Collaborative Research: Transforming the Organic Chemistry Lab Experience: Implementation and Evaluation of a Reformed Organic Lab Curriculum Across Institutions

有机化学是各种STEM专业的大学生必修的课程。传统上，这门课程一直被视为把关人，学生认为实验室体验是对他们时间的孤立和无关紧要的利用。改革后的教学方法增加了实验室的相关性并提高了学生的成就率，事实证明，实施起来具有挑战性，特别是当实验室由研究生助教授课时。这个项目建立在以前美国国家科学基金会资助的工作(到期奖励#1245160和#1245176)的基础上，将开发、实施和研究创新的、易于采用的基于工作室的有机实验室模块。这些模块将把传统的3-4小时有机实验室转变为有意义的学习体验，包括解决问题和磨练实验室技能。该项目是研究型大学(罗切斯特理工学院)和社区学院(门罗社区学院)之间的一项合作努力，将确保材料适用于两年制和四年制环境。与区域合作伙伴合作，将开展研究，以评估学生在其他环境中的学习情况，以及采用模块的便利性、学生表现和保留率。该项目利用先前的工作，为两年制和四年制大学开发了基于工作室的有机实验室课程，并促进了其广泛的开发和实施。该项目的中心目标是加强学生对有机化学的有意义的学习和参与，并开发一个实施以改革为基础的课程的模式。为了确定这种方法的影响，该项目将衡量学生的学习和成功，并评估合作机构采用模块的简便性和保真度。鉴于致力于采用这些材料的机构的学生人数各不相同，而且离国家聋人技术学院很近，进一步的研究将确定不同学生群体的留住趋势。这将有助于培养一支更加多样化、具有全球竞争力的STEM劳动力队伍。这些成果将通过由非政府组织主办的会议、同行评议的出版物、会议报告、一个网站和教科书伙伴关系广泛传播。

Organic chemistry is required for college students majoring in a variety of STEM disciplines. Traditionally, this course has been viewed as a gatekeeper and students have considered the laboratory experience as an isolated and irrelevant use of their time. Reformed teaching methods that increase the relevance of the laboratory and increase student success have proven challenging to deliver, especially when laboratories are taught by graduate teaching assistants. This project, which builds on prior NSF-funded work (DUE Awards #1245160 and #1245176), will develop, implement, and study innovative and easy-to-adopt studio-based organic lab modules. These modules will transform the traditional 3-4 hour organic laboratory into a meaningful learning experience involving trouble-shooting problems and honing lab skills. The project is a collaborative effort between a research university (Rochester Institute of Technology) and a community college (Monroe Community College), which will ensure the materials are appropriate for use in both two-year and four-year settings. In collaboration with regional partners, studies will be conducted to evaluate student learning in other settings, as well as the ease of module adoption, student performance, and retention rates.This project leverages earlier work developing a studio-based organic laboratory curriculum for two-year and four-year colleges, and promoting its broadened development and implementation. Central goals of the project are enhancing students' meaningful learning and engagement with organic chemistry, and developing a model for implementation of reform-based curricula. To determine the impact of this approach, the project will measure student learning and success, and evaluate the ease and fidelity of module adoption at collaborating institutions. Given the diverse population of students across the institutions committed to adopt the materials and the proximity to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, further studies will identify retention trends for a diverse set of student populations. This will contribute to developing a more diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce. The results will be disseminated broadly via a PI-sponsored conference, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, a website, and a textbook partnership.