How Guided Inquiry Classes Affect Student's Learning Chemistry

Presenter Information

Brendan Roggow, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

21-4-2008 1:00 PM

End Date

21-4-2008 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Chemistry and Geology

Student's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Mentor's Name

Jeffrey R. Pribyl

Mentor's Department

Chemistry and Geology

Mentor's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Second Mentor's Name

Mary Hadley

Second Mentor's Department

Chemistry and Geology

Second Mentor's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Description

Studies have shown that individual students have different learning styles. When a student with a certain learning style is taught using strategies that focus on this learning style, increased academic success is shown. This is especially true in chemistry classes dealing with complex ideas with which some learners have trouble. This study was designed to determine if a Leaming Style Survey can be used to assign students to a section of a class that correlates with success in the course for a particular learning style. Two sections of two different introductory chemistry courses, CHEM 104 and CHEM 106, were available during registration for Fall 2007. One section of each course was scheduled to be taught by lecturing. The other section of each course was taught using the "Guided Inquiry" approach. In the Guided Inquiry sections, students worked in groups of up to four each class period using materials provided by the instructor. We have gained knowledge of which students do better in a Guided Inquiry course versus a lecture course based on exam scores of the students.