Chemistry in Our Community: Strategies and Logistics Implemented to Provide Hands-On Activities to K–12 Students, Teachers, and Families

Castellanos, José L. Godínez; Leon, A. Rodriguez; Reed, Christopher L.; Lo, Jonathan Y.; Ayson, Patricia; Garfield, Joseph M.; Alva, Michelle; Moreno, Miriam Ureño; Drake, Michael; Gordon, M.E.; Phillips, Shane A.; Alemán, Elvin A.

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01120

Cited by 17 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Phelan et al identified six dimensions of motivation to participate, which were confirmed by factor analysis . As mentioned above, experimentation is often an important part of chemistry outreach events. − ,,, Therefore, the authors of this study developed and validated a seventh dimension to reflect a potential focus on research and experimentation. , Individual learning and pursuing interests : This dimension measures the extent to which visitors’ motivation is based on the expectation to learn something new or to follow their existing interests. Social learning : This dimension measures the extent to which the visit is intended to support the learning of a fellow visitor. Social enjoyment : This dimension measures the extent to which the visit is motivated by gaining social experience from the visit. Establishing or enjoying social contacts : This dimension measures the extent to which visitors’ motivation is based on the expectation of creating new social contacts with other people. Relaxation and recuperation : This dimension measures the extent to which visitors’ motivation is based on the expectation of being able to relax and recuperate during the visit. Popularity of the site : This dimension measures the extent to which visitors’ motivation is based on the expectation of visiting a special or even unique place. Research and experimentation: This dimension measures the extent to which motivation to participate is based on the expectation of being able to experiment safely and independently. …”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 66%

Everybody Wants to Experiment: Assessing Motivation to Participate in a Chemistry Family Learning Course

et al. 2022

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There is a need to engage people with chemistry and to facilitate learning about chemistry in both nonformal and informal learning environments. A variety of platforms have been used to achieve this, including science festivals, summer camps, and so on. The events are voluntary, and participants need to be motivated independently to engage. The aim of the study was to systematically investigate what motivates children and their parents to participate in a specific nine-month chemistry course designed for families. The findings apply to a variety of chemistry outreach events. The present study was conducted with 342 participating parents and children who voluntarily enrolled in a chemistry family learning course which consisted of multiple events. Motivation to participate was investigated using a questionnaire, which was administered directly before participation. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analyses. Children and parents displayed similarities and differences regarding their motivation to participate. They both assigned the highest values to the dimensions of research and experimentation, individual learning and pursuing interests, social enjoyment, and social learning. However, there are striking differences in the order of these dimensions for each group. As such, children and parents should be regarded as two distinct target audiences for a chemistry family learning course. It might also be useful for other recurring programs to know the participants' motivation to participate. In this study, it was strongly indicated that the course was a way to reengage adults with chemistry through their role as parents. This finding might also change the perspective on parents as participants in other chemistry outreach events.

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Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 66%

Everybody Wants to Experiment: Assessing Motivation to Participate in a Chemistry Family Learning Course

et al. 2022

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“…Even though non-formal learning activities can be performed in the school context, typically non-formal learning activities and methods have been incremented in out-ofschool contexts. Typical non-formal contexts relevant in chemistry education are the science museums, or specifically the museums and collections of chemistry [21][22][23]26,27], and the science festivals [30,31,45].…”

Section: Non-formal Learning and Chemical Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

STEAM Project-Based Learning Activities at the Science Museum as an Effective Training for Future Chemistry Teachers

Domenici

2022

Education Sciences

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Non-formal learning environments, such as science museums, have a fundamental role in science education and high potentialities as ideal contexts for science teachers’ training. These aspects have been analyzed and reported in several recent works mainly focused on students’ perception of science and increased engagement towards scientific disciplines. In this work, a project-based learning methodology optimized and experimented in the frame of a pre-service chemistry teachers’ course at the University of Pisa (Italy), during the last eight years, involving in total 171 participants, is presented. This educational project has several distinctive features related to the STEAM philosophy, with a high level of multi-disciplinarity and creativity. Most of the laboratories and chemistry-centered activities were conceived, planned and carried out by the future chemistry teachers in non-formal contexts, such as science museums. A case study based on a series of non-formal laboratories designed by a group of students during their training in the academic year 2018–2019 and performed in a science museum is reported and examined in details. In this paper, all steps of the STEAM project-based learning methodology are described underlining the main learning outcomes and cognitive levels involved in each step and the relevant methodologies proposed during the training course and adopted in the project. The effectiveness of this pre-service teachers’ training methodology is finally discussed in terms of participants’ motivation and interest towards the course’s content, students’ final judgment of their training experiences and, in particular, of the STEAM project-based learning activities. From the students’ feedbacks and final assessment, the role of the non-formal context in teaching and learning chemistry and the efficacy of developing educational activities related to current and real-life chemistry-centered topics emerged as very positive aspects of the proposed approach.

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“…Service-learning can also provide a new outlet to engage students and the community during a time of social distancing and virtual learning. ,− When many science instructors had to pivot their pedagogical approaches to teaching in a time of hybrid and full virtual learning, one of the approaches that proved to be successful in continuing student engagement and connection was service-learning. − …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybrid Service-Learning Group Project in the First Semester of a Biochemistry Lecture Course: Developing Interactive Lessons for the Public Library

Dougherty

2022

J. Chem. Educ.

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A semester-long group project implementing service-learning was designed and executed in the first semester of a two-semester-long biochemistry lecture sequence. The project required students to partner with the local public library to design and implement an interactive demonstration, either in person or in virtual format, for young children who visited the library. The activity topic was assigned on the basis of one of the following major building blocks of biochemistry: amino acids, nucleotides, lipids, or monosaccharides. Students were required to visit the library or the library’s Web site on multiple occasions and complete journal entries throughout the semester before turning in a final project. Each group turned in a completed proposal to the instructor and to the public library detailing the purpose of the activity, the materials needed (for both the instructor and the library patrons), the structure of the interactive demonstration, and a take-home handout for the children. In the case of the virtual project adaptation, students also submitted pre-recorded videos of their demonstration with the intent to allow the library to utilize the videos on their Web site. The project allowed the students to apply their biochemical knowledge and serve their community by designing an activity to engage young children in the STEM field. Students were able to practice their communication of biochemistry to a nonscientific audience, both in oral and in written form, and their ability to work together in a group format. This project can be utilized in other chemistry foundation and in-depth courses by altering the topic selection.

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Chemistry in Our Community: Strategies and Logistics Implemented to Provide Hands-On Activities to K–12 Students, Teachers, and Families

Cited by 17 publications

References 15 publications

Everybody Wants to Experiment: Assessing Motivation to Participate in a Chemistry Family Learning Course

Everybody Wants to Experiment: Assessing Motivation to Participate in a Chemistry Family Learning Course

STEAM Project-Based Learning Activities at the Science Museum as an Effective Training for Future Chemistry Teachers

Hybrid Service-Learning Group Project in the First Semester of a Biochemistry Lecture Course: Developing Interactive Lessons for the Public Library

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