College Chemistry Courses Research Articles

Modeling Student Negotiation of Assessment‐Related Epistemological Messages in a College Science Course

ABSTRACTTo prepare students to use science knowledge in their later personal or professional lives, we must attend to what they believe it means to know and learn science (i.e., epistemology). Unfortunately, we have little understanding of how students' epistemologies shift and are stabilized as they navigate their science courses. Researchers have made intuitive arguments that many microscale epistemological messages sum over time to give rise to macro‐scale understandings of knowing and learning, but we have no theoretical model for how this sum unfolds. Here, we begin to build such a theoretical model. To do so, we focus on assessments and related materials in a college chemistry course as potentially consequential sources of messages about valued knowledge products and processes. We then elicited students' evolving understandings of assessment‐related epistemological messages in several one‐on‐one interviews conducted throughout the semester. Analysis of how three students experienced, negotiated, and responded to assessment‐related messages showed that interactions with the course system stabilized a consistent, well‐resolved picture of the ways of knowing and learning that counted in the focal course. Specifically, good knowledge must have specific authority‐mandated features and knowledge is justified primarily via alignment with an instructor‐authored key. Students found utility in different (reliable) processes for achieving the aim of authorized knowledge, and some of these differences were maintained throughout the semester. Implications for modeling students' experience with course‐embedded epistemological messages over time and how this work might inform practice are discussed.

Construction and Practice of Online-Offline Hybrid Teaching Mode for University Chemistry Courses under the Background of “Internet+”

Abstract Influenced by the new crown epidemic, online teaching has entered the public’s view, and exploring the hybrid teaching between online and offline has become the hot content of university Chemistry course practice nowadays. This paper systematically studies the willingness of participants, influencing factors, support systems, and the evaluation of the effects of the knowledge interaction in the university Chemistry SPOC hybrid teaching mode. The teaching effect evaluation index system of the new mode is constructed using the AHP method of covariance correction. Taking part of the textbook of the university Chemistry course as an example of course design, a two-month teaching practice is carried out in the Chemistry major of X university through the 12xue platform to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the SPOC online and off-line blended teaching mode in the teaching of university Chemistry. The experimental results show that the adoption of the SPOC blended teaching mode in university Chemistry teaching practice has a certain effect on improving students’ Chemistry performance, with a performance improvement of 43.95 percentage points. And it helps students improve their independent learning abilities. The exploration of this teaching method provides a new way for college Chemistry teachers to enhance their teaching methods.

Dissolution of Calcium Hydroxide in Water: A Guided Inquiry in University and High School Chemistry Laboratories

In this laboratory experiment, a guided inquiry exploring the physicochemical principles of the dissolution of Ca(OH)2(s) in water is proposed for laboratory classes in university and high school. As part of students’ inquiry, two experimental approaches are used. One is the change in solubility with temperature revealed by measuring the pH values of the suspended solution of Ca(OH)2(s) at various temperatures, which is then extended to its thermodynamic relationship via examining the temperature dependence of the solubility constant. The other method is to determine the enthalpy of solution using the calorimetric measurements. Due to the poor solubility of Ca(OH)2(s), for determining the enthalpy of the Ca(OH)2(s) solution, development of an energy diagram composed of several paths of a reaction that involve the dissolution of Ca(OH)2(s) as a component process and using Hess’s law are essential. A combination of these experimental approaches yields a stepwise students’ inquiry for revealing the source of the changes in Ca(OH)2(s) solubility with temperature, which may be flexibly adapted as an appropriate program depending on the targeted students. The two experimental procedures are presented by critically examining the experimental results. Based on the results of educational practices, typical guided inquiry constructions suited for the university and high school chemistry courses are proposed.

