X-Ray Diffraction Analysis Throughout the Curriculum: a Powerful Tool for Understanding Molecular Structure and Bonding

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Chemistry (12)Recent advances in hardware, theory, and software coupled with the rapidly improving price and performance of personal computers have combined to make single crystal diffraction methods simultaneously more powerful and easier to perform. This is rapidly increasing their importance in fields as diverse as synthetic chemistry, materials science, and structural biology in both industry and academia. For these reasons, diffraction methods are being integrated throughout the curriculum with the aid of materials produced in this project. These include the production of 1) tested instructor and student background materials and documentation, 2) tested laboratory resources including module plans and laboratory exercises, 3) a tested comprehensive single crystal diffraction methods lab manual, 4) student diffraction analysis software and software documentation, 5) annotated diffraction data sets, and 6) a website with these materials posted. Both introductory and advanced materials are being generated. At the introductory level, these materials focus on the relationship between experimentally derived structural data and bonding theory. At the more advanced level, these materials include a more comprehensive treatment of the structure/bonding relationship, modules on single crystal diffraction suitable for insertion into upper division courses of several types, and materials to support more extended treatments of these topics in dedicated courses and undergraduate research projects. The introductory materials serve a broad student base, including all science and technology majors, health and human service majors and pre-service science teachers. They are also being prepared in a form suitable for use with non-science and non-technology majors and high school chemistry students. The advanced materials serve the needs of undergraduate students majoring in chemistry and allied disciplines (e.g., biology, geology, physics, materials science and engineering). The new materials produced will be assessed comprehensively by using both peer reviewers, in a two cycle process, and by formal student assessment instruments. These will include pre- and post-exposure student outcome studies including student learning and conceptual understanding. Test sites include both university and high school laboratories and classrooms. This project strongly emphasizes the theme of the integration of technology into education and has teacher preparation and faculty development components.