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All,
For those who may be interested, I have procured and pasted below the Symposium list for the 2104 BCCE at Grand Valley State University.
(http://www.bcce2014.org/index.html)
Dave
David C. Finster
Professor, Department of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Wittenberg University
937-327-6441
http://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/index.html
2104 BCCE Synmposium list
A Presentation of Graduate Students' Final Chemistry Education Research (CER) Projects Sonia Underwood
It is beneficial for students to present their research at conferences for professional development and to inform their community about current findings. Usually these presentations are a snapshot of students' research projects and may not always provide the community with a true understanding of the students' complete research project. We invite students to this symposium who have recently graduated (within the last year) or soon to graduate (within the next year) to present an overview of their research in an expanded time frame (30-minute presentation time and ten minutes for questions). To accommodate the longer presentation time, we ask that students submit two identical abstracts, labeled as Part 1 and Part 2 for this symposium.
Adapting to Emerging Trends: Revision of the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs Susan Shih, Joan Sabourin
The two-year college chemistry landscape is a rich and varied arena. Since 1970, ACS has provided guidelines to support excellence in two-year college programs. Last updated in 2009, the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year Colleges has provided a highly flexible model that addresses the challenges faced in a wide variety of two-year chemistry transfer, technology, and support systems. Starting in 2014, the Guidelines will be revised to address emerging trends in the higher education landscape.
This symposium will address the role of the Guidelines in two-year college chemistry education, changes in the landscape over the past five years, and the process for keeping the Guidelines current. Through presentations and discussions, participants will have the opportunity to share their thoughts on changes needed to keep the Guidelines current with the needs of the community.
Advice for the New/Returning Professor: What I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Teaching Thomas Jose
The intent of this symposium is to mentor rookie college/university professors through the sometimes harrowing early years of college level teaching. Talks will focus on the mechanics of teaching to a college audience and create a clearinghouse of anecdotes and ideas related to teaching science at the college university level. Topics that may be addressed include teaching to the Millennial generation, teacher v. student expectations, accommodating different learning styles in the same classroom, incorporating innovative and not so innovative teaching methods, teaching at a 2 year v. 4 year institution, small versus large class dynamics, balancing teaching and research, promotion and tenure issues.
Affective Dimensions in Chemistry Education: Focus on Educational Technology & Learning Objects Murat Kahveci
The affective domain refers to feelings-based constructs such as attitudes, values, beliefs, opinions, interests, and motivation. As opposed to cognitive dimensions, the affective dimensions in chemistry education received less attention by researchers. Educational technology on the other hand has been very popular in many fields of education, while it is slowly emerging in chemistry education. A branch of educational technology deals with Learning Objects (LOs), in which framework bits of reusable information are gathered in conjunction with guiding pedagogical and instructional theories to deliver instructional materials over the Internet. LOs could be effectively used in chemistry education at college or above levels to foster learning chemistry while supporting students' emotional based needs through self-guiding, fast feedback, and individualized learning systems. This symposium will host the research and theoretical papers that are related to the affective dimensions i!
n chemistry education that is enriched by educational technology implementations, LOs in particular.
Argumentation in the K - 16 Chemistry Curriculum Nicole M. Becker, Jeffrey R. Raker
Engaging in scientific practices, such as argumentation, has been highlighted as a potential way to help students develop a deeper understanding of core content ideas as well as the nature of scientific inquiry. This symposium will focus on the role of argumentation in students' development of expertise in chemistry content at the K - 12 and undergraduate level. Contributed papers should address research related to the way that students engage in argumentation or the ways in which argumentation-related learning objects can be used to support learning of chemistry concepts within the K - 16 chemistry curriculum. Related research on the use of argumentation as a framework for exploring the ways in which students engage with chemistry ideas may also be addressed.
