Dr. Levi Torrison
Dr. Fiona Lihs
Estrella Mountain Community
College, Avondale, AZ
 One
of the greatest minds was taught at a
school that:
“promoted using a series of steps that begins
with hands on observations and then proceeded
to intuitions, conceptual thinking, and visual
imagery, where rote drills, memorization and
force-fed facts were avoided.”
Einstein: His Life and Universe Walter Isaacson
 Modeling
and physics
 Modeling and HS
 Modeling/Active learning at EMCC
Physics - ASU
Chem
EMCC modeling
EMCC active learning - current
Continuation to higher level
courses
 Pics
of whiteboarding
 Science
question/demo
 Groups whiteboard (butcher paper)
 Discussion/ board meeting with a couple
people
 Post activity
 American
Chemical
Society Averages
• Second semester
 EMCC
• Introductory Chemistry
students
chemistry students
 entrance
score of 10/22  entrance score of 8.9/20
 exit score of 11/22
 exit score of 11.9/20
correct.
 increase of 1 of the
 increase of 3 of the
possible 12 answered
possible 10.4 answered
wrong initially
wrong initially
 g value of 0.08.
 g value of 0.27
.
 Be
prepared for three years of complaints
 Align all sections
 Don’t let boards surprise you
 Peer pressure, review
 If you are interested – contact Levi
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Beyond Appearances: Students’ misconceptions about basic chemical
ideas; Vanessa Barker: Royal Society of Chemistry
Question their Answers; Brenda Royce: The physics teacher; Volume 42,
October 2004 Page 25-26
Why you should measure your students’ reasoning ability; Coletta, Phillips,
Steinart: The physics teacher; Volume 45, April 2007 page 235-238
Exothermic Bond Breaking: A persistent misconception; William Galley:
Journal of Chemical Education; Volume 81, No.4 page 523-525
Testing for conceptual understanding in General Chemistry; Bowen,
Bunce: The chemical educator; Volume 2 No.2 presented at ACS April 2007
The great ideas of chemistry; Gillespie: Journal of chemical education;
Volume 74 No. 7 July 1997 page 862-864
Improving teaching and learning through chemistry education research:
A look to the future; Dorothy Gabel: Journal of chemical education; Volume
76 No. 4 April 1999 page 548-556
I wonder
where I put
my goggles?
Looks way too perky and happy. –
evidently loves her job.
Awesome hair.