Analyzing the role of science practices in general chemistry courses and assessments

Abstract

<p>Efforts to reform science education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), call for a shift away from rote learning over a breadth of content topics toward a deeper conceptual understanding of both content knowledge and skill within a discipline. Science practices are a key component of the NGSS, and combine knowledge and skill to emphasize what a student should be able to do with course content. As the NGSS are implemented on a broader scale, new methods of assessment will be needed that incorporate measures of student performance beyond content proficiency. While these reform efforts are aimed at the K-12 community, their influence is expected to reach higher education science classrooms as students may enter the classroom prepared to engage with content in new ways. The research herein examines how goals and skills beyond content are valued within the chemistry community, and how the science practices outlined in the NGSS are currently being incorporated in large-scale chemistry assessments at the college level. Additionally, assessment items that specifically incorporated science practices were developed and tested in a large-enrollment general chemistry course.</p>