"Flipped Laboratory": A Discussion-based Electrochemistry Experiment for General Chemistry

Submitted by Samuel Esarey / University of Michigan on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 16:43
Description

This learning object is aimed at getting students to think critically about the data they collect in lab as they collect the data similar to how chemists typically conduct research.  They will be given a pre-lab video and a procedure prior to lab, conduct the experiment, and then upload their data to an Excel spreadsheet.  Students will then stay in their group to discuss the questions given to them on the worksheet in class with the instructor, and are allowed to continue working on them as a group up until the due date.

Making Connections between Inorganic Course Content and the Primary Literature

Submitted by Santiago Toledo / St. Edward's University on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 16:43
Description

This assignment is intended to help students develop basic literature reading comprehension skills as well as connect the course content to relevant primary literature. Additionally the activity is coupled to short presentations that develop communication skills.

Student Oral Presentations of a Communication from the Primary Literature

Submitted by Carmen Works / Sonoma State University on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 16:43
Description

In the humanities it is common practice to read a piece of literature and discuss it.  This is also practiced in science and is the purpose of this exercise.  Each student is assigned a communication from the current  literature (inorganic, JACS, organometallics, J. Phys.

Reaction Report

Submitted by RSwails / Lafayette College on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 15:24
Description

Students are asked to choose a type of reaction from a set list (included), determine appropriate starting materials and the resulting product and present the reaction as though they accomplished it in the laboratory setting (5 min oral presentation with a 1 page paper).  I asked the students to perform both a rough draft presentation (to me) and final draft presentation (to all students in laboratory).

Visualizing solid state structures using CrystalMaker generated COLLADA files

Submitted by Barbara Reisner / James Madison University on Wed, 06/22/2016 - 16:59
Description

Although I’m a solid state chemist, I still find it difficult to teach the visualization of solid state structures. I’m interested in any tool that helps my students visualize solids. My experience is that the more representations students can master, the more likely they are to find one that helps them understand solid state structures.

I’ve used many tools. These include

Writing Lab Reports

Submitted by John Lee / University of Tennessee Chattanooga on Wed, 03/02/2016 - 14:14
Description

Each spring semester I take on the task of teaching and grading full lab reports for my senior advanced inorganic chemistry class. For most this is their first experience writing a document of this magnitude as most other labs they have previously taken require either lab report sheets or the occasional abbreviated lab memo. As I read their lab reports each year I am reminded both how challenging it is to teach writing (more specifically scientific writing) and to grade the reports objectively.

Kayaking to Lake Washington

Submitted by Fabiola BL / The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art on Fri, 07/03/2015 - 00:51
Description

Leisure activity after days of hard work at the IONiC VIPEr workshop in Seattle, WA.

Participants rented kayaks and paddled around the lake for about 90 minutes.

Pre-requisites: Application of a generous amount of sunscreen.

The original plan was to paddle to Lake Washington, but no directions or map was provided. So given the lack of navigation skills and familiarity with the area it is no surprise that only one kayak made it all the way to lake Washington (Go team FBL & KMH!).

Interpreting XPS and CV data from an Electrocatalysis Publication

Submitted by Karen McFarlane Holman / Willamette University on Thu, 07/02/2015 - 20:32
Description

This is a learning object focused on analyzing a specific figure from a research article that show XPS and CV data on Ni(OH)2/NiOOH thin films that have incorporated Fe.

Peer Review - How does it work?: A literature discussion with a focus on scientific communication

Submitted by Mike Norris / University of Richmond on Thu, 07/02/2015 - 20:21
Description

This learning object is based on discussion of the literature, but it follows a paper through the peer review process.  Students first read the original submitted draft of a paper to ChemComm that looks at photochemical reduction of methyl viologen using CdSe quantum dots.  There are several important themes relating to solar energy storage and the techniques discussed, UV/vis, SEM, TEM, electrochemistry, and catalysis, can be used for students in inorganic chemistry.

Analyzing a journal article for basic themes, roles of authors, and the scientific method

Submitted by Darren Achey / Kutztown University on Thu, 07/02/2015 - 15:03
Description

This literature discussion is meant to give students an understanding of both the key concept-driven and more “meta” information of a literature paper.  Students will use Jillian Dempsey’s paper, “Electrochemical hydrogenation of a homogeneous nickel complex to form a surface-adsorbed hydrogen-evolving species,” to investigate paper authorship, how the scientific method is used in research, and how to understand the important findings of a research article.

 

Reference: Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 5290-5293

DOI:10.1039/C4CC08662G

 

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