Reflection # 9

  • Use of New Chemistry Content Knowledge in Designing Instructions

 

 

 

What

I have chosen a paragraph from my essay # 4 from my application to the MCEP for the baseline evidence. My later evidence consists of different examples from my classroom my course content (syllabus), nuclear chemistry project guidelines, a project made by my students, and a VSEPR model activity

How

  • Course Content: my revised course content includes the main nine concepts in chemistry from Chem 501.

  • Nuclear Chemistry project: "The Assassination of a Russian Spy", this project is a modified version of a PIM in Environmental Chem 505.

  • VSEPR activity :In this activity students used six big balloons to build 3D shapes of a VSEPR model. Students were asked to pop one balloon at a time and study the new shape after losing each balloon. This activity is a replication of what I did in Inorganic Chem 506.

The later evidence shows my growth in using new chemistry content knowledge in designing instruction. Moreover, the work of my students (project paper), and building VSEPR models represent the strong evidence of the applications of this new content knowledge in classroom.

 

Why

Baseline evidence and later evidence show the dramatic change in the use of new content knowledge in designing instructions. The later evidence reflects my growth in content knowledge and how this has affected my instructional design. After participating in the MCEP for the last three years, I mainly revised my course content by adding the main nine concepts in chemistry. Moreover, I implemented many projects, activities, and PIMs from my classes at MCEP.

This statement from my application to MCEP "4-My unforgettable experience about engaging my students in scientific inquiry was last year when I gave them a project about air Ozone pollution in Wilmington, DE area" represents the only project I used to implement in my chemistry course. However, the later evidence shows my growth in the use of new content knowledge. Unfortunately, I don't have baseline evidence for either the environmental project, nor the VSEPR activities because I never used them before joining the MCEP.

 

Conclusion

 

From the last three years at STI, being able to learn, share, and practice in various classes has polished my content knowledge as well as my design instructions. In the MCEP, I didn't learn only from my teachers, but also from my colleagues. The fruits of the last three years at UPenn can be clearly seen through the dramatic change in my course content, course design, classroom activities, project, and assessments.

 

 

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