A Case Study of the Effects of a Resident Scientist on Teaching Experimental Design to High School Chemistry Students

NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK12 Fellow) provide students with exposure to inquiry-based learning experiences and authentic demonstrations, which introduce the students to real-world problems such as renewable energy, and sustainable technology. We present a case study on the interactions of a GK12 Fellow in a high school chemistry classroom. We present how experimental design was incorporated into ongoing classroom instruction and connected to existing curriculum. Evaluations were conducted using preand post-test questions. Attitudes were evaluated with free response survey questions. Improvements in post-tests relative to the pre-tests indicate that the resident scientist may have had a positive influence on clearing up basic scientific misconceptions. Survey responses by students indicated improvements in understanding scientific concepts and the importance of science to society, which had been emphasized by the GK12 Fellow.