Target Inquiry Courses

Program Overview 

Course Descriptions

CHM 610  Graduate Research Seminar
Preparation for research experience: maintaining a proper laboratory notebook, conducting effective searches of the chemistry literature, reading and interpreting chemistry research papers.  Introduction to the various types of chemistry projects available for summer research.  Two credits.  Offered winter semester of even-numbered years.

CHM 611  Research for Teachers
Teachers work with a faculty mentor while conducting chemical research.  Engaging in chemistry research allows teachers to improve their understanding of scientific inquiry and further develop their chemistry content knowledge.  Teachers will present their research results, either at GVSU or at a local or national meeting.  Prerequisite: CHM 610.  Three credits.  Offered summer semesters of even-numbered years.

CHM 612  Applications of Research to Teaching
Teachers meet with a chemical education faculty mentor and fellow teachers to discuss their chemistry research projects.  Teachers will deepen their understanding of scientific inquiry through reflection and discussion, and will begin to develop strategies for applying inquiry methods to their classrooms. Prerequisite: CHM 610.  Corequisite: CHM 611.  One credit.  Offered summer semesters of even-numbered years.

CHM 621  Education Research in Chemistry  Teachers learn chemical education and action research methods designed to improve student learning in the secondary chemistry classroom.  Topics include chemistry education literature, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and ethical considerations.  Prerequisite: CHM 611, CHM 612.  Three credits.  Offered winter semesters of odd-numbered years.

CHM 631  Inquiry Curriculum Development
Teachers will design and evaluate inquiry-based units of instruction for high school chemistry to be implemented in their own classrooms.  Prerequisite: CHM 621.  Four credits.  Offered summer semesters of odd-numbered years.

CHM 632  Inquiry Colloquium
Teachers are required to implement and evaluate inquiry-based units of instruction for high school in their own classrooms. Teachers must register each semester while implementing and evaluating their inquiry curriculum.  Participation in two semesters of CHM 632 is required for one credit.  Prerequisite: CHM 631.  One credit.  Offered fall semesters of odd-numbered years and winter semester of even numbered years.

CHM 633  Applications of Chemistry Education
Application of chemistry research and curriculum development to action research project. Consultations with a chemical education advisor required to assist in interpretation and analysis of classroom data collected during action research project.  Prerequisite: CHM 632.  One credit.  Offered summer semesters of even-numbered years.