How will student scores be affected by incorporating Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) strategies in the chemistry classroom?

Abstract

This project examined the effectiveness of using a Plan, Do, Study, Act model in a Chemistry classroom to increase student scores. Plan, Do, Study, Act is a systematic method used in the classroom, involving the students in the planning and assessment of several Chemistry units. The classroom teacher and students spend time at the beginning of each unit planning how to study the material and then enact the plan. Frequent formative assessments are used to study how the plan is working and if adjustments are needed, the class will enact changes in the original plan. By examining the data collected with student surveys, exam scores and student interviews, it was found that this method of teaching increased the summative exam scores of the lower students, but not the class as a whole. I can conclude that by using Plan, Do, Study, Act in the classroom, the students at the bottom of the class gained a connection to the rest of the class, causing their performance to improve.