Project Description.
During the last five years the DOE/KYEPSCoR grant has enabled us to introduce a new curricular initiative aimed at improving the chemical education of pre-service elementary teachers at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). The new curriculum was developed with input from the School of Education faculty at NKU. A new course, "Discovering Chemistry with Lab" (CHE 105) for the pre-service teachers was developed and has been taught since the Fall of 1997. The integrated lecture and lab course covers basic principles of chemistry and their applications in daily life. The course promotes reasoning and problem-solving skills and utilizes hands-on, discovery/guided-inquiry, and cooperative learning approaches. The course was designed by incorporating teaching strategies from the education reform literature.

Eight new experiments including three computer-interfacing experiments involving the use of both Power Macs and PCs, a serial box interface and temperature and pH probes have been introduced in the laboratory since 1995. In addition, the students carry out two computer-simulation experiments. Many experiments utilize household materials. We have also implemented an experiment involving the use of calculator-based laboratory (CBL) system and a TI-83 calculator. As a part of the assessment, the students are required to take the midterm and final lab practical exams that emphasize discovery/guided-inquiry approach.

Pre- and post assessment surveys given in the lab show a positive gain in students' confidence in utilizing computer technology for teaching science to elementary and middle grades students.

The curricular changes in the lecture class have included the use of hyperstudio-based multimedia units, CD-ROM, internet-based assignments and student group presentations. A course web site has been established and through it the students access lecture and lab syllabi, class schedules and assignments, and post questions to the instructor. Links from our web site to other chemistry and chemical education resources on the Internet have opened a gateway beyond the walls of the university.

We would like to continue introducing additional reforms and assess the results of what has been accomplished so far by analyzing the results of various surveys that we have specially developed for this project (see more about surveys under assessment on page 4). We are interested in implementing these reforms on a permanent basis beyond September of 1999.

Goals and Objectives.
Among the goals of the program are to:

1. develop critical thinking skills of students by modifying traditional verification experiments into discovery or guided-inquiry activities;
2. focus content on interrelated and thematic topics related to real-life chemistry and energy issues;
3. integrate the use of computers, videodiscs, CD-ROM and other electronic media (such as the Internet) into the classroom and laboratory setting;
4. utilize performance- and technology-based alternative assessments in evaluating student performance.

These goals coincide with the learning goals of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA).

Proposed New Work In the Laboratory: We are planning to develop another experiment involving the CBL unit and a conductivity probe in the lab during 1999-2000. The experiment will involve a water quality study on a small pond (euphemistically called "Lake Inferior") on the NKU campus. Students will use the CBL unit and temperature, pH, and conductivity probes to make measurements at various points in the pond. Another possibility is to use the probes for simulated water quality studies in the laboratory. Additional CBL units and conductivity probes will be purchased from the grant funds.

Thus far only Macintosh computers have been used in the lab. In the Fall of 1998 we demonstrated the use of PCs in the laboratory. The private schools in our area have Macintosh computers. However, many of the public schools in Northern Kentucky now use IBM computers or PCs and several of our students have PCs in their homes. Therefore, we plan to introduce PC computers in the CHE 105 lab. This year alternative procedures using PC computers were developed for the three existing computer-based experiments. These procedures were tested in the summer by our summer assistant. Additional PCs will be purchased from the grant funds in the near future. The use of the existing Macintosh computers and the new PCs will allow us to provide experience of both platforms to our students.

Proposed New Work In the Lecture Course: Two more multimedia lessons on the topics of States of Matter and Chemical Bonds will be developed for teaching in CHE 105. We shall continue to administer the various surveys and analyze the survey data. The achievements of this project including the survey results will be presented at regional or national conferences.

Achievements.
From Fall of 1994 to Spring of 1997, twelve separate laboratory sections of CHE 100L were taught under the new curriculum initiative. Nearly one hundred and fifty education majors were enrolled in these classes. And since the Fall of 1997 the new integrated course CHE 105 has replaced the old CHE 100 and 100L courses. As per the timetable, the project is on schedule. Most of the project milestones and target dates scheduled to be completed during 1997-98 have been achieved.

1996-98 Changes in the laboratory and lecture course: Numerous changes were implemented in the laboratory and the lecture course such as i) In order to implement alternative assessment in the lab course, mid term and final lab practical exams were developed and introduced in the lab; ii) An experiment involving Calculator-based Lab (CBL) system, a TI-83 graphing calculator and TI temperature probe for studying exothermic and endothermic reactions was developed and tested by our student assistant; iii) A new CD-ROM entitled, " Energy flow " was reviewed and selected for teaching energy topics in the lecture class during the Fall '96 semester. In addition, two student assignments based on the CD-ROMs Discover the Elements, and Producing Energy were developed and used as alternative assessment tools in the course; iv) During 1996-97 multimedia units on Oxidation-Reduction ("Redox") Reactions and Acids and Bases were developed and used for teaching these topics. For both these units an extremely versatile authorware named HyperStudio was utilized. HyperStudio is non-platform specific and can be used both on Macs and Pcs. This change eliminates the need of a videodisc player during class presentations; v) Internet access was provided to CHE 100 students via an outside service provider to complete a research assignment on Chemical Elements on the world wide web (WWW) and students now have the option of doing the assignments either in school or on their home computers; vi) In order to introduce Cooperative or Peer Learning a Student Group Presentation was introduced in the lecture class; vi) A video camera from Videolabs Inc. and videocapture hardware (e.g. Snappy, Iomega Buz and Dazzle) were purchased that can be interfaced directly to multimedia Macs (AV models) or to PCs, allowing instructor and students to capture video images directly and incorporate them into lesson plans, Hyperstudio and PowerPoint presentations or directly in the classroom to project lecture demonstrations.

