Finding a way to engage students and better foster the learning environment is essential to keeping students interested in pursuing careers in chemistry. Process oriented guided inquiry learning is an emergent instructional method, in which students are engaged in solving complex, multifaceted chemistry problems as a team. Few studies have shown the effectiveness of POGIL on student learning, attitudes toward chemistry, their learning environment, and self-efficacy in organic chemistry. The goal of this study was thus to evaluate these issues within the context of a one-semester trial of this pedagogy in the recitations of an organic chemistry course at a public university in fall 2010. Analyses of data collected through a quasi-experimental design indicated no impact of POGIL on grades and self-efficacy when compared to students in regular recitations but strong positive impact on students' perseverance in the course and a marked decrease in fear and anxiety toward chemistry.

Impacts of the implementation of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning in an organic chemistry course

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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