Improving Student Learning and Attitudes in Chemistry Through Early Undergraduate, Interdisciplinary Research Using ICP-MS

我们将本科生早期的跨学科研究整合到第一学期的普通化学实验和地质学入门课程中。这项研究以研究我们地区的环境问题为中心。我们正在使用离子色谱法和电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）来研究一般饮用水质量和土壤铅污染，后者是奥马哈市记录的一个严重问题。该项目垂直整合到系中，以便高年级化学课程的学生在开发新的研究问题和项目中发挥持续的作用，这些问题和项目将用于入门课程。除了提高高级实验室体验的质量外，这有助于促进部门内重要的学生指导互动。该项目的目标是：1)改善学生对这一阶段科学形成的关键第一印象；2)增加化学和地质学专业的人数；3)提高学生的独立性、责任感和自我激励能力；4)提高学生对化学和地质学入门课程的保留率；5)增加职前教师学习科学的数量和课程相关性。

Chemistry (12) We are integrating early undergraduate, interdisciplinary student research into our first semester general chemistry lab and introductory geology courses. This research centers on the study of environmental problems/concerns in our area. We are using ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to study both general drinking water quality and lead contamination of soil, the latter being a documented and serious problem in the city of Omaha. The project is vertically integrated into the department so that students in the upper division chemistry courses have an ongoing role in developing new research questions and projects for use in the introductory courses. In addition to improving the quality of the upper division laboratory experience, this serves to promote significant student mentoring interactions within the department. The goals of the project are to: 1) improve the crucial first impressions that students form about science at this level; 2) increase the number of chemistry and geology majors; 3) increase student independence, responsibility, and self-motivation; 4) increase retention of students inintroductory chemistry and geology courses; and 5) increase the quantity and curricular relevance of science studied by pre-service teachers.