Collaborative Research: Supporting Chemistry Students’ Science Practice Self-Efficacy

该项目旨在通过培养化学本科生从事科学家实践的能力，以及促进学生对自己从事科学实践能力的信念，为国家利益服务，这被称为科学实践自我效能感(SPSE)。具备科学实践能力和执行科学实践的信心，对于学生在学校和课后生活中应用他们的科学理解的能力至关重要。该项目团队计划实施一种新的方法，让化学学习者参与科学实践。他们还计划开发新的调查工具来产生证据，这些证据可以用来更好地理解学生的科学实践能力、自我效能、科学认同和化学课程表现之间的关系。这一发现有可能改善化学入门教育，并支持具有科学素养的STEM毕业生的发展。这个项目是内布拉斯加州大学林肯分校和加州州立大学富勒顿分校的研究人员合作完成的。项目活动将包括(1)开发和测试衡量科学实践自我效能和科学实践能力的高质量工具，(2)在普通化学和有机化学课程中进行准实验研究，以确定让化学学生参与科学实践如何支持他们的科学实践能力和SPSE，以及(3)使用结构方程模型模拟SPSE和相关结果变量之间的关系。该项目将利用研究团队的互补专业知识和咨询委员会成员的量身定制的专业知识，以确保通过研究活动产生的所有产品的质量。有待开发的科学实践自我效能感和科学实践能力的测量将有可能对STEM教育领域的研究人员有用。这些产品将通过更广泛的化学教育界可访问的出版物和资源数据库进行传播，如化学仪器审查和评估图书馆(CHILAL)和有机化学教育资源(OrganicER)。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing undergraduate chemistry students’ competency to engage in the practices of scientists, as well as facilitating students’ beliefs in their abilities to engage in these science practices, which is known as science practice self-efficacy (SPSE). Facility with scientific practices and confidence in carrying them out are critical for students’ ability to apply their scientific understandings both in school and in post-school life. The project team plans to implement a novel approach to engaging chemistry learners in science practices. They also plan to develop new survey instruments to generate evidence that can be used to better understand the relationships among students’ science practice competency, self-efficacy, science identity, and chemistry course performance. The findings have the potential to improve introductory chemistry education and support the development of scientifically literate STEM graduates. This project is a collaboration between researchers at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and California State University-Fullerton. Project activities will include (1) developing and testing high-quality instruments for measuring science practice self-efficacy and science practice competency, (2) conducting a quasi-experimental study in general chemistry and organic chemistry courses to identify how engaging chemistry students in science practices supports their science practice competency and SPSE, and (3) modeling the relationship between SPSE and relevant outcome variables using a structural equation model. The project will leverage the complementary expertise of the research team and tailored expertise of the advisory board members to ensure the quality of all products generated through research activity. The measures of science practice self-efficacy and science practice competency to be developed will have the potential be useful for researchers across STEM education fields. These products will be disseminated through publications and resource databases accessible to the wider chemistry education community such as the Chemistry Instrument Review and Assessment Library (CHIRAL) and Organic Chemistry Educational Resources (OrganicERs). The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.