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之间的合作项目正在开发适应性强的实验室和课程材料的先进的化学课程使用上下文丰富的教学方法。 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，让他们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。该项目是在先前NSF资助的项目的基础上进行的，物理化学与目的模块系列（DUE 0340873）通过开发补充实验室练习，向学生介绍现代研究中使用的选定光谱技术和计算方法。 实验正在开发中，具有拉曼，紫外-可见，荧光和NMR光谱，沿着计算化学和数学建模的一些组合。 该项目正在利用积极的，情境化学习的讲座和实验室教学法的最新发展，以帮助学生更深入地欣赏和理解物理化学及其与其他科学学科的关系。 模块化的分光光度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。 Gaussian程序套件被用于分子建模，Mathematica被用于数学建模。易于适应的材料，依赖于相对低成本的仪器，正在开发并通过共同的传播途径和多个数字库向整个社区提供。 正在利用合作学校的不同学生群体以及在学期和三个月的情况下对这些材料进行测试。 在每个单元的预期学生学习成果的指导下，评估和评价活动采用经验和定性方法，并在两个干预地点持续进行。 这些数据正在与实施干预措施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.