Impact of Chemistry Teachers’ Knowledge and Practices on Student Achievement

Abstract

Professional development programs promoting inquiry-based teaching are challenged with providing teachers content knowledge and using pedagogical approaches that model standards based instruction. Inquiry practices are also important for undergraduate students. This paper focuses on the evaluation of an extensive professional development program for chemistry teachers that included chemistry content tests for students and the teachers and the impact of undergraduate research experiences on college students' attitudes towards chemistry. Baseline results for the students showed that there were no gender differences on the achievement test but white students scored significantly higher than non-white students. However, parent/adult involvement with chemistry homework and projects, was a significant negative predictor of 11* grade students' test chemistry achievement score. This paper will focus on students' achievement and attitude results for teachers who are mid-way through the program providing evidence that on-going, sustained professional development in content and pedagogy is critical for improving students' science achievement.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge-Guided Lesson Study: Effects on Teacher Competence and Students’ Achievement in Chemistry

“…This study, however, intended to develop teacher competence in teaching concentration of solutions in chemistry classes in order to develop students' conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. In the study of Scantlebury [28], teachers who completed a degree primarily to improve their content knowledge significantly improved their teaching skills as seen in the significant increase of the achievement levels of their students. It is, however, recommended in this paper that aside from the development of the teachers' content knowledge, other aspects such as an understanding of sociocultural teaching and learning context, the curriculum, the students' diversity, students' learning needs, and the chemistry teachers' implementation of various strategies to engage students in the learning process should also be considered to fully develop students' achievement in chemistry.…”

Effect of Practice-Based Learning in Chemistry on Students’ Academic Performance in Rwanda

“…Practice-based learning is considered as the learner-centered method where the learning style creates enough space for learners and positively affects their academic performance compared to the classic methods based on theoretical principles. It has been discovered that practical learning inspires learners to acquire complex concepts in entertainingly way where the curiosity and creativity increase leading to more effective learning (Scantlebury, 2008). Furthermore, as highlighted by Khamali, Mondoh and Kwena (2017), practice-based learning mainly affects the learners' academic achievement positively.…”