This presentation describes the evaluation of key elements of an inquiry-based chemistry laboratory curriculum. This project has pooled the talents of experts in scientific content, educational technology, and teaching pedagogy. The curriculum redesign has transformed the learning environment in the chemical laboratory from the traditional model of individual guided practice into one focusing on group learning in problem solving investigations. A learning cycle instructional model was employed as the framework for many of the new experiments. Experimental protocols and resources for collecting and archiving data are accessible on the web. The curriculum contains connections to biological concepts that we hope will increase the relevance of introductory chemistry courses for a substantial fraction of our students. The web-based presentation of each experiment connects the inquiry, scientific content, technology, social perspectives and nature of science standards embodied in the National Science Education Standards with the various processes, concepts and skills developed in the experiment.

Formative evaluations of aspects of this project have informed successive pilot implementations of the new curriculum. The presentation will discuss the results of formative assessment strategies applied to the following areas:

• The Implementation and Assessment of Collaborative Learning In Problem-based Laboratories
• The Effect of Problem-Based Inquiry Laboratory Experiences on General Chemistry Student?s Understandings of the Nature of Science
• The Impact of a Problem-Centered Inquiry Course in for the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory on Student Chemistry Self-Efficacy

Since this is a course for "science majors", the primary preservice clientele for this course will be future secondary teachers. Students seem to adapt best to this laboratory format if they have not previously encountered the traditional guided practice model in a university environment. Although students have the highest positive expectations of collaborative learning at the beginning of the course, they retain a positive attitude about group learning activities through the end of the semester. The experiments are self-contained units that allow students to discover and explore chemical concepts, but students still voice concern when the concepts being developed in the laboratory do not immediately reflect the concepts being discussed in the lecture. Students report that the greatest success in contextualizing the concepts learned in the laboratory comes through extended research oriented experiences, like projects to assess the quality of ground water sources. We have used these extended experiments as prototypes for helping middle/secondary teachers construct inquiry-based units for their own classes in professional development sessions.