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的合作项目是为一门高级化学课程开发适应性强的实验室和课程材料，采用情境丰富的教学方法。该项目是(1)将模块化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的知识应用于跨学科应用，(3)评估情境化实验室实验对学生理解和态度的影响，以及(4)向社区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，物理化学与目的模块系列（DUE 0340873），通过开发补充的实验室练习，向学生介绍选择的光谱技术和现代研究中使用的计算方法。实验正在进行，结合了拉曼光谱、紫外可见光谱、荧光光谱和核磁共振光谱，以及计算化学和数学建模。该项目利用课堂教学和实验室教学的最新发展，积极的，情境化的学习，帮助学生发展对物理化学及其与其他科学学科的关系的更深层次的欣赏和理解。模块化分光光度计设备为物理化学实验室增加了拉曼、表面增强拉曼、时间分辨荧光和化学发光的能力。高斯程序套件用于分子建模，Mathematica用于数学建模。目前正在开发易适应的材料，这些材料依赖于成本相对较低的仪器，并通过共同传播途径和多个数字存储库向整个社区提供。这些材料正在利用合作学校的不同学生群体，在学期和三个学期的设置中进行测试。在每个模块的预期学生学习成果的指导下，评估和评价活动使用经验和定性方法，并在两个干预点一致地进行管理。正在将这些数据与实施干预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.