General Chemistry in the Study of the Environment

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A gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer and an ion chromatograph are facilitating the development of a new introductory general chemistry course at Bates College. The two-semester course relates fundamental chemical concepts to the study of the environment. The sequence satisfies the general chemistry prerequisite for all upper-level chemistry courses and the chemistry requirement for the B.S. degree. The course is specifically designed to emphasize the process involved in conducting scientific investigations. In the class, collaborative learning methods, the effectiveness of which has been demonstrated in funded projects NSF-DUE 9450615 and NSF-DUE 9354606, are adapted and implemented. In the lab, students undertake projects that demonstrate the problem-solving nature of scientific investigations. The need for problem-based learning was the central recommendation in a recent NSF-sponsored report entitled Curricular Developments in the Analytical Sciences. In the first semester, environmental analyses from the literature that utilize gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or ion chromatography are adapted into problem-based laboratory exercises. In the second semester, students monitor the chemical constituents in a marine aquarium, an adaptation and implementation of a successful set of exercises developed in NSF-DUE 9354530. Working in teams, the students have considerable autonomy over the design and execution of the investigations. The various group activities give students experience working with others in a professional setting.