Event Title
Investigating the Role of Textbooks in Student Learning of Chemistry
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Chemistry, Education - Teacher Certification
Mentor Information
Thomas Pentecost, pentecot@gvsu.edu
Department
Chemistry
Location
Henry Hall Atrium 20
Start Date
13-4-2011 12:00 PM
End Date
13-4-2011 1:00 PM
Keywords
Social Science
Abstract
This study is to observe and analyze how undergraduate chemistry students use their textbooks to study and learn chemistry. This work is grounded in phenomenography and seeks to identify fundamentally different ways students interact with the text. In-depth individual interviews with second and third year chemistry students have been done to identify the role the text plays in student learning of chemistry. We anticipate the interviews will also provide information about the effect of instructors' actions on student text usage. Once these various roles for the text are identified a questionnaire will be created that will measure how the students use their textbooks as they study and learn chemistry. This poster will present initial results of the interview analysis and our first analysis of the instructor's influence on student text usage.
Investigating the Role of Textbooks in Student Learning of Chemistry
Henry Hall Atrium 20
This study is to observe and analyze how undergraduate chemistry students use their textbooks to study and learn chemistry. This work is grounded in phenomenography and seeks to identify fundamentally different ways students interact with the text. In-depth individual interviews with second and third year chemistry students have been done to identify the role the text plays in student learning of chemistry. We anticipate the interviews will also provide information about the effect of instructors' actions on student text usage. Once these various roles for the text are identified a questionnaire will be created that will measure how the students use their textbooks as they study and learn chemistry. This poster will present initial results of the interview analysis and our first analysis of the instructor's influence on student text usage.