Assessment Strategies that Inform Teaching and Learning in Organic Chemistry David Cartrette, Margaret Asirvatham
Learning organic chemistry can be difficult for students for a number of reasons, in particular because it requires a different approach to learning the material than previous chemistry courses students have taken. As such, instructors often must use different approaches to teach organic chemistry such that students can be successful in their learning of the discipline. This symposium invites speakers with interests in the thoughtful use of assessment strategies, both formative and summative, as they are used in organic chemistry courses and their associated laboratories. Empirical studies related to evaluating metacognition, alternative evaluation strategies, learning outcomes, concept inventory use, and other novel, innovative approaches are welcome.
Atoms First in the Chemistry Curriculum Jason Overby
The atoms first approach to teaching chemistry has seen a dramatic rise in its use over the past few years at a variety of institutions. To provide more insight to this phenomenon, this symposium will focus on the incorporation of this method of teaching chemistry across the curriculum. While atoms first is normally considered only a part of general chemistry, it is indeed possible to teach the approach in other courses. How has this approach been incorporated at various institutions ranging from high school to major research universities? Does this require a different pedagogy to fully execute atoms first? How are the laboratory courses affected by the use of atoms first? These are but a few of the questions this symposium hopes to answer with a very broad look at atoms first across the curriculum.
Atoms First, Atoms Right: Right and Wrong Ways to Approach Atoms, Bonding and Molecules Within the Atoms First Framework Tyler Y. Takeshita, David E. Woon, Thom H. Dunning Jr.
Recently, the Atoms First approach has gained popularity, resulting in a revamped syllabus for general chemistry. However, current implementations of the approach largely fail to reflect the mature state of knowledge on the topics of atoms, bonding, and molecules from the perspective of modern quantum chemistry. The primary emphasis of this symposium is on updating the fundamental science covered by the Atoms First approach to better reflect a rigorous understanding of the quantum chemical principles that describe atoms, molecules and bonding. The objective is to convey difficult concepts at a level appropriate for general chemistry students without sacrificing rigor, as traditional approaches such as Lewis structures, the octet rule, and VSEPR often do. While the principal emphasis of the symposium is on getting the fundamental science right, presentations that bring to light weaknesses in the existing curriculum or characterize students' misconceptions are also appropriate.
Authentic Research Experiences in the First and Second Year Curriculum Nichole Powell, Brenda Harmon
Authentic research experiences allow students to practice being scientists; to be exposed to the way chemists approach problems, how knowledge is acquired, and the use of evidence to support that knowledge. The ability to embrace uncertainty, not knowing the "right" answer, is an integral aspect of this experience, but it is often a difficult process for freshmen and sophomores. This symposium invites discussion on the use of authentic research projects in the first and second year laboratory curriculum. Presentations should include important aspects of the successful incorporation of research projects into the curriculum as well as the challenges faced in the development of the program. The inclusion of tools used in the assessment of student gains related to the development of scientific inquiry skills is also encouraged.
Big 10 Gen Chem Labs: Advances, Innovations, and Challenges Joe Keiser
This symposium will provide a forum for discussing the current state of the general chemistry labs at universities in the Big 10 Conference. Topics of discussion, while aimed at large, research-oriented chemistry departments, will be relevant to most any other size chemistry department. This symposium invites presentations that outline any innovative approach to teaching general chemistry labs, whether successful or not. The organizers believe sharing both successes and failures will stimulate discussion and facilitate progress for all involved.
Biochemistry Education: Discussion of the Laboratory Environment Kimberly J. Linenberger, Jeffrey R. Raker
Biochemistry education is unique in that students must synthesize learning from many courses (e.g., chemistry and biology) and attain a high-level of representational competence to be successful. Additionally, biochemistry education is unique in that the host department for undergraduate biochemistry courses can be found in many disciplines such as chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and medicine. Thus, research studies and discussions of practice within the laboratory can be found in many journals and spanning a number of disciplines. The purpose of this symposium is to provide a forum for biochemistry education researchers and practitioners to present their work in the biochemistry teaching laboratory.
