Research Opportunities in Chemical Education at the University of TexasThe Collaborative for Chemical Education

J.J. Lagowski, K.K. Stewart, B.A. Arneson, Anna Bergstrom, Gloria Brown Wright, M.J. Elliott, Brad Herrick, D.C. Lyon, Deborah Walker, Jessica White

http://chemed.cm.utexas.edu

The introductory Chemistry classes at the University of Texas have about 4000 students each year. Current research studies in our group focus on how to better interact with students so that each student can successfully learn chemistry.

Investigations for the Improvement of Learning Chemistry:

Via Lecture

Donna Lyon is interested in developing a cadre of Peer Teaching Assistants, who are undergraduate students interested in teaching Chemistry at the secondary level. These students facilitate discussion sections for beginning Chemistry courses. Students enrolled in these courses are organized into teams using the Vygotsky method. Early results indicate that these peer-led discussion sections are beneficial to students taking beginning Chemistry courses.

Brad Herrick is interested in the effect of noncognitive predictors on student achievement and attitudes. Noncognitive predictors may be equally effective as the more traditional indicators such as standardized math and chemistry tests in predicting student achievement in first-year General Chemistry courses. Additionally, Brad is interested in how student preparation for lectures impacts their performance in the class.

Gloria Brown Wright is investigating how multiple intelligences (MI) may improve learning in chemistry. Learners have modes of learning which come naturally to them. Gloria is developing an instrument to identify students’ MI learning preferences. This information could be useful in delivering instruction. A pilot project with UT graduate chemistry students showed the following results...

Biochemistry: linguistic > spatial > logical-mathematicalAnalytical & Physical: linguistic > logical-mathematical > spatialOrganic: linguistic > spatial = logical-mathematical

Under the direction of Dr. J. J. Lagowski

Dr. J. J. Lagowski is internationally recognized for his work in chemical education. He was a pioneer in studies on the use of interactive computing to assist the educational process in chemistry and from these studies he has implemented the effective uses of computer-based methods of education in a number of chemistry courses at the freshman level. He continues his studies on the use of computers and other technologies for the improvement teaching chemistry to both science and non-science majors in lecture and laboratory courses.

Current research focuses on the development of laboratory courses intended for specific groups of students and evaluation of the laboratory experience: Via Laboratory

Dr. Kent K. Stewart spent the bulk of his career at the interface of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition, and Public Health. Now he is interested in making General Chemistry laboratory courses authentic, pertinent, and interesting to Life Science students. For seven semesters, he has taught Introduction to Chemical Practice for the Life Sciences (CH204AV), a course that has been widely accepted among students, faculty, and administration alike.

Mike Elliott is interested in the role of the laboratory in chemistry instruction. The new General Chemistry laboratory course is being taught in the Cognitive Apprenticeship model, which is a novel approach for Chemistry laboratories. His research focuses on the implementation and evaluation of this model in this laboratory course. Comparisons of this model to more traditional methods of laboratory instruction are ongoing.

General Chemistry Laboratories

Via Computer Current research focuses on the development and evaluation of computer-mediated instructional materials, primarily delivered through the World Wide Web:

Brian Arneson created Chem 1, an online General Chemistry course. Now being taught for the first time this semester, it provides him an venue in which to do research on the nature of online courses. Of particular interest to Brian is the development of novel assessment methods such as concept maps.

Deborah Walker is also interested in developing an online Introductory Chemistry course. Using her background in both chemistry and corporate web-based instruction, Deborah is investigating the variables for learner success in the virtual medium.

Jessica White is currently developing games and puzzles to be used as learning aids for students.

Anna Bergstrom is very active in the Welch Summer Scholar program and is also interested in problem based learning and constructivism. She is currently examining the use of NOVELLAs as a learning technique for general chemistry. NOVELLAs present the student with a real world problem, which can be solved with the information provided in traditional chemistry lectures. NOVELLA problems require that students weave together chemistry facts into a solution.