Investigating Classroom Myths through Research on Teaching and Learning

• A final chapter that revisits all the chapters and describes the range of different research questions asked and methodologies used to investigate the research questions asked
• A set of research reports that address the overarching issue that many of the common place beliefs we hold about teaching and learning are unsubstantiated and are best investigated through a systematic investigation
• Presentation of the hypothesis that what is <"common knowledge>" about how teaching and learning take place may be rooted in our cultural beliefs about how they should take place and not necessarily how they actually take place

Readership: Academics and professionals in related fields

Edited by Diane Bunce, Professor of Chemistry, The Catholic University of America

Diane M. Bunce received her B.S. in Chemistry from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY; her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and her PhD in Chemical Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is a chemistry professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC where she has taught for 26 years and directs a graduate program in chemical education. Diane is also the Associate Editor for Chemical Education Research for the Journal of Chemical Education and was an original author on the American Chemical Society's curriculum development teams for Chemistry in the Community (ChemCom) and Chemistry in the Context.

1. Myths: What Are They and How Can We Challenge Them?
Diane M. Bunce
2. How Long Do Students Retain Knowledge after Taking a General Chemistry Test?
Diane M. Bunce and Jessica R. VandenPlas
3. Student-Prepared Formula Sheets in General Chemistry: Do They Help or Hinder Learning?
Jessica R. VandenPlas, Jack Barbera, Ky Mickelsen, and Ashton Hjerstedt
4. "Content Coverage" in a Lecture Format versus Activity-Based Instruction
Maria T. Oliver-Hoyo
5. Development and Refinement of a Research Study Assessing Student Attention in General Chemistry
Kelly Y. Neiles, Elizabeth A. Flens, Diane M. Bunce, and Michael Ferguson
6. Teaching Chemistry with Visualizations: What's the Research Evidence?
Vickie M. Williamson
7. "These Kids Can't Do Inquiry," Another Urban Legend
Patrick L. Daubenmire, Donald J. Wink, and Adam Tarnoff
8. Do Students Learn Chemistry Content in Accelerated Summer Courses?
Mildred V. Hall, Linda A. Wilson, and Michael J. Sanger
9. General Chemistry Student Surveys: Longitudinal Data about Which Factors Helped Students Learn
Norbert J. Pienta
10. Using Item Response Theory To Identify and Address Difficult Topics in General Chemistry
Kimberly D. Schurmeier, Carrie G. Shepler, Gary J. Lautenschlager, and Charles H. Atwood
11. All Assessment Materials Are Not Created Equal: The Myths about Instrument Development, Validity, and Reliability
Jack Barbera and Jessica R. VandenPlas
12. Assessing Conceptual versus Algorithmic Knowledge: Are We Engendering New Myths in Chemical Education?
Thomas Holme and Kristen Murphy
13. Diverse Methodologies Used To Challenge Myths
Jessica R. VandenPlas and Diane M. Bunce
Editor's Biography
Indexes