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Pacific Crest
www.pcrest.com
906 Lacey Ave. Ste
211
Lisle, IL 60532
630-737-1067 |
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"Students need early, engaging experiences in the lab...to maintain
their interest and inspire them to take up careers in the sciences."
New York Times article,
How to Educate Young Scientists, July
3, 2006
 There’s
nothing quite like the traditional lecture format for driving
students out of your classroom, and possibly the study of science as
well.
Nationally, more than a third of
students who register for a general chemistry class withdraw from
the course or receive a grade of D or F1.
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a
better and more interesting way to teach science, you’re not alone.
The recent New York Times article "How to Educate
Young Scientists" (July 3, 2006), calls for much needed improvements
in the teaching of science which include "finding ways to enliven a
dry and dispiriting style of science instruction that leads as many
as half of the country’s aspiring scientists to quit the field
before they leave college."
One newer
strategy and philosophy for the teaching and learning of chemistry
is POGIL or Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning. Using
collaborative, activity-based learning, guided-inquiry methods, and
assessment to increase student learning, POGIL actively engages
students in the learning process. To learn more about POGIL, here’s
a sneak preview of a new module, Introduction to POGIL in our
upcoming edition of the Faculty Guidebook. You can view this
module at:
http://www.pcrest.com/PC/pogil/introduction.htm
One tool that exemplifies POGIL at its best,
answering head-on the challenge of finding "ways to enliven a dry
and dispiriting style of science instruction" is the newly released
Foundations of Chemistry, Second Edition by
Dave Hanson.
Seventy-five activities strong, Foundations of Chemistry, Second
Edition is a great beginning for a POGIL-based classroom as it
not only sets the best possible stage for student learning, but also
helps you make good chemistry better with an innovative,
activity-based approach to the learning and teaching of chemistry.
1 Review of Research Concerning the
Effectiveness of SI from The University of Missouri-Kansas City and
Other Institutions from Across the United States
http://weber.edu/SupplementalInstruction/siresearch.html
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Pacific Crest is pleased to
offer Foundations of Chemistry, Second Edition, by Dave
Hanson. For more information or to purchase this book, contact
Faith at 630-207-7456 or
faith@pcrest.com |
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Assessment Meets the
Learner's Needs
by Dave
Hanson
A recent
summary of research into how people learn identified that effective
learning environments need to be knowledge-centered, learner-centered,
community-centered, and assessment-centered1.
Of these four, the least progress has been made in moving assessment to
the center of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics) classroom.
 Assessment
is an essential component in the process to improve learning and
teaching. Students need to know the extent of their learning and receive
feedback on how to improve their learning before they take examinations.
Faculty need a clear measure of student learning so they can identify
the materials and practices that most effectively enhance student
achievement.
1) J.D. Bransford, A.L. Brown and R.R. Cocking,
eds. How People Learn. 1999, National Academy Press: Washington,
D.C.
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