Biochemistry Education: Discussions of the Lecture and Laboratory Learning Environment Rodney Austin, Thomas Bussey
This symposium will focus on teaching innovations and educational research related to the biochemistry learning environment. Both lecture and laboratory can provide students with the opportunity to grow and develop their understanding of the molecular life science concepts and practices. However, as many biochemistry educators can attest, this potential for student learning is not often fully realized. We invite those teaching lecture or laboratory courses in all areas of biochemistry to share their work on topics such as, but not limited to, active learning, online education, biochemical visualization and discovery-based laboratory activities. We encourage all symposium speakers to include some form of assessment such as results from surveys, exam questions, student interviews, or formal assessment instruments in their presentation.
cCWCS: Developing Faculty Communities to Transform Undergraduate Teaching and Learning
David Collard, Lawrence Kaplan, Patricia Hill, Jerry Smith
The Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops and Communities of Scholars program (cCWCS, NSF-TUES Type 3 Project #1022895) offers opportunities for college and university faculty to explore and refine new pedagogies and curriculum material. Topical workshops, which remain a central part of the project, are designed to provide a background of key areas of the chemical sciences along with pedagogical methods to introduce the topics into the undergraduate curriculum. The development of faculty communities through sponsorship of numerous miniworkshops, creation of topical web portals, and reunions, allows for the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and support for improving instruction in chemistry and related disciplines. This symposium will feature workshop alumni and instructors, and leaders of topical communities. A particular emphasis is on how workshop participants have used workshop materials and follow-up activities to modify their classes, develop entirely new courses and est!
ablish new degree programs. For more information, please visit us at www.ccwcs.org.
Chemical Education Research: Project Design and Data Collection Techniques Amy Flanagan Johnson, Oluwatobi Odeleye
During a typical 20-minute presentation, a speaker can spend just a moment or two describing the highlights of his/her data collection plan before moving on to the "good stuff," the data and results. The purpose of this symposium is to provide time to elaborate on the best practices in project design and data collection techniques. After all, a really interesting project that contains an ill-conceived data collection plan will not yield meaningful results. Papers that discuss issues associated with participant recruitment, selection, and sample size determination; describe how to determine what data collection technique(s) to employ; explain the pros and cons of particular techniques; and/or elucidate how data collection plans connect with other components of a project (literature review, theoretical framework, analysis techniques, etc.) are particularly welcome. The focus of this symposium is on the pragmatic aspects of developing and implementing a data collection plan, ra!
ther than on specific research results.
Chemistry of Fermented Beverages Roger Barth
Fermented beverages are arguably the topic with the second greatest potential to attract student interest in chemistry. Beer and wine are being increasingly used as a focal point for chemistry education. Brewing and wine making involve all subdisciplines of chemistry. They have played a key role in the history and development of chemistry. This symposium will feature work on the chemical/educational implications of beer and wine origins, history, production, flavor, packaging, testing, and stability as well as to related issues such as environmental impact, economic/legal aspects, and health issues. Submissions can apply to experiences in the classroom, teaching laboratory, internships/field experiences, or to academic research.
Creative Uses of Computational Chemistry in Undergraduate Courses and Curricula Shawn Sendlinger , Trilisa M. Perrine, William F. Polik, JR Schmidt
In addition to theory and experiment, computational modeling has become established as another tool to assist chemists in their work. Advances in computer hardware and software have now made these tools available to everyone. This symposium will highlight innovative ways that these tools are being used to enhance the learning experience of students in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Activities that involve molecular modeling, visualization, simulation, mathematical software, and other computational methods will be highlighted. Course-specific examples as well as efforts that integrate computation throughout the curriculum will be included.
Curricular Mapping for Chemistry Courses and Program Assessment Paul Szalay, Deepa Perera, Eric Schurter
Curricular mapping is an effort to organize and link core skills and content for the purposes of reviewing and assessing a curriculum. This mapping can take place within an individual course, a series of courses, or throughout an entire program. A wide variety of visual and organizational methodologies can be employed to this end. Common goals in mapping include checking for unnecessary redundancies, inconsistencies, weaknesses, and gaps in a curriculum as well as attempting to identify opportunities for better integration of key concepts. A variety of questions will be considered. What types of planning and tools are necessary for effective implementation of a mapping plan? What benefits and pitfalls are encountered with this approach? How can these efforts result in a cohesive and comprehensive assessment plan?
