CHED 737 |
| Many students do poorly or fail to complete introductory chemistry classes. We and others have hypothesized that this is correlated with, not problems with chemistry specifically, but a weak background in mathematical problem solving. By identifying these students using a simple math diagnostic, we hope to better advise and prepare students for chemistry courses. Previously, we designed a first-generation 25-question math diagnostic and found that scores correlated well to first semester persistence and final grades. In order to provide a better predictive tool, a second-generation diagnostic has been designed using statistical analyses of the contributions of individual questions from the first generation, by increasing the number of non-chemistry based word problems. Preliminary analyses of the new diagnostic scores and correlations will show if the rational design of the second generation was efficacious, leading to the understand of what core math and problem solving skills are essential to learning chemistry. |
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Chemistry Education Research
1:30 PM-4:55 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- Rosedown, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |