Collaborative Research: Exploring Student Understanding of Physical Chemistry

化学(12)正在使用一种名为图尔明分析的数学教育研究中的新兴研究方法来调查学生对物理化学中数学方程的理解的发展。这种方法使用图尔明的论证方案作为记录和分析在互动课堂上进行讨论的活动的一种方式。这种方法正在从数学转向化学，在化学中，它被用于分析在面向过程的指导性探究学习(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如何将数学方程式和符号转化为宏观和微观系统的描述，并增加关于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改编用于物理化学，并在物理化学在线和POGIL社区内实施，以比较不同数学准备水平和使用不同教学方法的教室中学生对数学公式的理解。这个合作项目包括化学、物理和数学教育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，他们可以相互提供资源，也可以为那些寻求信息的人提供资源。智力优势：这个项目通过开发新的和修订的STEM本科生学习模式，增加了STEM教育研究的主体。它还承诺调整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，以揭示学生在使用小组或团队学习等教学方法的课堂上进行推理的方式。对学生在POGIL物理化学中理解数学方程式的研究增加了关于STEM教育中有效实践的知识体系。广泛的影响：该项目的发现可以用来挑战当前的课堂实践，并有望导致创建有可能直接影响STEM教育实践的教育材料和教学策略的新想法。在关注学生对物理化学中使用的数学方程式的理解的同时，该项目提供了一个在化学、数学和物理教育领域的研究人员之间建立社区和联系的机会。拟议工作的结果将在地区和国家ACS会议、BCCE、GRC化学教育研究和实践、GRC科学教育可视化、全国数学教师理事会和美国物理教师协会上介绍。

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.