Science curricula in grades K-12 have been described as �overstuffed� and �undernourished� by the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Project 2061. The Next Generation Science Standards, a more recent national standards document, emphasizes addressing fewer ideas in more depth to yield a much richer understanding than the current laundry list of facts and ideas that comprise most current curricula. Unfortunately, high school chemistry curricula can be characterized as �a mile wide and an inch deep� in opposition to these national documents. Although curriculum scholars suggest trimming the curriculum, the specific effects of such reforms in chemistry have not been tested. In this study, the effects of varying the number of topics addressed and evaluating the resulting learning outcomes were investigated in 13 high schools in the southwest U.S. The data collected consisted of (1) teachers' report of which topics they specifically addressed in their yearlong high school chemistry courses; and (2) students' scores on a cumulative chemistry concept test. Teachers in the sample reported addressing 6-11 topics over the course of a school year. When student scores were plotted versus the number of topics covered, the data revealed an optimal number of topics�students in classes which addressed both the least and the most topics earned the lowest scores on the exam. Analyses also aimed to determine which topics were most related to success on the exam. Results and implications for high school chemistry curriculum and instruction will be presented.

Less is more: How students' achievement in high school chemistry is affected by the number and nature of topics addressed

247th National Meeting (2014)

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