Exploration and Practice of Ideological and Political Education in University Chemistry Course for Engineering Majors: Using South China University of Technology as an Example

Exploration and Practice of Ideological and Political Education in University Chemistry Course for Engineering Majors: Using South China University of Technology as an Example

The impact of research-oriented collaborative inquiry learning on pre-service teachers' scientific process skills and scientific attitudes

In the past decade, scientific process skills and scientific attitudes are widely regarded as essential factors influencing students’ achievement and their future career choices. Unfortunately, previous literature found that students’ scientific skills and attitudes tend to be unsatisfactory. Thus, cultivating students’ skills and attitudes is seen as a fundamental goal in science education. This research sought to promote scientific process skills and scientific attitudes of pre-service chemistry teachers using REORCILEA (Research-Oriented Collaborative Inquiry Learning). In this quasi-experimental research, a one-group pretest and posttest design was utilized. A total of 50 pre-service teachers (6 males and 44 females) at a medium-sized public university in Indonesia were recruited for this study. In order to gather data, the Scientific Process Skills Observation Checklist (SPSOC) and the Scientific Attitude Survey (SAS) were administered before and after the intervention. The data obtained in this study were analyzed through a paired-samples t-test and Cohen’s d. The results showed a significant increase from pretest to posttest in scientific process skills and scientific attitude scores during treatment, each with a high effect size. It can be summarized that REORCILEA is effective in fostering scientific skills and positive attitudes of pre-service chemistry teachers to a satisfactory level. It is recommended for educators to apply REORCILEA to other college chemistry courses to improve their performance.

Beyond “study skills”: a curriculum-embedded framework for metacognitive development in a college chemistry course

BackgroundThere is a critical need for evidence-based metacognition instruction models with an ease of implementation. Three issues involved in advancing the implementation and assessment of metacognitive interventions are: (i) the lack of an operational framework for the development of metacognition; (ii) metacognition instruction models that lack a focus on explicitly engaging students’ self-perceptions; (iii) a lack of metacognitive interventions that are easy to implement and require minimal training. This study describes the development and implementation of a 10-week discussion-based module to promote metacognitive development as part of a general chemistry course at a community college. This curricular metacognition instruction model involved the explicit engagement of self-efficacy beliefs in addition to introducing metacognitive awareness and regulation through individual and group reflection. This approach involves a systematic framework which allowed students to confront their beliefs about their abilities, learn various task strategies, and practice these strategies along with their peers. This case study was designed to address the following: can explicit cognitive and metacognitive instruction and discussion serve as a catalyst for students to (1) build and adapt metacognitive knowledge about cognition, and (2) incorporate effective study strategies?.ResultsStudents’ individual and collaborative reflections were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Written journal responses indicate that the module facilitated a shared discourse about cognition where metacognitive awareness was observed shifting from a tacit to explicit awareness. In addition, the framework facilitated the formation of support networks (cognitive and emotional) where students were observed exchanging cognitive strategies and encouraging one another to persevere through challenges.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the metacognitive instruction model described here can serve as a mechanism to encourage student reflection on their beliefs and behaviors. Instructors looking to include metacognition instruction could use the framework presented as a template. The discussion-based module is embedded in the curriculum, delivered through the course management system, and has a low barrier to implementation.

Contemporary Chinese Elements in Ideological and Political Education of University Chemistry Courses: Taking the National Science and Technology Awards as the Examples

Contemporary Chinese Elements in Ideological and Political Education of University Chemistry Courses: Taking the National Science and Technology Awards as the Examples

Understanding Diverse Needs and Access to Resources for Student Success in an Introductory College Chemistry Course

Understanding Diverse Needs and Access to Resources for Student Success in an Introductory College Chemistry Course

Nitrophenol Violet as a New Tool for Studying of Kinetics of Reactions in Solutions

