Collaboration and Guided Inquiry in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory

有机化学实验室的合作与引导探究（CGIOChem）项目通过创建、测试和评估强调结构化合作和引导探究的有机化学实验室调查来更新有机化学实验室。在这些实验室调查中，部分基于药物研究中使用的组合方法，学生既可以作为个人也可以作为团队工作。学生单独研究不同但相关的反应，或分析或合成不同但相关的分子。在参加了有指导的小组讨论之后，学生们将运用他们从个人调查中获得的知识，作为一个团队进行调查挑战。在四年制大学和两年制学院的环境中，在小型有机实验课程和大型多部分有机化学实验课程中，正在开发、微观测试、修订和测试实验室材料。CGIOChem的智力价值来自于大量的证据，这些证据表明，以学生为中心的教学方法，如探究和合作，提高了学生在科学方面的成就和参与度，并帮助他们从新手成长为研究人员。CGIOChem正在评估基于这些教学法的实验材料如何具体影响有机化学学生。所开发的材料可适用于各种有机化学课程设置，包括它最初补充的螺旋有机课程。由独立的有机化学家评估员评估学生对有机化学的理解和成就，以及学生与有机化学和其他学习者的互动。更广泛的影响包括协作和引导探究如何提高科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）课程的保留率和完成程度。

The Collaboration and Guided Inquiry in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory (CGIOChem) project is renewing the organic chemistry laboratory by creating, testing, and assessing organic chemistry laboratory investigations that emphasize both structured collaboration and guided inquiry. In these laboratory investigations, partially based upon combinatorial methods used in pharmaceutical research, students work both as individuals and as a team. Individually, students investigate different but related reactions or analyze or synthesize different but related molecules. After participating in guided, small group discussion of their individual results, students work as a team on an inquiry challenge applying their knowledge from individual investigations. The laboratory materials are being developed, micro-tested, revised, and tested in both small organic laboratory courses and large multi-section organic chemistry laboratory sessions, in both four-year university and two-year college environments. The intellectual merit of CGIOChem emerges from ample evidence that student-centered pedagogies such as inquiry and collaboration enhance student achievement in and engagement with science and help them progress from novices to researchers. CGIOChem is evaluating how laboratory materials based on these pedagogies specifically impact organic chemistry students. The materials developed may be applicable to various organic chemistry course settings including the spiral organic course it is initially complementing. Evaluation by an independent organic chemist evaluator assesses student understanding and achievement in organic chemistry and also student engagement with organic chemistry and fellow learners. The broader impacts include how collaboration and guided inquiry enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) retention and STEM degree completion.