Demonstrations that Develop Conceptual Understanding in Chemistry Jamie Benigna, Jeff Hepburn
Demonstrations are often used by teachers as a way to grab the attention of students and illustrate chemical phenomena. The "wow, gee whiz" demonstration is effective as a hook to pique student interest, but it is less frequently used to help develop chemistry concepts. This symposium will focus on demonstrations that can be implemented to facilitate student learning above and beyond engagement and application, placing particular emphasis on instructional strategies that help students develop rich conceptual understanding of familiar chemistry topics. Presentation abstracts must include a description of the demonstration as well as the specific instructional techniques which promote conceptual understanding of chemistry.
Developing Data Analysis, Evaluation, and Discussion Skills AmyLou Martin
The analysis and interpretation of data is a cornerstone of science. While the design of experiments, use of technology, and innovation are important; it is essential that students at all levels develop techniques and have opportunities for analysis and interpretation of their experimental results. Students need training in identification of errors both in procedure and data collection, and chances to determine what matters (or doesn't). Presenting opportunities for data analysis and interpretation in different forms is essential to all levels of chemistry instruction. This symposium is intended to provide opportunities to discuss new and old techniques used that enhance the students understanding of data analysis.
Dual Enrollment in General Chemistry Thomas Higgins
Dual enrollment in high school and college chemistry courses is becoming more common as students and parents seek to stretch financial aid and tuition dollars. This is especially true at community colleges, which often have close relationships with the high schools in their service area. When done appropriately, dual enrollment courses can be extremely beneficial to both students and the faculty members who teach them. There are challenges, however. This symposium will discuss positive examples of dual enrollment for others to emulate as well as the challenges and pitfalls that must be avoided.
Early Matters: Engaging High School and Community College Students in Research Desmond Murray
This symposium will feature talks that involve the philosophy, benefits and mechanics of engaging students in authentic research much earlier than is conventionally done. Authentic research means work done by students that addresses questions for which the answers are not known beforehand. Early research is defined as authentic research done before graduate school by high school and early-stage college students, including community college students.
Part of the impetus for advocating for universal adoption of early research are the many credible and authoritative reports over the span of the last 30 years indicating that (a) American K-16 science education is underperforming both on the global scale and internally vs the pre- eminence of American graduate level science education, and (b) specifically, according to the National Research Council 2005 report, 'the quality of science laboratory experiences is poor for most U.S. high school students.'
Electronic Laboratory Notebooks: The Paperless Laboratory? Mark Jensen
Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are becoming increasingly popular in laboratories representing all areas of science. ELNs offer a number of potential advantages over traditional paper-bound notebooks, including better data sharing, data searching, and archiving capabilities. While a recent review described 35 commercial ELNs currently on the market, some labs have successfully employed more generic software such as Google Docs, OneNote, or MediaWiki for ELN purposes. This symposium will allow presenters to share their experiences with ELNs in the teaching laboratory.
Engaging Students in Organic Chemistry Barbara Murray
This symposium includes presentations of a variety of methods for engaging students in organic chemistry. These could range from individual creative activities to year-long methods of teaching using new pedagogies and anything in between.
Engaging Students in Physical Chemistry Craig Teague
Presentations in this symposium may include new laboratory or classroom exercises, new approaches to the structure of the physical chemistry curriculum, active learning pedagogies, the inclusion of contemporary research topics in the curriculum, and the interface of physical chemistry with other disciplines. Discussions will include issues in the physical chemistry curriculum and strategies to improve student engagement.
Enriching Professional Preparation of Students: Vertical Skill Integration and Capstone Experiences Anne McCoy
The 2014 edition of the ACS Guidelines for Bachelor Degree Programs will strongly encourage approved programs to require that their certified chemistry majors participate in a capstone experience. An important aspect of this integrative experience is the opportunity it provides programs to assess their students' ability to integrate knowledge, use the chemical literature and demonstrate effective communication skills. In this CPT-sponsored symposium, we will explore possible approaches for providing such experiences and for using these experience in the assessment of certified majors. The sympoium will consist of a combination of invited and contributed talks as well as small group discussion among the participants. The ACS Committee on Professional Training expects that a broad range of approaches could be taken to provide students with appropriate capstone experiences. Examples include undergraduate research, an advanced laboratory course, a more traditional skill-focu!
sed capstone course, or a mentored teaching experience. The CPT hopes to use this symposium to simulate discussion of how professional development of students could be promoted through such upper-level skill-focused experiences.
