Student learning strategies that involve project-based discovery are often conducive to the chemistry classroom or laboratory curriculum. Three different methods of project-based discovery, with progressing sophistication, have been employed. A pedagogical advantage of this student-centered and cooperative approach can be the transfer of much of the learning responsibility to the student by allowing them to monitor their own learning. The projects can range from those with fairly defined instructions to those that are quite open-ended. The level of teacher involvement can also vary through the triad of methods. The projects can act as unit capstones, practical laboratory assessments, procedural reviews, or samplings of future employment settings. As students participate in the projects, they may be forced to systematically progress through the scientific method and discover the steps of the analytical processes. The projects may augment student learning and motivation by relating course material to “real-world” applications. Students generally find the project activities enjoyable, helpful, and motivating toward their major and future career choices. A comparison of the methods may allow educators to contemplate how project-based discovery strategies can be used in their courses.
Back to Chemical Education Session II
Back to The 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting (July 14-17, 2005)