Evaluation.
In order to evaluate and assess the instructional strategies that have been introduced in the lecture and lab courses, three new surveys were developed and administered. A brief summary of the survey results based on the students' responses is presented below. These are in addition to the Pre- and Post Surveys that were already being utilized in the lab course. The second survey, called the Computer Survey, is designed to evaluate the student's experience in the use of computers, temperature and pH probes, simulation software in the laboratory and to measure their attitudes toward using computers in teaching science.

The third survey called the Technology Survey is administered in the lecture class. The purpose of this survey is to get feedback from students on integration of computer technology (e.g. CD-ROM, multimedia units, Internet and course website) in the classroom. A fourth survey is mailed to the student teachers (with result currently being compiled). The purpose of this survey is to see how the 'graduates' of CHE 105 are utilizing the technology skills learnt in this course in their teaching.

Pre- and Post Surveys: The Pre- and post-surveys are designed to assess the effectiveness of the course on students' attitudes toward teaching science and chemistry, using computers, using every day consumer and inexpensive products, teaching science safely, using the discovery approach, and confidence in their abilities to perform the experiments with previously mentioned items in their own classrooms. Since the fall of1995 over 200 students have participated in these surveys.

The survey results clearly show that the training provided in our lab course has greatly improved the students' attitude toward the use of computers and consumer goods in teaching science. In addition the laboratory experiences have resulted in significant gains in i) students' recognition of the relevancy of chemistry in their everyday life; ii) confidence to teach chemistry to elementary students; iii) confidence to conduct safe labs; iv) ability to design and teach discovery-based units, and v) in their comfort level in using computers to teach science.

The Computer Survey: The Computer Survey results reveal strongly favorable responses toward using computers in the classroom to gather and analyze data, as well as present science concepts. Overwhelmingly, the students have found the use of computer-interfaced probes to be easy or very easy. Most students find the simulation software to be effective or very effective in presenting chemical concepts. Overall, the comments made by the students in this survey reflect a very positive view of the use of computers in the lab.

The Technology Survey: The following summary of results is based on students' responses in the Spring 1998survey.

Course Web site: --71% of students found the posting of syllabus, schedule and assignments on the web site to be helpful or extremely helpful. --88% of students found the links to other web sites to be helpful or extremely helpful in locating useful chemical information on the Internet.

Assignments: --83% of students found assignments to be helpful or extremely helpful in learning chemistry concepts. --83% of students found assignments to be challenging or very challenging.

Group Assignments: --75% of students found the group assignments to be more effective than working individually. --79% of students found the group presentation to be effective or extremely effective in helping them learn their specific Energy topic. --78% of students found the group presentation to be effective or extremely effective in helping them learn about science teaching.

CD-ROM as a teaching tool: --83% of students found the use of CD-ROM by the instructor more effective than the standard lectures. --79% of students found CD-ROM helpful in maintaining their interest in the subject matter. --67% of students found CD-ROM presentations very helpful to extremely helpful in learning the chemistry concepts. --54% of students found CD-ROM to be very helpful or extremely helpful as a study tool.

Hyperstudio Stacks: --83% of students found the Hyperstudio presentations by the instructor to be more effective than the standard lectures. --75% of students reported that the Hyperstudio presentations keep their attention better than the standard lectures. --88%of students thought hard copies of the Hyperstudio notes were better than standard lecture notes.

Sustainability.
Discovering Chemistry with Lab (CHE 105) course established through this grant is now a part of the Arts and Sciences Curriculum at NKU. The department of Chemistry will continue to offer this course on a permanent basis. And we are also sure of the continued support from the School of Education. As in the past Northern Kentucky University will continue its financial support of this project. During 1999-2000, NKU will contribute a total of $36,618 toward the direct costs of this project. The following efforts and linkages have emerged as a result of this project:

i) In 1996 Julia Bedell and Vernon Hicks were invited to participate in a summer institute sponsored by PRISM and Council of Higher Education Eisenhower Program. The product of the institute was a report entitled," Recommendations and Models for Responding to the National Science Education Standards: Preparation of Elementary Science Teachers in Kentucky". All the recommendations made in this report coincide with goals of our project. In addition, the report cited our innovative course as an example of contribution to the improvement of science teaching for preservice science teachers.

ii) Since 1993 Vinay Kumar and Vernon Hicks have conducted annual summer workshops entitled, "Using Computers and Videodisc technologies in the Middle School Science Curriculum". These workshops for science teachers in Kentucky have been funded by Eisenhower grants. During the two-week workshop the teachers were provided with hands-on experience with the latest computer hardware and software. In addition, they were taught how these modern technologies can be integrated in the science teaching in the elementary and middle grades as required under the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). The hardware and instructional materials (including videodiscs, software and CD-ROMs) purchased for these workshops have also been available for our use in this project.

For doing other project related activities in the future, we intend to explore other funding possibilities (e.g. grants from FIPSE, NSF, Eisenhower etc.).


Links:

http://www.nku.edu/~chemistry/che105

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