It is clear from our years of experience providing chemistry
teacher professional development that the Concept Development
and Data First approaches help teachers build their own
conceptual understanding of chemistry. The Data First
approach is also a resource for AP Chemistry teachers because
it aligns with the 2013−2014 AP Chemistry Curriculum
Framework’s deep focus on conceptual understanding, critical
reasoning skills, and scientific practices. Rather than using data
to solve problems in chemistry through deductive reasoning
after the concept has been taught to students, the Data First
approach provides students with a platform on which they can
use data from experiments and observations to construct
chemical concepts using inductive reasoning strategies. This
repurposing of the data traditionally used in instruction often
only requires teachers to reorder rather than completely
overhaul their instruction and, thus, provides a reasonable
starting point for the busy teacher into the reform practices of
inquiry teaching. Not only does this approach align with the AP
framework but it also emulates the way that science is
conducted. Further studies will evaluate how students whose
teachers use the Data First approach perform on the AP
chemistry exam.