Biologically-Relevant Chemistry in the Freshman Laboratory

在一个创新的方法来教新生化学实验室，学生正在接触到各种化学原理的生物相关的化学背景下。 大量的学生采取新生化学（60%以上）追求的职业生涯在生物科学和/或医学。 这些学生通过参与真实的科学探究来了解化学在理解生物系统方面的相关性。 该计划是基于模块的，每个模块侧重于学生必须回答的生物相关问题的特定问题。 每个实验室模块设计为持续三到四周的深入研究。 该课程采用“引导发现法”教学，强调团队合作和决策。 计算机预实验室用于确保学生在进入实验室时对他们需要做的事情充满信心，互动视频帮助他们掌握困难的概念。 正在开发和测试新的计算机考试。 四个模块的主题包括：1）胃的化学; 2）皮肤癌; 3）铅中毒;和4）血液化学。 第五个单元旨在让本科生接触当地中小学的科学教学。 每个大学生观察和参与K-12科学课堂，阅读科学教育期刊上的文章，与当地学校的科学教师合作，为K-12课堂设计和教授一个基于实验室的项目，并参与讨论和评估已教授的科学课程以及关于科学教学和学习的结论。

In an innovative approach to teaching the freshman chemistry laboratory, students are being exposed to a variety of chemical principles in the context of biologically-relevant chemistry. Large numbers of students taking freshman chemistry (upwards of 60%) are pursuing careers in the biological sciences and/or medicine. These students are being shown the relevance of chemistry in understanding biological systems by engaging them in authentic scientific inquiry. The program is module-based, where each module focuses on a specific question that the students must answer about a biologically-relevant problem. Each laboratory module is designed as an in-depth study lasting three to four weeks. "A guided-discovery method" of teaching the course is employed, and teamwork and decision-making are emphasized. Computer pre-labs are used to ensure that the students are confident in what they need to do when they enter the laboratory, and interactive videos help them to grasp difficult concepts. Novel computer based examinations are being developed and tested. The topics of four of the modules include: 1) the chemistry of the stomach; 2) skin cancer; 3) lead poisoning; and 4) blood chemistry. The fifth module is designed to expose the undergraduate students to science teaching in the local primary and secondary schools. Each college student observes and participates in a K-12 science classroom, reads articles in science education journals, works with a science teacher in a local school, designs and teaches a laboratory-based project for the K-12 classroom, and participates in discussions and evaluations about the science lesson that has been taught and the conclusions that have been reached about the teaching and learning of science.