A Meta-cognitive Approach to Teaching Organic Chemistry from Fundamental Principles

从基本原理讲授有机化学的元认知方法

• 批准号: 1140901
• 负责人: Kurt VanLehn
• 金额: $ 19.93万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-04-01 至 2015-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1140901&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Meta; cognitive; Approach; Teaching; Organic

Over 70,000 students take organic chemistry each year in the USA with attrition rates approaching 50% at some institutions. The obstacles to success in organic chemistry are both the large amount of material that students are required to learn and more importantly the unfamiliar style of problem solving and assessment. The project has developed a method of instruction based on problem solving from fundamental principles (e.g., Lewis acid/base theory; retrosynthetic analysis). However, the present materials are passive (html and pdf files). Pilot studies show that although students think they are using these materials effectively, they are actually using ineffective methods. Their illusion is consistent with studies of meta-cognitive and self-regulated learning. The project develops and tests software (called a meta-cognitive coach) that closely monitors students' problem solving so that it can offer unsolicited advice at just the right moments to motivate students to use specific, more effective learning strategies. For instance, the coach might convince a student to study a problem 2 or 3 times deeply, rather than 20 or 30 times shallowly. The project will help learning scientists know how to build effective meta-cognitive coaches for knowledge-rich domains. The project will also yield an online practice system that may significantly improve organic chemistry students' learning, which may reduce attrition and ultimately increase the flow of a diversity of students through this critical scientific pipeline.

在美国，每年有超过70,000名学生在某些机构的损耗率接近50％。有机化学成功的障碍既是学生需要学习的大量材料，又是陌生的解决问题和评估的风格。该项目基于从基本原理解决问题的方法（例如，刘易斯酸/碱理论；循环合成分析）开发了一种教学方法。但是，现在的材料是被动的（HTML和PDF文件）。试点研究表明，尽管学生认为他们正在有效地使用这些材料，但实际上他们正在使用无效的方法。 他们的幻想与对元认知和自我调节学习的研究一致。该项目开发和测试软件（称为元认知教练），可密切监视学生解决问题的问题，以便可以在正确的时刻提供未经请求的建议，以激励学生使用特定，更有效的学习策略。例如，教练可能会说服学生深入研究问题2或3次，而不是20到30次。该项目将帮助学习科学家知道如何为知识丰富的领域建立有效的元认知教练。 该项目还将产生一个在线实践系统，该系统可能会大大改善有机化学学生的学习，这可能会减少损耗，并最终通过这条关键的科学管道来增加学生的多样性。