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Claire J. Parker Siburt, Ahrash N. Bissell, and Richard MacPhail

Duke University

Manipulating problems in the General Chemistry

classroom: A metacognitive approach

Claire J. Parker Siburt, Ahrash N. Bissell, and Richard MacPhail

Duke University

Motivation and Collaboration

Student Approach: Rote Memory Large Scale Intervention Conflicting Advice/Language Pedagogy Applied to Specific

Discipline Opportunity for Innovation

Academic Resource Center and Chemistry Department

Problem Manipulation Methodology

One-on-one consultation tool Scafolding Group Work Metacognition Bloom’s Taxonomy

Hanson and Wolfskill. JChemEduc. 2000 (77) 120 – 130.Rickey and Stacey. JChemEduc. 2000 (77) 915 – 920.

Larkin. Res. In Sci. Ed. 2006 (36) 7 – 27.Bissell and Lemons. BioScience. 2006 (56) 66 – 72.

Actively assess and manipulate a problem to test your own understanding of the

underlying concept

Do you understand all of the TERMS? List them. What is the QUESTION asking for? Write out your LOGIC for solving this problem IN

WORDS. ANSWER the question. What CONCEPTS are required to answer this question? MANIPULATE

Example Problem

A glass bulb of volume 189 mL was filled with HCl gas to a pressure of

108 torr at 25ºC. How many moles of gas were in the

bulb?PV=nRT

MANIPULATE…

Concept 1: Unit conversions. Change the units of one or several of the variables

Concept 2: Ideal Gas Law. Change which variables you are given and which

variable is unknown

Concept 3: Nature of gases. Give temperature and pressure of one scenario, then

change the temperature of the system and ask for the new pressure

Example ProblemA glass bulb of volume 189 mL was filled with HCl

gas to a pressure of 108 torr at 25ºC. How many moles of gas were in the bulb?

PV=nRT

Build confidence vs. “trick problems”

Practice creating knowledge

Gauge personal preparedness level

Begin to shift from rote to metacognitive learning

Benefits of Using Method

Steven – “The manipulations required you to address the problems from all angles, giving you

a more complete body of knowledge.”

Recitation Set Up (Scaffolded)

Guided Pre-Problem

Post Problem

“Twist 1” “Twist 2”

Group Problem

Present

Present

Present

Quiz Test

Pts

Student Responses

Amy – “Manipulations helped out on the test and really help to make sure you understood the deeper concept as

opposed to just how to crunch the numbers with some formulas.”

Joe – “I prefer this recitation format because it places more emphasis on understanding the problem rather

than simply getting to the answer.”

87% preferred this recitation format over prior college experience

Student Surveys

Change in Student Language

Help me with

kinetics!

I can see this is a manipulation, but I get stuck at this point.

This looks like number 4, but

what is different?

Increasing metacognition

Dichotomy of Extremes

pH

Titrant added

pH

Titrant added

Acid into Base Base into Acid

“They both have graphs”

“Both deal with ½ equivalence point and using up ½ of starting

material”

½ Eq. Pt.

Dichotomy of Extremes

Correct

Exp

ecte

dO

bser

ved

Incorrect

TrivialManipulation

SophisticatedManipulation

SophisticatedManipulation

TrivialManipulation

?

Big Learning Curve

Manipulations vs. Manipulating

Guided Pre-Problem

Post Problem

“Twist 1” “Twist 2”

Group Problem

Present

Present

Present

Quiz Test

Pts

Guided Pre-Problem

Post Problem

“Twist 1” “Twist 2”

Group Problem

Present

Present

Present

Quiz Test

Pts

Need to start during first semester

Conclusions and Next Steps

Great feedback 3 years in a row Different fall comparisons Different TAs

Student opinion vs. direct impact on test scores

Start earlier Assess Changes in Metacognition Methodology and recitation system

could be applied to many content areas

Rob - “Problem manipulations challenged me to think harder.”

Cooper et al. Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. 2008 (9) 18 – 24.

Acknowledgements

Our TAs Our Students

Dr. Richard MacPhail Dr. Ahrash Bissel

Dr. Al Crumbliss