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This new book, an edited collection of articles by active chemical education researchers, provides a good entry point for those who want to know more about chemical education research: what it is, how it is done, and its value for the chemistry community.

On the basis of the results of two prior studies at the US Naval Academy (USNA), which described the choice of study resources and the self-reported learning approaches of students of differing ach...

Chemistry-education research (CER) has progressed considerably in the United States since emerging as a discipline in the 1970s. Although CER graduate programs have become well established at a few universities, their success and growth may not be assured. Even with an increasing number of chemistry departments across the United States employing one or more CER faculty, CER can still be a novel entity to many traditional chemists. CER faculty continue to face the challenge of educating colleagues and students about CER scholarship. To start conversations about how we as a community can begin to address some of these challenges, a group of CER faculty representing a variety of backgrounds and experiences were brought together for a symposium at the 2018 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Most talks at the symposium were given by copresenters who had not previously worked together but had experience within the given topic. This commentary is an extension of that symposium in which the presenters use...

This study examined similarities and differences in study approaches reported by general chemistry students performing at different achievement levels. The study population consisted of freshmen enrolled in a required year-long general chemistry course at the U.S. Naval Academy. Students in the first and second semesters of the course were surveyed using a modified version of the published Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) referred to as the M-ASSIST (Modified Approaches and Study Skills Inventory). Responses to items associated with using deep or surface approaches to studying were examined for students of three achievement levels (A/B, C, and D/F course grades) using both ANOVA and Structured Means Modeling to look for differences in study approaches between achievement levels. Results show that, with only 12 items, the M-ASSIST can be used to measure differences in reported use of deep and surface approaches by students in different achievement groups; that Structured Means Mo...

Students with an insufficient amount of time to study are becoming more prevalent in the general college population as many who enroll in college have competing responsibilities (full-time jobs, childcare, etc.). Such students are likely to choose study resources that they consider to be both effective and efficient. Students at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) are constrained in their study time because of their required course load and competing institutional daily requirements. The purpose of this study was to survey which resources students at USNA choose for studying and to look at the difference in choice in relation to different types of assessments and different student achievement levels in chemistry. Students (n = 1015) were surveyed four times during the Fall 2013 semester after both instructor-written assessments and departmental multiple-choice common exams. In these surveys, students reported the main study resource they used to prepare for each assessment. A subset of students (n = 57) was int...

When designing a chemistry education research study it is important that the researcher select or create assessment instruments and methodologies that are valid. This ensures that correct interpretations can be made from the data collected using the instrument or methodology. The two studies described here introduce a novel method for investigating students’ structural knowledge of chemistry topics using a program called Pathfinder. In these studies, the Pathfinder program is investigated for validity (content, construct, criterion, and concurrent), as well as its sensitivity to changes in students’ structural knowledge. Once shown to be valid when used properly, the Pathfinder program can then be employed in future chemistry education research studies to investigate students’ structural knowledge.

It is a common complaint among teachers that students forget what they have learned soon after taking a test. The phenomenon is seen in both secondary and undergraduate chemistry courses. This study examines the length of time after a test that students in three different chemistry courses (undergraduate nursing, nonscience majors, and high school honors) are able to successfully answer the same free response achievement questions that were on the test. Overall effects on achievement were found to be nonsignificant, as were interaction effects of time interval and logical reasoning level. However, a differential effect between courses on achievement was found, leading to the conclusion that students enrolled in courses in which the continued spiral use of chemistry concepts is not evident, frequent quizzing opportunities are not provided, and a final exam is not given experience a significant decrease in achievement during the first 48 h following a test. This decrease remains constant for at least 2 weeks. Students enrolled in courses in which the spiral use of chemistry concepts is more explicit and regular quizzing opportunities and comprehensive final exams are given did not show a significant decrease in achievement from the original testing to delayed quizzing occasions over a 17-day period.

Students enrolled in three levels of general chemistry self-reported their attention decline during both lecture and other teaching approaches via personal response devices (clickers). Students report attention declines of 1 min or less more often than longer attention lapses. The data suggest that student engagement alternates between attention and nonattention in shorter and shorter cycles as lecture proceeds. Introduction of other pedagogies, specifically, clicker questions and demonstrations resulted in significantly lower self-reported student attention decline than lecture. This effect persisted during lectures immediately following the intervening pedagogies. Implications of this research for teaching are discussed.

In response to the question "What is your favorite element?" this article relates an activity in which students in a nonmajors chemistry course research an element and make a presentation dressed as that element.

Students enter our chemistry classes with many insecurities and fears about their ability to be successful in chemistry. These fears often result in students choosing memorization rather than understanding as a way to succeed. There are some things that a teacher can do to both lessen student fears and encourage students to pursue deeper understanding of the subject matter. This article introduces readers to some of the student fears as described by the students themselves. Suggestions for ways teachers can address the concerns of students and help facilitate their learning by incorporating the results of research into their courses is also discussed. These include several teaching and curriculum approaches that can be integrated into typical general chemistry classes, such as providing opportunities for students to integrate new knowledge with what they already have and practice this integration during the class; expanded opportunities for two-way communication; developing co-ownership of the course alon...

This paper compares the effectiveness of an electronic student response system (SRS) to deliver ConcepTests with the use of WebCT quizzes for nursing students enrolled in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry courses. SRS is a Web-based system designed to assist instructors in delivering and analyzing student responses to questions used in lecture and recitation. Student responses are captured and summarized graphically, providing students and instructors with immediate feedback. WebCT quizzes provide students with another opportunity for practice of the concepts presented in class. Student achievement after experience with either or both SRS and WebCT quizzes on teacher-written hour-long exams and an American Chemical Society final exam was investigated. Results show that small differences in teacher implementation of both of these innovations can have large effects on student achievement. As currently implemented, SRS did not provide opportunities for reflection and review, while WebCT ...

In 1975, Herron () wrote an article for this Journal entitled " Piaget for Chemists" that started many teacher-chemists thinking about why students were not succeeding in their chemistry courses. For many, this article served as their first introduction to Piaget's developmental theory. During the past twenty-five years, Piaget's theory has been expanded, modified and in some cases, even rejected. The developmental theory of Vygotski and the Constructivist and Information Processing learning theories build on much of Piaget's developmental theory. This paper will provide a synopsis of these developmental and learning theories, and offer examples from chemistry curricula reform and research studies that show the effect they have had on our understanding of the teaching and learning process in chemistry.

This report from the year 2000 chair of the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society urges members to vote.

DivCHED is not a thing, it is a community of people with an interest in teaching chemistry. It is led by an Executive Committee of elected and appointed members who have volunteered to help represent this community and to work to transform ideas into action. Every Division chair begins a term building on the initiatives of previous chairs and adding his/her own. During my term as chair there are three initiatives and one ongoing effort that I, the Executive Committee, and other committees expect to devote extra time and energy to. These initiatives are discussed here.

Almost everyone who teaches chemistry in the K-12 system (or its foreign equivalents) and almost everyone employed as a faculty member in a chemistry department qualifies as a chemical educator: we...

This article includes a rationale for the American Chemical Society's new text (Chemistry in Context), as well as a brief history, and description of the content and pedagogy.

This paper points out the differences among three student populations: science majors, non-science majors, and nursing students. The observations help make a case for the need for change in current lecture format.

An overview of articles in this Journal that give some perspectives on student-centered learning.