Author : Alexander Gilewski
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 170 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (126 download)
Book Synopsis Linking of Chemistry Concepts Using Learner-centered Assessments by : Alexander Gilewski
Download or read book Linking of Chemistry Concepts Using Learner-centered Assessments written by Alexander Gilewski and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a critical need for additional STEM degree recipients to meet the deficit in STEM workforce in the United States. Introductory and General Chemistry are courses that are at the foundation of many STEM programs and both have a relatively low pass rate. Therefore, it is of great interest to chemical education researchers to improve student outcomes for foundational chemistry courses. One theoretical framework for promoting education is Meaningful Learning. Knowledge that is built upon prior knowledge has greater retention and application to new contexts than rote (memorized) knowledge. In this thesis, three studies will be presented based on this framework. The first involves the implementation of Creative Exercises (CEs) as an open-ended assessment in Introductory Chemistry at a public four-year university and a community college in the southwestern United States. CEs were shown to improve student performance and a decrease in the DFW rate was observed in the treatment groups. The control group had traditional (e.g. multiple choice) assessment. Students' linking of concepts was visualized through network maps, and open coding revealed that students viewed CEs as a useful study tool that helped them to review prior knowledge and to connect chemistry concepts. The second study combined CEs with concept maps (CMs) which have been previously demonstrated to help students to link concepts together. This study was conducted in a third-quarter general chemistry course at an R1 public university. While no gains were shown through ANCOVA between pre-post concept inventory, students were given conceptual and affective interviews in focus groups. The data analyzed from these interviews revealed that students who received both interventions provided more sophisticated conceptual responses. The final study involves the Measure of Linked Concepts (originally based on CE responses) and the addition of a metacognitive component to help students to think about how they learn chemistry. Students performed significantly better on the assessment after the introduction of the metacognition exercise. MLC performance was also found to be a significant predictor of final exam scores through a multiple regression model. All three studies provide insight into future implementations of the assessments and future directions for research.