Collaborative Research: Transforming Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Education using a Context Rich Pedagogy to Teach Kinetics, Quantum Mechanics, and Spectroscopy

诺克斯学院和格林内尔学院之间的合作项目正在开发适用于高级化学课程的实验室和课程材料，使用背景丰富的教学方法。该项目是(1)将模块化的光谱仪器和计算技术引入物理化学课程，(2)指导学生发展技能，使他们能够将物理化学概念应用于跨学科的应用，(3)评估情境实验室实验对学生理解和态度的影响，以及(4)向社会传播材料和评估结果。该项目是建立在先前国家科学基金会资助的项目--具有目的模块的物理化学系列(截止日期0340873)的基础上，通过开发补充的实验室练习，向学生介绍现代研究中使用的选定的光谱技术和计算方法。正在开展的实验包括拉曼光谱、紫外-可见光谱、荧光光谱和核磁共振光谱的一些组合，以及计算化学和数学建模。该项目正在利用积极的情景学习的讲座和实验室教学的最新发展，帮助学生加深对物理化学及其与其他科学学科的关系的欣赏和理解。模块化分光光度设备正在为物理化学实验室增加拉曼、表面增强拉曼、时间分辨荧光和化学发光的能力。GASSUS程序用于分子建模，MATHEMICA用于数学建模。依赖于相对较低成本的仪器，正在开发易于适应的材料，并通过公共传播途径和多个数字储存库向广大社区提供。这些材料正在合作学校以及学期和三学期的环境中利用不同的学生群体进行测试。在每个模块预期学生学习结果的指导下，评估和评估活动使用经验和定性方法，并在两个干预地点进行一致的管理。正在将这些数据与实施干预措施之前收集的类似数据进行比较，以确定该项目在多大程度上实现了改善学生学习成果的目标。

The collaborative project between Knox College and Grinnell College is developing adaptable laboratory and curricular materials for an advanced chemistry course using a context-rich pedagogical approach. The project is (1) introducing modular spectroscopic instrumentation and computational techniques into the physical chemistry curriculum, (2) guiding the students in developing skills that will let them apply their knowledge of physical chemistry concepts to interdisciplinary applications, (3) assessing the impact of contextualized laboratory experiments to student comprehension and attitudes, and (4) disseminating the materials and assessment findings to the community.The project is building on a prior NSF funded project, the Physical Chemistry with a Purpose module series (DUE 0340873) by developing complementary laboratory exercise that introduce students to selected spectroscopic techniques and computational methods used in modern research. Experiments are being developed featuring some combination of Raman, UV-Vis, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopy, along with computational chemistry and mathematical modeling. The project is utilizing recent developments in lecture and laboratory pedagogies of active, contextualized learning to assist students in developing a deeper appreciation for, and understanding of, physical chemistry and its relationship to other scientific disciplines. Modular spectrophotometry equipment is adding capabilities in Raman, surfaced-enhanced Raman, time-resolved fluorescence, and chemiluminescence to the Physical Chemistry Laboratories. The Gaussian suite of programs is being used for molecular modeling and Mathematica is being used for the mathematical modeling.Easily adaptable materials, relying on relatively low cost instrumentation, are being developed and made available to the community at large through both common dissemination pathways and via multiple digital repositories. The materials are being tested utilizing the diverse student populations at the collaborating schools and in both semester and trimester settings. Guided by the intended student learning outcomes for each module, the assessment and evaluation activity is using both empirical and qualitative approaches and is being consistently administered at both intervention sites. These data are being compared to similar data collected prior to the implementation of the intervention in order to establish how well the project is meeting its goals for improving student learning outcomes.