This is the fifth SLiThEr (Supporting Learning with Interactive Teaching: a Hosted, Engaging Roundtable), hosted by Drs. Kari Stone and Anthony Fernandez, in which they present and discuss some of their favorite Learning Objects from VIPEr and how they use them.
This is the 3rd SLiThEr (Supporting Learning with Interactive Teaching: a Hosted, Engaging Roundtable) in the series, hosted by both Drs. Anthony Fernandez and Meghan Porter, who discuss how they flip their classrooms. One of the classes discussed was a general chemistry course, and another was an intermediate inorganic chemistry course. The SLiThEr was recorded and posted on YouTube (see web resource link below).
This is a great site for chemistry fun while you learn. They have multiple games, most free if you want to print your own.The card game that I am using is 18. It is played like 21 or blackjack but uses metal centers and ligands to get to 18. A fun way to teach 18 e- rule and familiarize students with ligands. My husband suggests using Dove squares instead of the optional benzene "chips" for "betting" which I think will make it very competitive.
Slap count also teaches counting 18 electrons.
We have developed a set of icebreaker activities that could be used at any course level, either in an online video chat or in a classroom. These are based on the popular Mad Libs game in which some words are left out of a story and players are asked to provide words to fill in the blanks without knowing much about the story. We've provided an introduction to the game, definition of typical parts of speech that are requested (ie, adverb, noun, adjective, etc), and three starter activities.
In 2019, the journal Inorganic Chemistry updated it's scope (https://pubs.acs.org/page/inocaj/about.html). This updated scope inspired me to update my first day of class activity for Inorganic (which was typically a version of the excellent first-day LOs from VIPEr).
I asked students to read the journal scope (web link or hard copy provided) and answer a few questions in small groups:
In the time of COVID-19, a need for additional PPE in the form of face shields was deemed required for safe laboratory work when in the presence of other students and faculty. An inexpensive method was devised to convert standard laboratory safety goggles into a face shield through the use of commercially available plastic report or presentation covers (sometimes called binding covers). This LO describes the fabrication process along with chemical compatibility and flammability testing of the purchased plastic sheets.
The reciprocal interview is a first day of class strategy described by Hermann and Foster,1 centered around changing classroom norms. The instructor begins by interviewing students about their goals and expectations for the course, before later turning these around as reasonable expectations of the students. In essence, this is a strategy to invite students to think about the course in a business-like environment, and view their expectations and the instructor expectations as originating from the same set of motivations.
A spreadsheet hosted on Pete Wolczanski's webpage for calculating (mu)effective
This collection was created to compile the growing number of LOs related to diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) in chemistry. It will be updated periodically as new LOs are created.
In addition to the LOs listed, here are some other resources on VIPEr that are relevant to DEI.
Forums:
This Powerpoint presentation was developed to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the chemistry classroom. One of the challenges of modern chemistry (and other modern STEM fields) is that the history discussed in general chemistry textbooks often focuses on achievements by Western scientists. While the most prominent chemists in the area of modern atomic theory were privileged, Western white men, their ideas were influenced by centuries of chemistry practiced by peoples across the globe.