Chemistry Facets: Formative Assessment to Improve Student Understanding in Chemistry

通过对学生的先入之见，特别是对科学的先入之见的研究，以及他们对学生带到课堂上的知识和技能的需求，本提案计划实施一个方面的思考视角，以改善高中化学的形成性评估、学习和教学。其目标是：(1)识别和发展与高中化学关键概念相关的方面（学生的想法和理解）；(2)制定评估项目，对每个聚类的各方面进行诊断；(3)加强现有的网上诊断评估系统，以管理项目、报告结果，并为解释和使用评估数据提供教师资源材料；(4)开发教师专业发展和资源材料，以支持他们在化学教学中使用基于面的方法；(5)考察采用面向方面的评估体系的课堂是否提高了学生的化学学习水平。拟议的工作建立在先前nsf资助的项目上，重点是(1)设计物理领域的诊断器（ESI-0435727），以及(2)评估开发以支持向复杂科学学习的过渡（REC-0129406）。工作计划分为三个方面：(1)评估发展，包括(a)在前三年通过认知访谈开发和验证与反应和相互作用以及能源和转化相关的20个方面集群，以及(b)每个方面集群开发和验证20个项目，包括对化学课程的管理；(2)专业发展，为为期五天的教师研讨会制作材料，重点是学习评估周期；(3)技术开发，升级现有的诊断器（物理），以包括化学任务。预计的产品集包括：(a) 8-10个与反应和相互作用相关的验证面簇，8-10个与能源和转化相关的验证面簇，每个面簇12-20个验证项目；(b) 1-3个启发式问题，1-3个发展性课程，1-3个与每个“反应与互动”、“能源与转化”方面集群相关的规定性课程，以及使用这些内容资源的专业发展框架；(c)基于网络的化学诊断工具，包括学生评估和教师资源材料。评估计划由三个部分组成：(1)一个小规模的实验研究，以检查华盛顿州和加利福尼亚州高中化学学生和教师使用诊断器的效果；(2)一个咨询委员会来监督和评估工作；(3)一个外部评估者来评估方面和项目的发展，以及影响诊断器实施的因素。传播包括通过diagnostics免费提供网络，以及在国家会议上举办讲习班和演讲。

Supported by research on students' preconceptions, particularly in science, and their need to build on the knowledge and skills that students bring to the classroom, this proposal plans to implement a facets-of-thinking perspective for the improvement of formative assessment, learning, and instruction in high school chemistry. Its goals are: (1) to identify and develop clusters of facets (students' ideas and understandings) related to key high school chemistry concepts; (2) to develop assessment items that diagnose facets within each cluster; (3) to enhance the existing web-based Diagnoser assessment system for administering items, reporting results, and providing teacher resource materials for interpreting and using the assessment data; (4) to develop teacher professional development and resource materials to support their use of facet-based approaches in chemistry; and (5) to examine whether student learning in chemistry improves in classes that incorporate a facet-based assessment system.The proposed work builds on previously NSF-funded projects focused on (1) designing Diagnoser (ESI-0435727) in the area of physics, and (2) assessment development to support the transition to complex science learning (REC-0129406). The work plan is organized in three strands: (1) Assessment Development, consisting of (a) development and validation of 20 facet clusters related to Reactions and Interactions, and Energy Sources and Transformations during the first three years through cognitive interviews, and (b) development and validation of 20 items per facet cluster, including their administration to chemistry classes; (2) Professional Development, through which materials will be produced for a five-day teacher workshop focused on the assessment-for-learning cycle; and (3) Technology Development, to upgrade the existing Diagnoser (in physics) in order to include chemistry tasks. Anticipated sets of products include: (a) 8-10 validated facet clusters related to Reactions and Interactions, 8-10 validated facet clusters related to Energy Sources and Transformations, and 12-20 validated items per facet clusters; (b) 1-3 elicitation questions, 1-3 developmental lessons, and 1-3 prescriptive lessons related to each Reactions and Interactions, and Energy Sources and Transformations facet clusters, and a framework for professional development using these content resources; and (c) a web-based Diagnoser for chemistry, including student assessments and teacher resource materials.The evaluation plan consists of three components: (1) a small-scale experimental study to examine the efficacy of the use of Diagnoser with Washington and California high school chemistry students and teachers, (2) an Advisory Board to monitor and assess the work, and (3) an external evaluator who will assess the facet and item development, as well as factors affecting Diagnoser implementation. Dissemination includes free web-based availability via Diagnoser, and workshops and presentations at national meetings.