Introduction of Computers for Data Acquisition/Analysis and Molecular Visualization into Large General Chemistry Courses

这个国家大多数大型公共机构的化学实验室工作的特点是乏味的操作，这些操作似乎往往优先于培养对潜在物理现象的鉴赏力。化学系通过引入计算机设备和商业上可获得的透明接口来获取和分析数据，从而从实验室中摆脱了繁忙的工作。这些实验室工作站作为分子可视化的平台。它们在激发学生对科学的兴趣的同时，还能让学生学到更多。其目的不是用计算机模拟取代湿化学实验，而是将这些实验中使用的数据收集方法带入现代时代。简而言之，这些课程的重点正在从数据生成转向数据解释和理解。通过在大型服务课程中常规使用计算机，该大学最大限度地增加了受该项目影响的学生人数，并为尽可能多的学生提供了一种现代化学实践方法。

The general chemistry laboratory experience at most large public institutions in this country is characterized by tedious manipulations that often appear to take precedence over the development of an appreciation for the underlying physical phenomena. The chemistry department is removing the busy work from laboratories by introducing computer equipment and commercially available transparent interfaces for data acquisition and analysis. These laboratory workstations serve as platforms for molecular visualization. They allow students to learn more while they stimulate student interest in science. The intention is not to replace wet chemistry experiments with computer simulations, but rather to bring the data-collection methods used in those experiments into the modern era. In short, the focus in these courses is shifting from data generation to data interpretation and understanding. By making routine use of computers in the large service courses, the university maximizes the number of students affected by the project and provides the largest possible audience with a modern approach to the practice of chemistry.