using the chemical education literature … and beyond paul yates keele university
TRANSCRIPT
Using the Chemical Education Literature … And Beyond
Paul Yates
Keele University
What is published?
Analysis of a distance-education program in organic chemistry
From inert object to chemical substance: Students’ initial conceptions and conceptual development during an introductory experimental chemistry sequence
The roles of representations and tools in the chemistry laboratory and their implications for chemistry learning
The implementation of a multimedia program for first year university chemistry practicals
Enabling metacognition in the laboratory: A case study of four second year university chemistry students
The amazingly patient tutor : students’ interactions with an online carbohydrate chemistry course
Differential effects on the achievement of males and females of teaching the particulate nature of chemistry
Students’ understanding of the role of scientific models in learning science
Analysis of a distance-education program in organic chemistry
From inert object to chemical substance: Students’ initial conceptions and conceptual development during an introductory experimental chemistry sequence
The roles of representations and tools in the chemistry laboratory and their implications for chemistry learning
The implementation of a multimedia program for first year university chemistry practicals
Enabling metacognition in the laboratory: A case study of four second year university chemistry students
The amazingly patient tutor : students’ interactions with an online carbohydrate chemistry course
Differential effects on the achievement of males and females of teaching the particulate nature of chemistry
Students’ understanding of the role of scientific models in learning science
Obvious Journals
• University Chemistry Education
• Education in Chemistry
• Chemical Education Research and Practice
• Journal of Chemical Education
Other Journals
• Journal of Science Education and Technology
• Journal of Research in Science Teaching
• International Journal of Science Education
• Journal of Science Education
• British Journal of Educational Technology
• Innovations in Education and Teaching International
• Active Learning in Higher Education
What is Published Where?
• Remits of Journals
• Instructions to Authors
• Sample papers
Why Use the Chemical Education Literature?
Research Led versus Research Informed
“Research led teaching is not the same as teaching that is informed by educational research. It can be argued that the best teaching is not only informed by research in the subject, but by research into the teaching process itself.”
University of Sheffield
LTSN Psychology
Why is it Rare to Use Research Informed Teaching?
• Lack of reward for improved teaching
• Teaching culture is individualistic, static
• Separation of research and teaching cultures
• Poor knowledge of theory/research and implications for teaching
• Lack of ‘ownership’ of knowledge
• Uncertainty about how to apply in context
Teacher Training Agency
Teachers who use research and evidence effectively in order to improve their practice and raise attainment:
• Know how to find and interpret existing, high quality evidence from a range of sources.
• See professional development, which includes elements of research, as a means of improving classroom practice.
• See pedagogy as integral to learning.
Teacher Training Agency
Theory to PracticeThere is particular concern about linking theory and practice. Effective teachers welcome theories or explanations which help them to judge the match between specific teaching strategies and particular contexts. But they also want practical entry points to theories so that they can test the effectiveness of ideas in their own classroom settings.
Teacher Training Agency
Credibility
One of the most effective ways of persuading teachers that paying attention to external research and evidence is worth the effort is by convincing them that their students will learn more.
Teacher Training Agency
Research and evidence based practice requires sophisticated professional skills to:
• Identify teaching and learning problems
• Weigh up research and evidence objectively
• Make the links with classroom practice
• Evaluate ways of putting new knowledge and skills to work
Electronic Access
• Athens authentication
• Swetswise
• EBSCO
• Direct access
Analysing a Chemical Education Research Paper
• Who are the research subjects?• To what larger universe should the results be
generalisable?• How were the data collected?• What operationalised concepts are used in the data
collection and analysis?• What claims does the author make for his or her
results?• In summary, what have I learned from this paper?
Publishing Your Own Work
• Sharing good practice• Increased number of
publications
• Time consuming• Need guidance• Effect on career
The Perceived Value of Pedagogic Research
“I expect those criteria … to contain a statement by each panel on how they intend to approach the assessment of research into teaching within the discipline concerned.”
J Rogers, Teaching in Higher Education 4, 285, 1999.
Response of the RAE Panels
• 3.18.4 The Panel will consider outputs that result from research into the teaching process within Computer Science. The Panel will draw on the expert advice of the Education Panel and will appoint specialist advisers whenever necessary to assist with assessing pedagogy.
• 3.15.2 The Panel expects that most submissions will fall within the above areas, but that it will also receive some submissions that fall outside them, for example, higher education mathematical pedagogic research and the history of mathematics.
• 3.15.3 Cross-referrals: the Panel anticipates that it may receive referrals from, and make them to, the following UoAs; Applied Mathematics (UoA 23), Statistics and Operational Research (UoA 24), Computer Science (UoA 25), History (UoA 59) and Education (UoA 68).
• 3.12.1 The Chemistry unit of assessment comprises the areas of Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Theoretical/Computational Chemistry, Solid State Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Biological/Medicinal Chemistry, Condensed Matter and Materials Chemistry, Polymers, Applied Chemistry, Pedagogy and specialist areas which lie within or between these bounds.
The Keele Reading Group
• Developing progress files: case study• New assessment forms in problem based
learning• Learning styles:fashion fad or lever for
change?• Disciplinary, gender and course year
influences on student perceptions of teaching: explorations and implications
