Improving the General Chemistry and Environmental Science Laboratory Curricula Through CBL and Computer Activities

我们将使用这笔赠款，以提高亚利桑那州西部学院（AWC）普通化学实验室课程和AWC /北方亚利桑那大学尤马（NAU尤马）环境科学计划，通过使用基于计算器的实验室（CBL单位）和Macintosh计算机增强和扩大实验室活动。来自化学系、环境科学系和地质系的师生沿着还有来自美国垦务局的科学家将参加。 拟议的实验室项目将包括20个CBL单元，与pH值，电导率，比色和温度探头和2台Macintosh计算机接口，并将其纳入AWC普通化学实验室课程和AWC /NAU-尤马环境科学计划。CBL是Texas Instruments的自动数据收集设备，可在实验室环境中收集和存储数据。麦金塔计算机将允许对实验数据进行更复杂的图形和统计分析。 CBLs和Macintosh计算机的使用将扩大实验室活动的范围和类型，将学生的注意力从繁琐的数据收集转移到其解释和概念相关性上，允许教师教授以前从未教授过的主题，允许学生进行以前无法完成的实验，并为学生的学习和参与提供新的选择。 该项目的成功将与尤马县教育联盟分享，该联盟包括AWC、NAU-尤马、尤马联合高中学区以及九个公立学区、尤马数学和科学联盟，以及区域和国家科学教育社区，通过研讨会、专业会议上的演讲和期刊出版物。

We will use this grant to improve the Arizona Western College (AWC) General Chemistry Laboratory curriculum and the AWC / Northern Arizona University-Yuma (NAU-Yuma) Environmental Science program by augmenting and expanding lab{laboratory activities through the use of Calculator Based Laboratory (CBL units) and Macintosh computers. Faculty and students from the Departments of Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Geology along with scientists from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will participate. The proposed laboratory projects will incorporate 20 CBL units interfaced with pH, conductivity, colorimetric, and temperature probes and 2 Macintosh computers into both the AWC General Chemistry laboratory curriculum and the AWC / NAU-Yuma Environmental Science program. The CBL is an automatic data collection device from Texas Instruments that collects and stores data in a laboratory environment. The Macintosh computers will allow for a more sophisticated, graphical and statistical analysis of the experimental data. Use of CBLs and Macintosh computers will expand the range and type of laboratory activities, shift student focus from tedious data collection to its interpretation and hence conceptual relevancy, allow faculty to teach topics previously never taught, allow students to conduct experiments that previously could not be done, and give new options for student learning and participation. The successes of the project will be shared with the Yuma County Educational Consortium, which includes AWC, NAU-Yuma, the Yuma Union High School District as well as nine public school districts the Yuma Math and Science Consortium, and regional and national Science education communities through workshops, presentations at professional meetings, and journal publications.