Exemplary Papers in Chemistry Education Research Diane Bunce
This symposium will feature exemplary papers in chemistry education research by authors who have been invited by the DivCHED Chemical Education Research Subcommittee to present. The purpose of the symposium is to highlight high quality published research that demonstrates good research methodology, analysis and presentation on important questions in the field. Authors who have published such papers within the past 2 years will be invited to present their research and discuss how it was accomplished.
Experiments We Do: Short Stories Edition Curtis Pulliam
Have you developed a new experiment, or modified an existing one in a novel way, which you believe has high educational value, is different, is cool, or is just plain fun? Do you wish share your ideas with your Chem Ed colleagues, but don't think you need 15-20 minutes for a presentation? This symposium allows you to present one or two laboratory experiments or activities in a 5-8 minute presentation for each. Presenters can tell us why the lab was developed, why they think it is useful (why it is neat!), and the nuts-and-bolts of doing the experiment or activity. Presentations will be grouped based on the laboratory class involved. Presenters in this symposium can present one or two short talks that count as one under the BCCE's "Rule of Two".
Flipping the Classroom Jennifer Muzyka, Chris Luker
The flipped classroom facilitates active engagement between students and teachers during class time, usually through the use of technology to present material to students before the concepts are discussed in class. This innovative pedagogical method is used by educators ranging from elementary school through college. There are many different technological tools used to implement this pedagogical method. Some educators pre-record lectures of themselves presenting material, others use screen casts to convey information to students before attending class in order to facilitate more peer-to-peer learning, and some teachers use a flipped classroom approach that does not involve videos. Ultimately, the shift in learning is focused on changing the classroom from passive to active. The focus of our symposium will be about how teachers use the face-to-face class time gained by changing from a completely lecture based classroom. This symposium is sponsored by the CHED Committee !
on Computers in Chemical Education.
Food Chemistry Keith Symcox
This symposium will explore how educators use food to heighten student interest in chemistry. Submissions should highlight either examples of novel course design using food chemistry, or else novel uses of food in the classroom to stimulate interest. Submissions are welcome from all levels of chemical education. This symposium is sponsored by cCWCS.
Fostering Innovations through Collaboration between College and Pre-College Chemistry Teachers Sarah Boesdorfer, Michelle Dean, Terri Taylor
This full-day symposium will focus on the innovations that have emerged through partnerships between college chemistry departments and pre-service and in-service teachers. The morning session will focus on the innovative ways in which college chemistry departments have become involved in the preparation of pre-service teachers. The afternoon session will turn to focus on how in-service pre-college chemistry teachers are collaborating with college chemistry departments to introduce innovative approaches to teaching and learning into their classrooms. Programs of interest include state and federally funded professional development experiences, Advanced Placement institutes, and technology-based workshops. Presenters from both the pre-college and college chemistry communities are invited to submit proposals to this symposium.
General Papers Jessica VandenPlas
Submissions to this session are encouraged from presenters that feel that their work does not fit into any of the predefined symposia.
General Posters Ellen Yezierski, Jessica VandenPlas
All attendees who wish to present their work in the form of a poster should submit abstracts to this symposium. A poster provides a concise and visual description of the work that serves as a backdrop for interactions between the author and session attendees. Attendees rotate through posters, stopping to read and ask questions at their convenience while authors answer questions and provide clarifications and additional information. More information about posters can be found in the Poster Guidelines document on the submission site's main page.
George R. Hague Jr. Memorial AP Chemistry Symposium Kathleen Kitzmann
This symposium is designed for teachers of Advanced Placement Chemistry. We will reflect together on our struggles and successes during the first year of the revised AP Chemistry curriculum. Topics covered will include input from the College Board and the Test Development Committee. Presenters will also share ideas, demos, labs, and other best practices related to the new curriculum. The symposium honors the many outstanding contributions made by George Hague to chemical education.
