Scaling-up of higher-order cognitive skills-oriented college chemistry teaching: An action-oriented research

Abstract

A major objective of the current reform in science and chemistry education is the development of students' higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS). A major question of concern is how to improve practice, via appropriate teaching strategies, to achieve the HOCS-oriented instruction-learning goals of college science and chemistry education, within the current reality of large, heavily populated chemistry classes. This article presents an action-oriented research account of HOCS-oriented teaching of organic chemistry to freshman and sophomore science majors in small and large classes at a relatively small and large university, respectively, within a purposed attempt of overall course design reform. Inquiry-oriented class discussions, students' active involvement in the learning process, HOCS-type examinations, and grading of exams by both peers and course graduates were successfully applied in both the small and large classes, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits to students of interactive, HOCS-oriented pedagogies within the reality of both class sizes. The messages are that (a) there are implementable, appropriate teaching strategies for the development of students' HOCS abilities within the reality of large lecture sections of college chemistry courses; and (b) chemistry educators should take the trouble of working harder toward the attainment of this superordinate goal despite limiting constraints. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 583–596, 1999