Collaborative Research: Exploring Student Understanding of Physical Chemistry

学生对物理化学中数学方程的理解的发展正在使用一种新兴的研究方法进行调查，这种方法来自数学教育研究，称为图尔敏分析。这种方法使用图尔敏的论证方案作为一种记录和分析在互动课堂中进行讨论的活动的方式。该方法已从数学应用于微分方程课堂，应用于化学，用于分析在过程导向探究学习（POGIL）物理化学课堂中工作的学生之间的互动。这些发现有望帮助解释学生将数学方程和符号转化为宏观和微观系统描述的方式，并增加有关STEM有效教学实践的知识体系。来自物理教育研究的工具正在被用于物理化学，并在物理化学在线和POGIL社区中实施，以比较学生对数学准备水平的数学方程的理解，以及使用不同教学法的教室。这个合作项目包括化学、物理和数学教育研究领域的研究人员之间的互动，从而联系和加强他们的工作，并创建一个学者社区，他们可以作为彼此的资源，也可以为那些寻求信息的人提供资源。智力优势：该项目通过开发新的和修订的STEM本科生如何学习的模型，增加了STEM教育研究的主体。它还承诺适应和开发新的方法来记录学生在课堂上的集体活动，从而为研究人员提供新的技术来揭示学生在课堂上的推理方式，在课堂上使用的教学技术，如小组或团队学习。研究学生对POGIL物理化学中数学方程的理解，增加了STEM教育中有效实践的知识体系。更广泛的影响：该项目的研究结果可用于挑战当前的课堂实践，并有望为创建教育材料和教学策略带来新的思路，这些思路和策略有可能直接影响STEM的教育实践。在关注学生对物理化学中使用的数学方程的理解的同时，该项目为化学、数学和物理教育领域的研究人员提供了一个建立社区和联系的机会。建议的工作结果将在区域和国家ACS会议、BCCE、GRC关于化学教育研究与实践、GRC关于科学教育可视化、全国数学教师委员会和美国物理教师协会上发表。

Chemistry (12) The development of student understanding of mathematical equations in physical chemistry is being investigated using an emergent research methodology from mathematics education research known as Toulmin analysis. This approach uses Toulmin's argumentation scheme as a way of documenting and analyzing activities that take place in an interactive classroom where discussion takes place. The approach is being adapted from mathematics, where it has been used in differential equations classrooms, to chemistry, where it is being used to analyze interactions among students working in Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) physical chemistry classrooms. The findings are expected to help explain the ways that students translate mathematical equations and symbols into descriptions of macroscopic and microscopic systems, and to add to the body of knowledge about effective pedagogical practices in STEM. Instruments from physics education research are being adapted for physical chemistry and implemented within the Physical Chemistry Online and POGIL communities to compare student understanding of mathematical equations across levels of mathematical preparation, and across classrooms where different pedagogies are used. This collaborative project includes interactions among researchers in chemistry, physics, and mathematics education research, thus connecting and enhancing their work and creating a community of scholars who can act as resources for each other and for those seeking information.Intellectual Merit: This project is adding to the body of STEM education research by developing new and revised models of how undergraduate STEM students learn. It also promises to adapt and develop new methods for documenting the collective activity of students in classrooms, thus offering researchers new techniques for revealing the ways that students reason in classrooms where pedagogical techniques such as learning in groups or teams are used. The study of student understanding of mathematical equations in POGIL physical chemistry adds to the body of knowledge about effective practices in STEM education.Broader Impacts: Findings from this project can be used to challenge current classroom practices and are expected to lead to new ideas for creating educational materials and teaching strategies that have the potential for directly impacting educational practices in STEM. While focusing on student understanding of mathematical equations used in physical chemistry, the project provides an opportunity to build community and connections among researchers in chemistry, mathematics, and physics education. The results of the proposed work will be presented at regional and national ACS meetings, the BCCE, the GRC on Chemistry Education Research and Practice, the GRC on Visualizations in Science Education, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the American Association of Physics Teachers.