oral Presentation, Spring 2019 American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL.

* = Undergraduate Researcher

Professional Activities

American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Educaiton Exams Institute 2021 First Term General Chemistry Exam Committee Member.