This experimental lab set is for students taking college chemistry courses. It includes four laboratory works and completely illustrates the important parts of chemical kinetics, namely the determination of the rate constant and the determination of the factors influencing its value. They can be used in a laboratory set for a physical chemistry laboratory course, or separately, using only one or two of the four laboratory exercises for general, colloid, and organic chemistry laboratory courses, as well as biological and industrial catalysis. The experiment forms an understanding of the possibilities of controlling the reaction rate and an understanding of intermolecular interactions in solutions. The classical effects of the rate constant are considered, such as the effects of salt and solvent, as well as micellar catalysis. The main focus is on the following factors: increasing polarity of the medium or ionic strength decelerates the reactions between Dyez+ and HO– and accelerates that of Dyez– with HO–; solubilization of reagents by micelles of cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic surfactants accelerates the reactions between Dyez+ and HO– and decelerates the reaction of Dyez– with HO–; anionic micelles decelerate both of them. Interest in micellar effects is due to both theoretical application in the study of reaction mechanisms, structure and dynamics of nanosized aggregates in solution, and practical application, for example, in organic synthesis, in industry. Quantitative data processing was carried out according to the Bronsted–Bjerrum and Scatchard equations, as well as linear dependences of solvation energies. The experiment also provides students with practical experience in using the spectrophotometer, as well as graphical and numerical analysis of the data obtained. A new anionic triphenylmethine dye 3,3′-dinitrophenolsulfonephthalein (nitrophenol violet, NPV) was proposed for the study of chemical kinetics. NPV reacts with alkali faster than anionic dyes such as bromophenol blue and phenolphthalein. This property of NPV reduces laboratory practice time.

Algebra-based high school physics

About 60% of all physics majors chose the field because of their positive experience in high school physics courses, according to a study by the American Institute of Physics presented at the 2018 summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers. In most US public high schools, only the upper 35% of the student body is allowed or encouraged to enroll in algebra-based physics classes. Such restrictions often exclude many otherwise bright and capable youngsters—of all races and ethnicities—from that formative first step toward a future in physics.At one time, weakness in elementary mathematics, including fractions, decimals, and long division, and in basic algebra prevented even higher-level students from being successful in algebra- and trigonometry-based high school physics courses. Those mathematics deficiencies also have prompted a number of public high schools to discontinue entire physics programs. As a certified high school physics and chemistry teacher who taught mostly in Chicago inner-city high schools, where a majority of students were Black or Hispanic, from 1975 to 2001, I initially found a severe deficiency in elementary arithmetic skills. However, inexpensive electronic hand calculators have made it possible for many students to properly solve basic algebra problems that are common in physics and chemistry.Drills and practice with standard physics formulas helped my physics students remember their first-year algebra, if not learn those algebra skills in the first place. Many high school algebra-based physics texts have only a few problems of the same type, which often does not provide good learning experiences for students of any level. To enhance their learning, I would have students do about 10 physics problems per formula; I would go around the room and show the students how to do the first problem and then allow them to solve three more of the same type using the same formula. By solving for all the formula’s variables in the same manner, students learn or reinforce their algebra skills as they master their scientific problem-solving. After I retired I learned that Black students I had taught at Carver Area High School and Paul Robeson High School who entered nearby Chicago State University passed their university chemistry courses, and some even graduated with degrees in chemistry.I believe that inner-city Black and Hispanic students have great potential for majoring in physics and chemistry in higher education. About two-thirds of US high schools do not have a teacher who majored in physics or physics education.11. S. White, J. Tyler, Focus On: Who Teaches High School Physics?, American Institute of Physics (2014). Also, collegiate physics programs are being eliminated because of low enrollments. If high schools open algebra-based physics to all students and provide extra physics help—including mathematics remediation, which is done everywhere in the world except in the US—not only will many student lives be enhanced, but more students will major in physics, thereby helping rescue higher-education programs at risk of discontinuation, and there will be many more competent, certified high school physics and chemistry teachers.ReferenceSection:ChooseTop of pageReference <<1. S. White, J. Tyler, Focus On: Who Teaches High School Physics?, American Institute of Physics (2014). Google Scholar© 2021 American Institute of Physics.