GOB Chemistry - What Do We Include and How Do We Deliver? Laura Frost
Many health professions programs require one or two semesters of chemistry as a General, Organic, and Biochemistry (GOB) course. This course has a unique set of challenges for the chemical educator including time management, content expectations by programs, and unprepared students who may not see how chemistry applies to their major. Educators are invited to present on their development/management of course content, assessment of student learning, or evidence-based classroom instructional strategies. This session will conclude with a discussion where the audience and the presenters will identify successful trends in teaching the GOB course.
Graduate Student Research in CER Lianne Schroeder, John Balyut
This symposium aims to serve as a forum in which graduate students may share their work in chemical education research (CER), as well as a venue to network with other members of the CER community. The symposium consists of a series of presentations, each lasting 20 minutes, including two to four minutes for discussion. This is a great opportunity for graduate students in CER to gain feedback and suggestions on how to enhance the quality of their projects from more experienced researchers in the field. It is also a chance for the CER community to learn about new research ideas being explored by CER graduate students.
Guided, Guided Inquiry Labs Steven Brown
Learning how to teach guided inquiry labs can be difficult even for the most experienced teachers. For new teaching assistants it can be an impossible assignment. Without proper guidance the guided inquiry lab can result in a horrible experience for both students and TA. The symposium will discuss methods for guiding (training) teaching assistants to run guided inquiry labs, problems associated with using teaching assistants to lead guided inquiry labs and examples of successful solutions.
High School Teaching as a Profession Gregory Rushton, Debbie Herrington, Ellen Yezierski, Doug Ragan
A recent longitudinal study of the US public high school chemistry teaching workforce indicates that this population is becoming increasingly less experienced and exhibiting a high rate of turnover. One way to improve retention is to develop communities of practice centered on activities that improve teaching and learning and facilitate continuous growth. In this symposium, we aim to identify ways in which teachers can grow and build a long-term teaching career in the face of the multiple challenges they face. Presentations in this symposium will explore the pathways of teachers who have engaged in activities that have positively shaped their perceptions of remaining in the career long-term, and highlight models for professional growth that can be applied across a range of school and state settings.
History & Philosophy and the Teaching of Chemistry Geoff Rayner-Canham, Marelene Rayner-Canham
In order to plan for the future, we need to look to the past - where has the teaching of chemistry come from? Why do we teach what we do? Do we mindlessly teach what we were taught? Who were the major influences on the teaching of chemistry and on what has been taught? Many questions! Do you have any of the answers?
How Do We Know What Students Know? Thomas Bussey, Stephanie Ryan
A major factor determining what someone can learn is what they already know. As such, it is important for educators to glean what information they can about what prior knowledge students have when they come into their classrooms. Additionally, much of educational research focuses on assessing and/or improving student learning outcomes. But what do we really know about what's happening inside of the minds of our students? No one knows exactly what someone else is thinking. Instead, we often interpret and infer what students know based on what they say or do. This symposium will provide a platform for researchers and educators to discuss underlying theories, methodologies, assessments, and analyses aimed at understanding how we think we know what students know.
Impact of the Next Generation Science Standards on K-20 Chemical Education Amy Flanagan Johnson
The implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards should lead to a major shift in how science in general, and chemistry in particular, is experienced and learned by students. While the NGSS are K-12 standards, their impact will also be felt in higher education. Once students have developed deep, integrated scientific knowledge through their K-12 education, they may reasonably expect that their college courses will be an extension of the disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and practices with which they have become familiar. Traditional lecture-based college chemistry courses with decontextualized laboratories likely won't be adequate to meet their needs. As such, the NGSS are a call for ALL chemistry educators to carefully consider their classroom and laboratory practices. In this symposium, we will start to consider how the NGSS will impact K-20 classrooms and how we as a community can support each other in implementing this new vision of chemistry educ!
ation.
