March 2014. Below is the implementation survey that I e-mail to CHEMISTRY teachers, any time between November and March. Feel free to adapt it to your purposes.
Note: we find that the Assessment of Basic Chemistry Concepts (ABCC) is more appropriate than Mulford’s Chemical Concepts Inventory, for students in first year high school chemistry.
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Chemistry teachers who took a Modeling Workshop:
The [funding agency] requires that I report on your implementation of your workshop learning. Thus I need your input.
Will you please answer these questions?
REPLY TODAY, preferably (or by Monday at the latest).
It'll take 5 to 10 minutes.
Cheers,
Jane Jackson
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DEFINITION: By MODELING DISCOURSE, we mean classroom discourse that's focused on scientific models. Modeling discourse can include Socratic questioning, but the questioning is focused on the model. It can also include circle whiteboarding (board meetings), but it's more than either of them; it's done throughout the entire modeling cycle.
David Hestenes wrote, "The teacher subtly guides students through the activities with modeling discourse: which means that the teacher promotes framing all classroom discourse in terms of models and modeling. The aim is to sensitize students to the structure of scientific knowledge, in both declarative and procedural aspects."
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IMPLEMENTATION SURVEY:
your name: __
Grade(s) of MOST students in your first-year CHEMISTRY courses (grade 9? 10? 11? 12?): __
How many sections of each level of CHEMISTRY course do you teach now?
regular?__ honors?__ IB-1?__
AP? __ (Is it 2nd year or 1st year?__ Is it B OR C?__ )
Are you on block schedule? __ If so, what type of block? (semester? year-long?) __
# years you've taught CHEMISTRY: __
We ask all teachers to give the ASSESSMENT OF BASIC CHEMICAL CONCEPTS (ABCC) posttest.
When (approx. what date) will you give the ABCC POSTTEST? __
(Will you please record ABCC scores on the special spreadsheet for the ABCC? And then e-mail them to me. Ask me if you need the spreadsheet.)
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THE FOLLOWING IS IMPORTANT FOR MY REPORT.
ANSWER EACH QUESTION for your HONORS or REGULAR chemistry course.
Which level of chemistry do you choose? (i.e., which level are your answers for?)___
Answer on scale of 1 to 5 (1= not at all or insignificant,
3 = somewhat, 5 = fully or substantial, n/a = not applicable)
CONTENT:
To what extent did you implement each CHEMISTRY unit so far, this year?
Unit 1: __
Unit 2: __
Unit 3: __
Unit 4: __
Unit 5: __
Unit 6: __
Unit 7: __
Unit 8: __
Unit 9: __
METHODS:
To what extent (on a scale of 1 to 5) did you use:
1) whiteboarding? __
2) Socratic questioning? __
3) circle whiteboarding? __
4) modeling discourse (see the definition above)? __
5) cooperative groups? __
6) the modeling manual & other handouts from your CHEMISTRY workshop? __
COORDINATION OF COURSES:
To what extent (on a scale of 1 to 5) are you able to coordinate your CHEMISTRY course with your SCIENCE colleague(s)? (so that the courses enhance each other, and thus students learn more) __
Likewise, to what extent are you able to coordinate your CHEMISTRY course with your MATH colleague(s)?
MODELING LISTSERV:
To what extent is the chemistry and/or physics modeling listserv of value to you (on a scale of 1 to 5)?
SUMMARY:
Overall, to what extent (on a scale of 1 to 5) has the Modeling Workshop(s) enhanced your teaching?
a) in its pedagogy? __
b) in improving your content knowledge in CHEMISTRY? __
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What else would you like [the funding agency] or me to know (problems, successes).
THANK YOU!
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