Argumentative writing as a tool to develop conceptual and epistemic knowledge in a college chemistry course designed for non-science majors

ABSTRACT This study used a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of argumentative writing on non-science majors’ conceptual understanding and the growth of their writing skills over a semester. To assess gain in conceptual knowledge, tests were given before and after the course; students in the writing group gained significantly more than students in the control group. Results showed that argumentative writing was a predictor of student performance on such tests. Those starting the course with a low level of content knowledge and female students benefited the most from the writing exercises. Regression analysis suggested that four components of writing were predictive of student conceptual performance: the relationship between claim and question, the relationship between claim and evidence, use of multiple examples, and the match between writing type desired and actual writing. Longitudinal growth analysis indicated that the quality of student writing, and thus their understanding of scientific practice, increased modestly over time. Repeated framing of expectations using content-related examples about what constitutes good argumentative writing is an important factor in the improvement of student writing. Pedagogically, instructors planning to implement argumentative writing for conceptual and epistemic development should consider these four components as a pedagogical model.

Ethics and Systems Thinking in Biochemistry: A CRISPR-Based Activity for Undergraduate Students

This inquiry-based activity introduces students to the CRISPR method of genetic engineering and recent applications of CRISPR-editing. This activity was implemented in a nonmajors chemistry course for first-year students, during a 1 h 50 min laboratory period. However, the activity could easily be adapted, and it is useful for meeting scientific literacy learning goals of a college chemistry course for majors, an introductory college biochemistry course, or an advanced high school chemistry or biology course. For the activity, students self-selected into small groups and then researched a particular topic concerning CRISPR using a series of questions designed to guide their discovery work. Subtopics included both biochemical and application details of CRISPR, as well as social and ethical considerations concerning the genetic engineering of humans. The activity was designed to introduce students to this rapidly burgeoning biochemical method using a systems-based analysis in which social and ethical considerations are considered along with technical details. Groups prepared a short written and oral summary of their findings, and the instructor facilitated a class discussion on the topic following group oral presentations. Pre- and postactivity survey analysis indicated that students found the activity worthwhile and were able to reflect on the potential broader social and ethical implications of CRISPR-editing due to the research and discussions facilitated by the activity.

Johnstone’s Triangle as a Pedagogical Framework for Flipped-Class Instructional Videos in Introductory Chemistry

A growing body of educational research is demonstrating the improvements to learning gains and student performance that can be promoted by a flipped-classroom model in university chemistry courses. Usually, a core aspect of the flipped-class model is the student viewing of a preclass instructional video, allotting time for an in-class activity during the following lecture. Flipped-classroom instructional videos were prepared for a first-year general chemistry course at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Unlike many flipped-class video resources, these videos are not just narrated screen captures. Instead, they are anchored in live instructor recordings, complemented by three different presentation modes, each designed for pedagogical correspondence to a corner of Johnstone’s triangle: narrated screen capture (symbolic), molecular animations (submicroscopic), and experimental laboratory demonstrations (macroscopic). Live instructor recording created a reliable persona for students to interact with, in keeping with tenets of social agency theory, and video format and design were informed by principles of cognitive load theory. Student responses to these videos and the associated flipped-class modules were assessed by using a mixed method approach. Semistructured interviews provided detailed student feedback regarding both student satisfaction and pedagogical utility. Quiz data assessing pre- and postvideo knowledge and student survey data on attitudes toward the flipped-class modules were also collected. Statistical analyses and coded interview data indicated general appreciation and higher satisfaction with flipped-classroom modules compared to traditional lectures, matched by a general student belief that the flipped modules enhanced their learning. Students feel that interactive questions embedded in the videos and the video segments aligned with the Johnstone’s triangle framework contributed positively to their conceptual understanding, while the humor and enthusiastic tone provided by live-footage instructor segments promotes both viewer engagement and trust in the authenticity of the instructional material.

Increasing Student Use of a Learner Dashboard

Use of online learning systems, such as learner dashboards, is increasing in university chemistry courses. Learning analytics can support student learning by providing feedback on concept mastery. This paper investigated how student use of a chemistry learner dashboard might be increased through class structure, instructor practice, and dashboard design changes across three iterations in a general chemistry course. Once acceptable levels of student dashboard use were achieved, further investigation of how students interacted with the dashboard, including accessing the variety of available resources, was conducted. Survey data and clickstream data from the dashboard were collected and analyzed in a convergent mixed methods design. This study found that changes in course structure, teacher practice, and dashboard design increased use of the dashboard and utilization of the variety of materials offered in it. Recommendations for instructors to effectively utilize a learner dashboard and increase student trust in the system are provided.

Using the chemistry of pharmaceuticals to introduce sustainable chemistry and systems thinking in general chemistry

Introductory college chemistry courses are required by a wide range of science curricula. This fact has tended to frame the courses as places where core, fundamental ideas are taught, so that a foundation of knowledge might be called upon by students when they are in subsequent courses. Unfortunately, the preponderance of compartmentalized fundamental topics bolsters learning that has challenges in terms of transfer of knowledge to other science settings. One method that has been proposed to help alleviate this concern is to incorporate systems thinking and rich contexts that directly connect foundational chemistry ideas to larger systems. One area that shows strong potential for such efforts is the science of pharmaceuticals. Adding examples related to the chemistry of drugs, both within the large lecture setting of general chemistry and within smaller discussion groups. The role of example problems, student writing projects and group construction of systems thinking related visualizations of the context of pharmaceutical chemistry are reported.

Blended Teaching Practice of Online Course and Flipped Classroom in College Chemistry

Blended Teaching Practice of Online Course and Flipped Classroom in College Chemistry

Identifying misconceptions that limit student understanding of molecular orbital diagrams

Molecular orbital diagrams are commonly taught and used for describing chemical bonding chemistry courses including courses at the college level. Misconceptions that occur when students construct and/or use these diagrams are difficult to anticipate, diminish the diagram utility, and limit student learning. In this exploratory study, a combination of think-aloud activities and written probes was used to identify misconceptions that persist into upper-level college chemistry courses. While the majority of students could properly construct molecular orbital diagrams, many struggled to use and interpret the resulting diagrams. Pronounced disconnects between the depiction of chemical bonds and how these depictions demonstrate molecular properties such as stability and reactivity were observed, informing strategic curricular interventions.

Exploring Biased Probability Using Loaded Dice: An Active Learning Exercise with Analogy to Entropic and Energetic Determinants of Equilibria in Chemical Systems

The equilibrium position of a chemical system is based on two distinct considerations, namely, the entropy and enthalpy differences between the states. Loaded dice provide a physical system for exploring the probability of observing different interconverting states on the basis of two distinct factors: the number of sides of the die (entropy) and the asymmetric distribution of mass in the die (gravitational potential energy). Although potential energy analogies such as pushing a rock up a hill have often been used for teaching differences in energy in chemistry, and dice have likewise often been used to explain entropy, such analogies can be unsatisfactory when entropic and enthalpic considerations favor different states. We present an activity that allows students to explore how potential energy and entropy together contribute to observed probability and then draw parallels to chemical systems. Students collect statistics for observed rolls of loaded dice, rationalize the different patterns as distinct states, and determine the difference in entropy between the states. These observations are then related to chemical reactions and to the definition of entropy. The effect of varying the loaded mass within the dice is related to the role enthalpy plays in determining equilibrium. This analogy and associated active learning exercises are applicable to a wide variety of college chemistry and physics courses; provide a hands-on approach to introducing concepts such as probability, entropy, and energy differences; and can be used to draw parallels to chemical reactions, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy.

Science identity development trajectories in a gateway college chemistry course: Predictors and relations to achievement and STEM pursuit

This investigation of undergraduates’ heterogeneous science identity trajectories within a gateway chemistry course identified three latent classes (High and Stable, Moderate and Slightly Increasing, Moderate and Declining) using growth mixture modeling. Underrepresented minorities were more likely to exhibit Moderate-and-Slightly-Increasing science identities versus High-and-Stable patterns. Students with higher perceived competence were more likely classified into the High-and-Stable class compared to the other classes. Students classified into the High-and-Stable class scored significantly higher on the final exam and appeared to be more likely to remain in a STEM major across fall and spring semesters compared to the other two classes. Results suggest that some students’ identities shift within a single semester and supporting science perceived competence before college may support students’ science identity development.

On teaching reform and practice of college chemistry course

On teaching reform and practice of college chemistry course