Implementing Open Education Resources into Chemistry Courses Riham Mahfouz
There is a wealth of educational material currently available online, with sources such as MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, OpenStax, to name only a few. There is now a trend in higher education to design courses using these and other Open Educational Resources (OER) in both lecture and laboratory courses. The benefits to students and instructors include eliminating costly textbook and manual expenses as well as the flexibility and diversity of online resources. Talks in this symposium will cover the guidelines for using OER resources, discussions of resources currently available and discussions of the successes in designing and teaching chemistry courses which utilize them.
Importance of the Affective Domain in Research and Teaching Shalini Srinivasan, Kristen Murphy
Assessing student affect has become an important aspect of chemistry education research over the past few decades, with Likert becoming a household name for most affect inventories. Students' attitudes, interests and values have been known to dictate their academic paths in fairly profound ways; finding effective methods to measure affective outcomes is a crucial component of research, now more than ever.
This symposium will include presentations on current inventories/instruments that measure affective outcomes, how these data have impacted cognitive achievements, teaching practices and student retention and what the future holds for research in this domain.
Innovations in Teaching Analytical Chemistry Mary Walczak, Caryl Fish
The teaching of Analytical Chemistry - both at the Quantitative Analysis and Instrumental Analysis levels - is an evolving enterprise. This symposium is intended to highlight new teaching and learning strategies in the classroom and laboratory. Presentations that highlight new teaching methods such as process oriented guided inquiry, computer simulations, case studies and other engaging pedagogies are welcome. Strategies that focus on the application of analytical approaches to interdisciplinary fields, such as bioanalytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, forensic analysis, chemical sensors are also encouraged.
Innovative School - University Science Education Partnerships Sidney Hooker, Louise Maddock
This presentation will reveal how to establish and implement an effective school-university science education partnership program, which specifically builds the capacity of secondary school science teachers to teach science; and raises the science aspirations of school students.
The Australian award-winning Griffith Science Education Alliance (GSEA) provides a coherent, coordinated, region-wide approach to science education and science outreach in the South East Education Region of Queensland. The GSEA provides local schools with access to engaging and challenging science experiences and in-depth, ongoing, innovative approaches to science education.
Contrary to current Australian trends, the GSEA programs have contributed to increased enrolments in senior secondary and tertiary science programs in South-East Queensland and helped address the shortage of qualified Australians in science, technology and engineering. In addition to this, the GSEA model has been used as a framework for the development of the Queensland STEM Education Network.
Institutional Initiatives for Introductory Student Success Aimee Miller
Introductory chemistry courses are an early part of most science curricula and sometimes serve as an unintentional barrier to student completion of STEM degrees. This symposium will explore institutional initiatives aimed at enhancing student success in introductory chemistry courses and related issues. Has your school tried something new, successfully or not? What concerns have driven change or resistance? Many schools have teaching centers for faculty or tutoring centers for students. Are these working on your campus, why or why not? How are best practices from individual classrooms transferred more broadly within a department or school? Freshman seminars or early research experiences may help focus and motivate students. Can these be reasonably implemented given limitations in personnel and resources? What aspects have you found to be most valuable for students? By sharing stories, we may be better prepared to launch programs that keep STEM accessible to all interested st!
udents.
Instrumentation in the Chemistry Laboratory Classroom: Lessons from Community Colleges Jennifer Batten, Bernard Liburd
Incorporating technology and instrumentation into the chemistry laboratory classroom is now the norm at many colleges and universities as faculty seek ways to engage students in course material, improve critical thinking skills and prepare students for research experiences and the workforce. However, with the current constraints in education, such as limited budgets, large and many course sections and fewer tenured/tenure track positions, the challenge to continue to acquire, incorporate and maintain instrumentation can be daunting. As a result, faculty must seek innovative ways to include relevant technology and instrumentation in their courses. During this symposium, presenters will describe and discuss methods to best deliver hands on use of and understanding of instrumentation in the laboratory classroom.
