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Chemistry Facets: Formative Assessment to Improve Student Understanding in Chemistry . Angela H. DeBarger PI Carlos Ayala PI Jim Minstrell PI.
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Chemistry Facets: Formative Assessment to Improve Student Understanding in Chemistry Angela H. DeBargerPICarlos AyalaPIJim MinstrellPI This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant DRL-0733169 (Chemistry Facets: Formative Assessment to Improve Student Understanding in Chemistry). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Development Goals • Content Development Goal: Develop chemistry content for Diagnoser system: facet clusters, elicitation questions, developmental lessons, diagnostic assessments, and prescriptive activities • Technology Development Goal: Extend Diagnoser content management and authoring system to facilitate assessment implementation
Research Goals • Document the process of creating this system of diagnostic assessments and pedagogical resources in chemistry • Validate content, assessments and diagnostic approach
Atomic Structure of Matter Facet Clusters • Facet Cluster 1.1. Atoms • Facet Cluster 1.2. Model of an Atom • Facet Cluster 1.3. Elements • Facet Cluster 1.4. Electrons • Facet Cluster 1.5. Precursor to Bonding • Facet Cluster 1.6. Ways Atoms are Held Together
Changes in Matter Facet Clusters • Facet Cluster 2.1. Describing Changes • Facet Cluster 2.2. Changes that Result in New Substances • Facet Cluster 2.3. Changes Where the Kind of Substance Stays the Same • Facet Cluster 2.4. Energy and Rates of Chemical Reactions
Facet Cluster Design Principles • Content of Clusters • Conceptual and foundational knowledge at the high school level • Describing what is happening to matter at the atomic level rather than overgeneralizations to classify interactions among atoms and molecules • Problematic facets are stated to reflect student thinking • Grain size of facets • Refine facets and clusters based on how well they work for assessment and lesson design purposes
Question Design Principles • Elicitation Questions • Motivate student interest and connect with prior experiences • Focus questions on making inferences about observable phenomena, when possible • Ask more questions, limit feedback • Diagnoser Questions • Use paired questions to elicit multiple ways of reasoning • Frame feedback in terms of what the student may know or understand to be true
Paired Questions from Electrons Cluster Question 2.Where in the atom can electrons be found? (a) In electron clouds that surround the nucleus. [Paired] with question: 2a(b) In electron shells that surround the nucleus. [Paired] with question: 2b(c) In three dimensional (3D) regions determined by the electron's energy. [02](d) In circular orbits around the nucleus. [52] Question 2a.Which statement best describes an "electron cloud"? (a:a) It is an area of space where an electron can probably be found. [02][02](a:b) It is like a rain cloud with electrons suspended it in like droplets of water. [40][40](a:c) It is an area within which electrons move so fast that they create a cloud. [41][41] Question 2b.Which statement best describes an "electron shell"?(b:a) It is like a thin hard eggshell with electrons embedded in it. [61][61](b:b) It is a region where an electron can probably be found. [02][02](b:c) It is a thin flexible membrane with electrons embedded in it. [62][62](b:d) It is a path that the electron takes around the nucleus. [52][52]
Overview of Validation Activities • Facet Clusters and Facets • Examined of student responses to open-ended questions to confirm presence of hypothesized facets • Elicitation Questions • Examined written response with >100 students per question to confirm that responses elicited a range of intended facets • Diagnoser Questions • Conducted think alouds of paper-pencil versions with small student sample • Online versions will be piloted in classes of current high school chemistry teachers • Lessons • Piloted in current high school chemistry classes to examine student engagement and to clarify instructions to teachers and students
Diagnoser System Development • Increased system reliability and security • Improved monitoring of system performance • Developed tools for editing learning goals, elicitation questions, developmental lessons, and prescriptive activities • System will allow authors to create, edit, and publish facets and question sets remotely via the web