POGIL-PCL offered stronger support for scientific practices

What the study found: POGIL-PCL physical chemistry laboratory experiments offered more consistent and higher-level opportunities for student engagement in scientific practices than analogous traditional experiments.

Why the authors say this matters: The study suggests that these findings can help strengthen POGIL-PCL experiments by adding prompts that more deliberately cue additional scientific practices and by revising activities so engagement is more consistent across contexts.

What the researchers tested: The researchers compared four POGIL-PCL experiments with four traditional experiments in physical chemistry laboratory courses. They used a modified three-level version of the Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol that accounted for instructor facilitation and for advanced students who are integrated into their communities of practice.

What worked and what didn't: The POGIL-PCL experiments showed stronger alignment with some practices than others, including analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, developing and using models, and planning and carrying out investigations. The cyclic structure of POGIL-PCL provided repeated and iterative opportunities for engagement, but opportunities for some practices were concentrated in particular parts of the data-think cycle.

What to keep in mind: The abstract does not describe other limitations in detail. The study focused on four POGIL-PCL experiments and four traditional counterparts in physical chemistry laboratory courses.

Key points

• POGIL-PCL experiments offered more consistent and higher-level engagement in scientific practices than traditional experiments.
• The comparison included four POGIL-PCL experiments and four analogous traditional experiments.
• Stronger alignment was reported for data analysis, mathematics and computational thinking, modeling, and planning investigations.
• The cyclic data-think structure created repeated opportunities for engagement.
• Some scientific practices were concentrated in particular parts of the POGIL-PCL cycle.