This work identified some of the interpretations students make about their experiences in a college-level chemistry course for non-science majors. By understanding such interpretations, chemical educators might be better able to work with students to construct a more effective curriculum for non-science majors to learn chemistry. / In order to understand students' interpretations, several sources of data were collected or crafted including: interviews with students (and the instructor), classroom observations, documents from the class, student essays, and surveys. The data were analyzed and presented using qualitative, quantitative, and narrative techniques. / Two mechanisms were used to understand interpretations students made of the classroom. First, categorization schemes the students used were studied with the goal of understanding how they categorize their experiences about knowledge, teaching and learning in the classroom. The second mechanism focused on the metaphoric and mythic constructions students made of the class. Following these mechanisms, a student conception of curriculum was juxtaposed with chemists' and curriculum theorists conceptions to identity issues to consider for curricular reform. The interpretations students make about the learning environment was the final focus of this work. / The primary findings of this work are two-fold, and have implications for learning, teaching and research. First, students conceptualize knowledge, teaching and learning in a variety of ways. These different conceptualizations have consequences for the manner in which students assess teaching effectiveness. Second, some students prefer a learning environment where they have a greater equality of voice with the instructor about how the class is conceived and maintained. In order to achieve such an emancipatory curriculum, the participants (students and instructor) need to negotiate an agreed-upon curricular reality, even if it requires challenging institutional or professional norms. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: A, page: 0474. / Major Professor: Kenneth Tobin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76844 |
| Contributors | Bowen, Craig William., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 356 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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