Gabriela C. Weaver

Inquiry-based and research-based laboratory pedagogies in undergraduate science

Undergraduate research experiences help retain students in science majors and prepare our workforce for increasingly competitive jobs. Course-based approaches to research and inquiry allow educators to reach larger numbers of students and provide an entry into further research experiences.

Using lecture demonstrations to promote the refinement of concepts: the case of teaching solvent miscibility

Novices often lack the descriptive knowledge of phenomena that is the basis for an expert’s interpretation of scientific concepts. Such lack of knowledge may lead to poor conceptual understanding, and misinterpretation of these concepts. Lecture demonstrations can provide essential experiences that serve as a context for discussion of over-generalized or over-simplified concepts. The design of such demonstrations starts from surveying the limited knowledge base of the student, followed by exploration of the richness of relevant contexts of the expert, and identifying key instances that can serve as meaningful discussion topics. An example of the design of a demonstration set for teaching solvent miscibility and its relation to intermolecular interactions is given, followed by results of its application in two different presentation modes: confrontation (aims at generating a conflict with existing conceptions) and refinement (aims at promoting differentiation and contextualization of scientific concepts). The students’ involvement in peer discussion, associated with these demonstrations, is evaluated by considering the distribution of students’ predictions. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 2007, 8 (2), 186-196]

Use of a multimedia DVD for Physical Chemistry: analysis of its effectiveness for teaching content and applications to current research and its impact on student views of physical chemistry

In this study, a new multimedia learning tool for physical chemistry was implemented in a class setting, and students’ attitudes and learning gains examined. The Physical Chemistry in Practice (PCIP) DVD contains multimedia modules that provide an in-depth description of the research of eight different scientists. Each module contains a documentary style video program of the researcher and their laboratory, HTML-based background information about the topic, problems for students to work on, and links to related information. The DVD was implemented in a physical chemistry laboratory course where students worked through a module on surface- enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Data was collected in the form of pre- and post-tests of content knowledge and surveys about attitudes and academic career choices. Students showed statistically significant learning gains after using the DVD and showed an increase in their recognition of the applications of physical chemistry to real problems. Students also showed an increased interest in further study of physical chemistry. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 2007, 8 (3), 308- 326.]

Immersive chemistry video game

A team at Purdue University has been working on a NSF sponsored project to create a set of research-validated recommendations for the development of science video games. As a way to accomplish this task, the team created a three-dimensional first-person shooter video game that requires players to utilize chemistry knowledge to advance in the game-world. A team of chemistry, computer graphics technology, computer science, and instructional designers collaborated in the development of the game and in conducting the research. This paper details the process used by the team. Results from human subject testing will be presented at the conference.

Introduction: Research and practice in chemical education in advanced courses

For many years, chemical education research was done by individuals involved in pre-service teacher training and in-service teacher workshops. As a result, it often focused on the problems faced by elementary- and secondary-school students encountering chemistry topics for the first time. Because a large fraction of the students enrolled in chemistry courses at the tertiary level can be found in first-year courses, it is not surprising that as research expanded to studies of college and university students, it began by looking at the experiences of students in introductory courses. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of research studies that focus on students in upper-level courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. This is an important development because of the different cognitive and pedagogical challenges that are encountered in ‘advanced’ courses. This special issue of CERP is therefore devoted to studies that have the potential of producing changes in the way upper-level courses are taught that are equivalent to the changes that research on the teaching and learning of chemistry by high-school and introductory level students has had on the way courses for these students are being taught.

Development of a Student Self-Reported Instrument to Assess Course Reform

This study examines the development and implementation of a survey-based instrument assessing the effectiveness of a course redesign initiative focused on student centeredness at a large midwestern university in the United States. Given the scope of the reform initiative under investigation in this study, researchers developed an instrument called the Classroom Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), which was administered to students enrolled in redesigned courses. Early findings demonstrate strong construct validity and internal reliability of the CEQ instrument as well as concurrent validity between the CEQ and observation data gathered in concert with self-report data. The authors conclude that in the absence of trained classroom observers, the developed student self-report protocol can serve as a useful tool for measuring the constructivist orientation of pedagogy and student-centered nature of the learning environment in a higher education setting.