JCE Online Journal of Chemical Education
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print
   Current Issue
 Previous Issues
 Supplements
 Search JCE Index

JCE Digital Library
   DigiDemos
 QBank
 SymMath
 WebWare

JCE Software
   Latest Releases
 Software & Video
 Downloads
 Support

Only@JCE Online
   JCE Online Store
 JCE HS CLIC
 JCE Discussion Forums
   Biographical Snapshots
 ChemEd Resource Shelf
 Featured Molecules
 Hal's Picks
 Project Chemlab
 Reviewed WWW Sites
 "Web-Ed" Articles

About JCE
   Features
 Publications
 Operations
 Outreach
 Contact Us


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2005  > August  >
Research: Science and Education
Chemical Education Research
A Comparison Study: Assessing Teachers' Conceptions with the Chemistry Concepts Inventory
Rebecca A. Kruse
Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402

Gillian H. Roehrig
Curriculum and Instruction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Cover
August 2005
Vol. 82 No. 8
p. 1246
Abstract
"Science as inquiry" is a key component of the National Science Education Standards. A deep conceptual understanding of chemistry is critical to the successful implementation of inquiry-based lessons. In this paper we report the results of a study to assess alternate conceptions of teachers in a large urban district—many of whom are teaching out-of-discipline—to further inform professional development activities related to the adoption of a reform-based chemistry curriculum. Teacher responses to the Chemistry Concepts Inventory were analyzed to assess alternate conceptions, and correlations were made to previously reported alternate conceptions of entering college students. The teachers scored higher than students on all items, however, the teachers' answers generally demonstrated a distribution similar to students of most commonly incorrect items and alternate conceptions, most of which involved translating between macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic representations. Potential origins and impacts of the teachers' alternate conceptions on teaching and student learning are discussed. This study reinforces the need for content-focused training toward the development of out-of-discipline chemistry teachers' conceptual understanding of chemistry, and specifically in making meaningful connections between observations of macroscopic phenomena and explanations at the particulate level.
More Information
*  Citation
 Kruse, Rebecca A.; Roehrig, Gillian H. J. Chem. Educ. 2005 82 1246.
*  Keywords
 Chemical Education Research; Constructivism; Continuing Education; Descriptive Chemistry; High School / Introductory Chemistry; Misconceptions / Discrepant Events; Nonmajor Courses; Professional Development; Standards National / State; Testing / Assessment
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 July 5, 2005
July 12, 2005
<< Previous Article Table of Contents Next Article >>
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2005 > August > Page 1246


Subscriptions
 Subscription Info
 Order Forms

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
 JCE HS CLIC

Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission
 Contributors' Corner

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.
 Recent Advertisers

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.
 Outreach with JCE

Comments to
jceonline@chem.wisc.edu		 Copyright © Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society.
All rights reserved.