Last updated on July 8, 2025
Thoughtful Design in Action: Redesigning CHE 3200 for Hybrid Success
As part of MSU Denver’s CTLD Course Development Cycle, faculty partner with instructional designers to create courses rooted in research-based best practices. This collaborative process supports instructors in aligning course objectives with effective teaching strategies, learner engagement techniques, and intentional use of technology.
In Spring 2025, Dr. Alycia Palmer, Senior Lecturer of Chemistry and Biochemistry, worked with the CTLD Instructional Design Team to redesign CHE 3200: Survey of Physical Chemistry Lab. The result is a hybrid course model that blends in-person experimentation with robust online support, anchored in principles of alignment, learner autonomy, and inclusive pedagogy.
Dr. Palmer brings impactful disciplinary expertise and a clear vision for supporting her students at MSU Denver. With a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from The Ohio State University and extensive teaching experience in analytical and physical chemistry, her instructional decisions are informed by both scholarly insight and a commitment to student success. Her collaboration with the CTLD team reflects her desire for successful student outcomes.
Contents
Video Spotlight
[Length: 04:19, CC Available]
Strategic Use of Multimedia for Scaffolding and Engagement
To support student learning beyond the lab, Dr. Palmer collaborated with the CTLD Media Team to develop a suite of high-quality instructional videos. Rather than traditional lectures, the videos are intentionally segmented and task-oriented: students encounter short, focused explanations of theoretical concepts, demonstrations of lab procedures, and walk-throughs of key calculations. This scaffolding model helps students build conceptual understanding before they step into the lab, and reinforces analytical skills after data collection.
These media assets align directly with course outcomes and are designed for just-in-time learning, ensuring students have the support they need exactly when they need it. This approach empowers learners to come to lab sessions better prepared, more confident, and ready to engage in deeper scientific inquiry.
Designing for Modality Strengths
The hybrid format leverages the strengths of both online and in-person modalities. In-lab sessions emphasize collaborative problem-solving and hands-on experimentation, framed by pre-lab activities that prepare students to maximize their time on site. Outside of the lab, students work independently to analyze results, interpret findings, and engage in scientific reasoning using real-world tools such as spreadsheets and digital lab notebooks.
By clearly delineating learning activities across modalities, the course ensures instructional coherence and efficient use of both student and instructor time. Each component, whether online or in-person, serves to support the objectives of the course.
Intentional Accessibility and Inclusive Design
Accessibility was embedded from the earliest design stages. The course materials anticipate and accommodate diverse learning needs without relying on individual disclosure. For example, content that includes complex visuals such as graphs and data tables were paired with meaningful descriptions, multimodal representations, and careful assignment design to ensure all learners are able to complete the assignment and objectives. This proactive design supports equity while maintaining high academic standards.
Additionally, the hybrid model introduces flexible learning pathways that preserve the essential hands-on experience required in a physical chemistry lab. The result is a student-centered learning environment that balances structure with autonomy, theory with application, and access with rigor.
Conclusion
Dr. Alycia Palmer’s redesign of CHE 3200, in partnership with the CTLD team, shows how thoughtful teaching and smart course design can come together to create a truly student-friendly learning experience. By combining her deep knowledge of chemistry with creative use of multimedia and hybrid learning, Dr. Palmer built a course that helps students feel prepared, supported, and confident, both in and out of the lab. Her attention to accessibility, hands-on learning, and clear organization makes CHE 3200 not just rigorous but genuinely welcoming. It’s a great example of how a dedicated instructor can make complex material more approachable without compromising quality.
Partnering for Continuous Improvement in Teaching and Learning
A significant factor in the success of this and similar projects is the support and funding from the Office of Online Learning (OOL), which has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of our online educational endeavors. OOL’s support and contributions have empowered faculty members to innovate and create a more enriching educational environment for all. Please visit the Office of Online Learning for more information about all that they are doing to help MSU Denver faculty members and students.
Want to get involved?
One way to find help with implementing student supports in your course is the CTLD Course Development Cycle. This is an intensive, but rewarding, process where an instructional designer will work with you over the course of several months to identify course objectives, develop learning activities, create a user-friendly course, record high-quality multimedia content, and much more.
For more information on the CTLD Development Cycle, as well as how to apply to join, please see our CTLD Course Development Cycle spotlight.
Have questions?
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