Develop Better Strategies for Argumentation

Join Paul Price for a new kind of webinar to help your students correctly use definitions when writing explanations about important topics like IMFs.* Prior to the webinar Paul will put together “AP” level questions to distribute to your students. Then send in your student responses for assessment during his January webinar presentation.

Not shooting yourself in the foot: Examining Student Responses to Develop Better Strategies for Argumentation in Chemistry.

Why do students have such a hard time explaining chemistry? Are you certain you delivered the perfect lesson only to see your class write gibberish when you assess them? How can it be that a student can define a term yet not use it properly when asked to discuss important topics like intermolecular forces? In this webinar, we will examine authentic responses your students give to questions to uncover reasons for the disconnect students have between definition and application. We will then examine various ways to foster effective argumentation in class, be it a first-year course or Advanced Placement. We will also discuss the challenges AP readers have to interpret “creative” responses for credit.

Pre-webinar homework

If you are interested in participating in this webinar, a series of questions will provided to you to give to your students. These will be written at an “AP” level, with a topic covered by most teachers in the fall. Students will independently answer the questions, and you will be asked to digitize your responses. You will then upload your digitized student responses so they may be assessed by the presenter and used to illustrate the challenges students face so that we can discuss ways to improve student understanding.

More details coming soon! Check the AACT website or follow AACT on Twitter and Facebook as information becomes available about downloading student questions, a timeline, and instructions for sending student responses back. Webinar presentation led by Paul Price, Science Department Chair at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas, an AP Chemistry Reading Question Leader, a member of the AP Chemistry Test Development Committee, and a member of AACT.

*Please note: Due to the interactive nature of this webinar, participation is limited to AACT members only. Not a member? Join today!