Derek Behmke
Lecturer
Olin Hall 215
(309) 677-4975
dbehmke@bradley.edu
B.S., Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Ph.D., Chemical Education, University of Georgia
Biography
After completing his B.S. in chemistry Dr. Behmke spent two years teaching high school chemistry, AP chemistry, and physical science. He then completed his Ph.D. in chemical education at the University of Georgia under the guidance of Dr. Charles Atwood. Immediately following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Behmke joined the faculty at Bradley University.
Teaching
Dr. Behmke will be teaching Fundamentals of General Chemistry.
Scholarship
Dr. Behmke’s research interests are in the realm of chemical education. The ultimate goal of chemical education research is to improve the quality of chemistry instruction. To improve instruction a firm understanding of the topics students struggle to understand is necessary. Utilizing Item Response Theory (IRT) to analyze student responses to exam questions generates a list of topics that are difficult for students to grasp. Once the difficult topics are identified modifications to the curriculum can be developed and implemented to optimize student learning of the difficult material.
