ERIC Number: EJ1062156
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Feb
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Improving Students' Inquiry Skills and Self-Efficacy through Research-Inspired Modules in the General Chemistry Laboratory
Winkelmann, Kurt; Baloga, Monica; Marcinkowski, Tom; Giannoulis, Christos; Anquandah, George; Cohen, Peter
Journal of Chemical Education, v92 n2 p247-255 Feb 2015
Research projects conducted by faculty in STEM departments served as the inspiration for a new curriculum of inquiry-based, multiweek laboratory modules in the general chemistry 1 course. The purpose of this curriculum redesign was to improve students' attitudes about chemistry as well as their self-efficacy and skills in performing inquiry activities. Students' ability to plan experiments and interpret data improved throughout the semester, as did their confidence in conducting research-like lab activities. Improved confidence was observed among men and women, science and engineering students, and Caucasian and international students. These outcomes are similar to those found with authentic research-based experiments. The curriculum had less of an impact on students' attitudes about chemistry. A research-inspired curriculum offers many benefits to students without the difficulties of designing actual research-based projects for general chemistry classes.
Descriptors: Inquiry, Science Process Skills, Skill Development, Self Efficacy, Student Research, Learning Modules, Chemistry, Laboratory Experiments, Research Projects, Student Attitudes, Affective Objectives, Curriculum Enrichment, Undergraduate Students, Curriculum Development, Outcome Measures, Science Achievement, Science Activities, Student Improvement, Teaching Methods, Educational Practices
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: NSF 0942180