ERIC Number: EJ1195639
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Oct
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Impact of an Atoms-First Approach on Student Outcomes in a Two-Semester General Chemistry Course
Chitiyo, George; Potter, Darek W.; Rezsnyak, Chad E.
Journal of Chemical Education, v95 n10 p1711-1716 Oct 2018
The "Atoms-First" approach has received considerable attention in the chemical education community over the past few years as an alternative to the standard reaction-based two-semester General Chemistry curriculum. The Atoms-First model emphasizes the electronic structure of the atom as a means to explain and rationalize chemical reactions and stoichiometry, which are then covered at the end of the first semester. The current study analyzes the results of switching from a traditional reaction-based curriculum to an Atoms-First approach in a two-semester General Chemistry course with regards to student performance on standardized American Chemical Society (ACS) exams. The study evaluated roughly 600 students over three years of classes, and found that the outcomes were generally favorable for topics related to atomic and molecular structure. A comparison of the two approaches and suggestions for implementation of the Atoms-First approach are also included.
Descriptors: Chemistry, College Science, Nuclear Physics, Stoichiometry, Science Instruction, Outcomes of Education, Curriculum Implementation, Standardized Tests, Science Achievement, College Students
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A