JCE Online Journal of Chemical EducationDivision of Chemical Education, American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical Society
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print
   Current Issue
 Previous Issues
 Supplements
 Search JCE Index

JCE Digital Library
   JCE DLib Catalog
   ChemInfo
 Data-Driven Exercises
 DigiDemos
 Featured Molecules
 LivTexts
 LrnCom
 QBank
 SymMath
 WebWare

JCE Software
   Latest Releases
 Software & Video
 Downloads
 Support

Only@JCE Online
   JCE Online Store
 JCE HS CLIC
 JCE Discussion Forums
   Biographical Snapshots
 ChemEd Resource Shelf
 Hal's Picks
 Project Chemlab
 Reviewed WWW Sites
 "Web-Ed" Articles

About JCE
   Features
 Publications
 Operations
 Outreach
 Contact Us


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2008  > October  >
Research: Science and Education
Chemical Education Research
Modifying and Validating the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Use in Chemistry
Jack Barbera
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309

Wendy K. Adams, Carl E. Wieman, and Katherine K. Perkins
Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309

Cover
October 2008
Vol. 85 No. 10
p. 1435
Abstract
The chemistry version of the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS-Chem) is a new instrument designed to measure students' (novices') beliefs about chemistry and learning chemistry compared to those of experts (instructors). This survey is intended to measure the effects of students' beliefs on learning, and to understand how educational practices influence these beliefs in order to guide chemistry instruction. This instrument is a modification of a survey validated and extensively used in physics. The CLASS-Chem survey addresses a range of beliefs, including how chemists think about visualization, chemical reactivity, and molecular structure. The survey statements are validated using student interviews to ensure clarity in interpretation and response. Faculty testing of the statements is performed to ensure consistency in the "expert" response. Statements are grouped into statistically robust categories of student thinking. Preliminary use of the survey shows that most traditional chemistry teaching practices cause declines in student beliefs over the course of one semester and that students' self-reported major status correlates with their "Overall" and "Personal Interest" score on the survey.
Supplement
The CLASS-Chem survey instrument
*
 Download
Contents
  JCE2008p1435W.pdf
 
JCE2008p1435W.zip
JCE2008p1435W.doc (Microsoft Word)
 
More Information
*
Citation
Barbera, Jack; Adams, Wendy K.; Wieman, Carl E.; Perkins, Katherine K. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 1435.
*
Keywords
Chemical Education Research; First-Year Undergraduate / General; Graduate Education / Research; Minorities in Chemistry; Quantitative Analysis; Second-Year Undergraduate; Student-Centered Learning; Testing / Assessment; Upper-Division Undergraduate; Women in Chemistry
*
History
Created:
Last Updated:
8/27/2008
9/5/2008
<< Previous Article Table of Contents Next Article >>
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2008  > October  > Page 1435


Subscriptions
 Subscription Info
 Order Forms

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
 JCE HS CLIC

Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission
 Contributors' Corner

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.
 Recent Advertisers

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.
 Outreach with JCE

NSF logoDivCHEDACS ACS PubsFor journals in other fields of chemistry visit ACS Publications.
Comments to
jceonline@chem.wisc.edu		 Copyright © 2008 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society.
All rights reserved.		  Terms | Privacy