Studying organic chemistry is difficult enough, so for Lakshmi Viswanath, Ph.D., it’s important to structure her online courses in a consistent, cohesive way.
Studying organic chemistry is difficult enough, so for Lakshmi Viswanath, Ph.D., it’s important to structure her online courses in a consistent, cohesive way.
“I wanted the students to spend time learning chemistry, not how to figure out the course structure,” Viswanath said. “So the way I have designed this course, every single module in the course is actually designed exactly the same way. You start with guided study questions, and then that is followed by lecture videos, and then you have knowledge check questions, homework, you have the discussion, and finally quiz. That is something that I'm really proud of.”
Viswanath also makes sure she is available for students to ask questions — but she also knows that chemistry isn’t always the easiest thing to explain in an email. So she records short videos to post on Canvas as a resource for students to refer to when they get stuck.
“It definitely gives me so much joy to see my students succeed,” Viswanath said. “Not just in this course, but in their life. For example, there was a situation where I had a chance to meet one of my students after many years, and she came and hugged me and told me, ‘Doctor, because of you, I was able to get very good scores and become a doctor.’ I was so excited to see my student succeed, and it’s something that gives me so much happiness.”
For more information on UVU online programs and resources, visit uvu.edu/online.
