ChemTeach: ChemTeach: An Innovative Program An Innovative Program to Prepare Prospective to Prepare Prospective Chemistry and Physics TeachersChemistry and Physics Teachers

Carol Fry BohlinCarol Fry Bohlin ~ California State University, Fresno ~ California State University, Fresno

Professor and Director, Mathematics & Science Teacher InitiativeProfessor and Director, Mathematics & Science Teacher Initiative

Gerald BodilyGerald Bodily ~ Fowler High School; Doctoral Student, CSUF/UCD ~ Fowler High School; Doctoral Student, CSUF/UCD____________________________________________________________________________________

Building PRIME Partnerships for Building PRIME Partnerships for

Teacher Recruitment and Retention in Math and ScienceTeacher Recruitment and Retention in Math and Science

Monterey, CA • 6 March 2009 Monterey, CA • 6 March 2009

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Beginnings... Beginnings...

ImpetusImpetus GoalGoal: : To strengthen the chemistry and/or physics knowledge of...To strengthen the chemistry and/or physics knowledge of...

» current teachers without credential in chemistry or physicscurrent teachers without credential in chemistry or physics

» career changers who have at least a bachelor’s degreecareer changers who have at least a bachelor’s degree

to prepare them to pass the CSET–Chemistry or Physicsto prepare them to pass the CSET–Chemistry or Physics

Funding – MSTI-Fresno Funding – MSTI-Fresno (CSU Chancellor’s Office)(CSU Chancellor’s Office)

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Recruitment–The Power of the Press Recruitment–The Power of the Press

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Web SiteWeb Site

Program Components Program Components

10 month program: 21 June 2008-April 2009 10 month program: 21 June 2008-April 2009 Optional university credit (NatSci) available at $60/unitOptional university credit (NatSci) available at $60/unit 6-hour laboratory session every other Saturday (Modeling Instruction)6-hour laboratory session every other Saturday (Modeling Instruction) Web-supported home study componentWeb-supported home study component

– Online activities and discussion forumsOnline activities and discussion forums

– Support through Moodle by online instructors (master teachers)Support through Moodle by online instructors (master teachers)

Online and face-to-face assessmentsOnline and face-to-face assessments CSET and credential application fees covered by MSTI and TRPCSET and credential application fees covered by MSTI and TRP Students will take CSET on May 15 and/or on July 18, 2009Students will take CSET on May 15 and/or on July 18, 2009

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Modeling Instruction has been guided by a Modeling Theory of Physics Instruction, the focus of educational research by David Hestenes and collaborators since 1980. Implementation through Modeling Workshops for high school teachers was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation from 1989 to 2005.

Modeling Instruction in Physics was designated in 2000 by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the seven best K-12 educational technology programs out of 134 programs evaluated.

Modeling Instruction in Physics was designated in 2001 by the U.S. Department of Education as one of two exemplary programs in K-12 Science Education out of 27 programs evaluated.

Modeling Instruction Modeling Instruction QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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What Do We Mean by Model?What Do We Mean by Model?

...with explicit statements of the relationships ...with explicit statements of the relationships between these representationsbetween these representations

Symbolic Representations

PhysicalSystem

MentalModel

Verbal

Algebraic

Diagrammatic

Graphical

Multiple RepresentationsMultiple Representations

...with explicit statements describing relationships...with explicit statements describing relationships

I - Model DevelopmentI - Model Development

While in cooperative groups, While in cooperative groups, students...students...– design and perform experiments,design and perform experiments,

– use computers to collect and analyze data,use computers to collect and analyze data,

– formulate functional relationship between formulate functional relationship between variables, andvariables, and

– evaluate “fit” to data.evaluate “fit” to data.

Sample Moodle EntrySample Moodle EntryFebruary 7, 2009 ChemTeach Lab Day at Fowler High School

8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Reaction Dynamics, Part 2

• We continued to examine the implications of the reversibility of reactions. Since …• We discussed video clips and data of the solubility of calcium hydroxide (determined by

conductivity vs. mass added).• We created exchange rules for the Equilibrium Game that would model some common types of

changes. For example, …solubility equilibrium (solid-dissolved), phase change equilibrium (gas-liquid and solid-liquid), gas-phase reaction equilibrium (all reaction constituents in the gas phase), solution-phase reaction equilibrium (all reaction constituents in solution)

• We learned how to predict the direction a reaction mixture would proceed to gain equilibrium... • We discussed Le Chatlier's Principle and why it works. We found the affect of each 'stressor'

(such as a change in pressure or concentration of one constituent) could be predicted based on the net affect of how it changes the forward and/or reverse reaction rates.

• We also learned to describe the equilibrium position using the empirically derived value, Keq, the equilibrium constant. This value is specific …

• So the new equilibrium concentrations could be calculated (with some patience!) using a modification of our BCA table, the ICE (Initial, Change, Equilibrium) table, in combination with the expression for Keq...

Questions?.... Questions?....

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