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Developing scientists who are equipped with science practices: investigating the adoption of inquiry-based laboratory curriculum
Dissertation

Developing scientists who are equipped with science practices: investigating the adoption of inquiry-based laboratory curriculum

Andrea Lynn Van Wyk
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2024
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007437
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Van Wyk_Dissertation_FINAL3.42 MB
Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 07/01/2027

Abstract

Laboratory learning has long been regarded as an important part of chemistry education as it is the place where students get hands-on experience with chemistry and as a place where they can develop many skills desired by employers. However, current laboratory activities do not reflect the work that scientists do. Current laboratory instruction is heavily reliant on “cookbook” style laboratory experiments that are prescriptive in nature and do not get students involved in the inquiry process regularly engaged in by scientists. More authentic types of laboratory experience such as inquiry-based laboratory learning and course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been shown to have rich benefits for students who engage in them, including in terms of students developing proficiency with many skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving. Despite the numerous studies showing their benefits, widespread adoption of these more authentic laboratory practices has not happened, and “cookbook” style laboratory activities still dominate. My dissertation work investigates the impact of professional development on changing analytical chemistry faculty’s beliefs and instructional practices in the laboratory. Additionally, a piece of my work focused on designing a CURE and assessing how it impacted student learning and student perceptions in the laboratory. The MICRO project was designed to create analytical chemistry laboratory experiments that used microfluidic technology to be completed at-home during the worldwide COVID pandemic. While meeting the demand for at-home, safe, easy to use laboratory experiments was a large motivation for the project, the other motivation for the MICRO project was to provide experience and training on inquiry-based laboratory experiments to encourage adoption of more authentic types of laboratory experiments. We designed each at-home analytical chemistry experiment to be inquiry-based to provide faculty with experience facilitating inquiry-based laboratory experiments. We also focused a portion of professional development efforts to training faculty on how to redesign existing laboratory materials to be inquiry-based and how to support students as they engage in inquiry-based laboratory experiments. This project brought together analytical chemistry faculty from across the country to form a community of instructors who were interested in implementing microfluidic laboratory experiments. The studies presented in my dissertation characterize participants’ instructional materials and changes in their instructional practices and beliefs with their involvement in the MICRO project. The first study investigated changes in faculty’s instructional practices by examining their laboratory experiments for changes in the level of inquiry. To do this, a modified version of an inquiry rubric designed by Bruck et al. was applied to the laboratory materials submitted by faculty at the start of the project to represent their initial instructional practices as well as the laboratory materials they submitted from the semester they were involved in the MICRO project. We found that adoption of MICRO laboratory experiments shifted faculty’s instructional practices to higher levels of inquiry and that many made changes to their existing laboratory experiments to increase their level of inquiry. The second study investigated faculty’s instructional practices by examining their laboratory experiments for prompted opportunities to engage students in science practices. A modified version of the Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol (3D-LAP) was applied to the two sets of laboratory materials collected from participants at the start and end of the project. From this analysis we saw that some of the science practices had more prompted opportunities in laboratory experiments that were higher levels of inquiry where other science had fewer prompted opportunities, most likely due to reduced scaffolding. This work also revealed trends in the laboratory materials as to which laboratory components (prelab questions, background, procedure, data analysis, postlab questions) often included prompts for certain science practices. The last study focused on the MICRO project was the determination of changes in faculty’s beliefs and instructional practices and the ways that participation in the MICRO project or other contextual and personal factors impacted those changes. Participants’ survey responses, interviews, and laboratory material were analyzed through the lens of Teacher Centered Systemic Reform. Through case studies of MICRO participants, aspects of the MICRO project that supported adoption of inquiry-based laboratory experiments and changes in faculty practices were revealed as well as a number of contextual and personal factors that influenced some participants’ adoption of inquiry-based laboratory experiments or instructional beliefs. The last study in my dissertation was the design, implementation, and assessment of a CURE for an upper-level analytical chemistry laboratory course. The CURE was designed using principles of backward design and allowed students to contribute findings to novel area of chemistry research. The impact of the CURE on students’ learning and perceptions of the experience was determined through the collection and analysis of student coursework, surveys, laboratory observations, and focus group interviews. From this analysis we found that the CURE was successful in engaging students in the research process, teaching them about indoor surface films, and that many students enjoyed the research elements of the CURE that allowed them to have more autonomy. From this work there are several different implications for curriculum development, chemistry instruction, faculty development efforts, and research. From the studies investigating laboratory materials, it can be seen that making changes to increase the level of inquiry of a laboratory experiment does not necessarily result in increased opportunities to engage in science practice. One should consider what scaffolding or prompting is needed to encourage students to demonstrate proficiency with the targeted science practices. Examining changes in faculty’s instructional practices and instructional beliefs with their involvement in the MICRO project determined that analytical chemistry instructors faced a number of different contextual and personal factors, but for many of them, aspects of the MICRO project encouraged changes in their instructional beliefs and practices. When designing professional development efforts, it is important to have conversations about the various contextual or personal factors that individuals may face and encourage reflection on their experiences. From the last study on designing and implementing a CURE it was seen that graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) played a very important role in the execution of the CURE and that training on facilitating CUREs or inquiry based laboratory experiences could help GTAs properly facilitate those types of laboratory experiences.
 chemistry education course-based undergraduate experiences inquiry laboratory learning science practices

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