Materials Chemistry Case Study Approach to Facilitate Learning the Fundamentals of Chemistry: Introductory College and Secondary Level

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9354518 Shultz The project will develop an introductory chemistry course based upon the properties of materials. It will be discovery based in that students will observe phenomena in the laboratory, then use those observations to develop an understanding of the chemistry involved. A principal goal of the project is to provide an exciting learning experience for the students. Many science courses deny students access to the joys of discovery and understanding that so delights both young children and practicing scientists. While for individuals, this situation is regrettable, for aspiring teachers it is disastrous since they are the ones who will shape the understanding of tomorrow's leaders. This project would put the joy of discovery back into science courses. For example, atomic structure and bonding would start with a hands-on examination of the material properties of a variety of metal samples. The brittle ones have restricted spatial directionality in the bonding with few nearest neighbors while the soft, ductile ones have expanded bonding spheres with many nearest neighbors. Students will be sent into the laboratory for an adventure in exploring first. The class will then be encouraged to develop an hypothesis for their observations. Only after this process, will the instructors, through directed questions, guide the students to realize the importance of bonding and structure. The class will then be encouraged to extrapolate and extend this understanding to materials not examined. A educational evaluator is a member of the project team. Initial contact with a publisher could lead to widespread dissemination via a textbook. ***