Instrumentation in the General Chemistry Laboratory Curtis Pulliam
This symposium provides chemical educators utilizing advanced chemical instrumentation in the general chemical laboratory the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences. Presentations may include descriptions of instrumental additions to older labs, entirely new experiments centered around modern chemical instrumentation, or descriptions of a series of instrumental experiences that occur during the general chemistry course.
Integrating Green Chemistry Across the Curriculum Loyd Bastin, Susan Sutheimer
This symposium will highlight the incorporation of green and sustainable chemistry across the curriculum. The symposium will examine new classroom teaching modules/courses, learning methods and educational research, as well as laboratory experiments and experiences having their roots in the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry. The symposium will focus on green chemistry materials designed to educate undergraduates at community colleges, four year colleges and graduate institutions.
Integrating Library and Information Resources into Chemistry Curricula Charity Lovitt, Kristin Shuyler
Information literacy, the ability to find and evaluate information resources, is an important skill for future scientists. For example, students and scientists need to distinguish between information provided by Wikipedia, ChemSpider, research journals, and the New York Times. Professors and librarians often teach this skill through database demonstrations, video tutorials, and lectures. However, it is possible to increase the impact of these activities by designing chemistry projects that incorporate information literacy as a learning outcome. This symposium provides a forum to share activities that help students find and evaluate information resources in the context of a science course. Of particular interest are activities and assignments that integrate information literacy and chemical literacy. All forms of activities are encouraged including videos, course projects, in-class activities, and online activities.
Interactive Technology in the Classroom: Innovation, Challenges, and Best Practices for Student Engagement and Learning Julia Chamberlain, Brett McCollum, Ingrid Ulbrich
With the growing number of available interactive educational technology resources, chemistry educators are confronted with both new challenges and innovative opportunities when integrating these technologies into classroom practice. This symposium invites presentations on innovative in-class uses of interactive technologies by students, as well as implementation challenges and best practices for effective use. Interactive technologies on mobile devices and computers can include: student open-response tools; animations, simulations, and other interactive visualization tools; virtual open inquiry spaces; multi-touch interactive books; and others. Presentations can focus on the use of interactive technologies to foster a more student centered classroom, enhance student engagement and learning, or provide formative assessment to students and instructors. Research on technology use, discussion of implementation challenges in high school and university settings, and best pract!
ices for technology-specific facilitation are welcomed. This symposium is sponsored by the ACS CHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education, http://www.ccce.divched.org/.
Interdisciplinary Chemistry Courses: Integrating Chemistry and .... Graeme Wyllie
At the undergraduate level, an awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary connections has increased significantly in the last few years and a number of institutions have attempted to combine the traditional chemistry course or even whole programs with other subjects such as, but not limited to, biology, physics and mathematics. Integration of chemistry and another subject(s) can happen in either the laboratory environment, the lecture or both with a particular challenge lying in being able to mesh the separate courses seamlessly. The integrated courses generally aim to increase the interdisciplinary awareness of participating students, strengthening connections between the disciplines and giving a bigger picture awareness. Of course, this integration poses particular challenges such as not sacrificing the materials that would be obtained from taking the courses separately but the potential rewards are significant and this symposium is designed to discuss these.
Issues in Teaching and Learning in the Chemistry Laboratory Barbara L. Gonzalez, Kereen Monteyne
The purpose of this symposium is to provide a forum to discuss diverse approaches for teaching in the chemistry laboratory. Issues that may be addressed in this symposium include: the role of inquiry in the chemistry laboratory, the unique aspects of the laboratory which target specific learning objectives, the potential link between learning science in laboratory and lecture environments, and the practical constraints to providing quality laboratory experiences in diverse settings. Presenters are encouraged to report preliminary data on research in progress. Symposium presenters and the audience are also encouraged to pose questions for discussion on issues addressed during the session. A panel discussion will follow the presentations.
Liberal Arts Content and Pedagogy in the Chemistry Classroom: Making Connections Between Disciplines Kathryn D. Kloepper, Garland L. Crawford
The goal of this symposium is to discuss implementation of content and teaching approaches from the liberal arts into chemistry classes. Interdisciplinary connections in chemistry classes can help engage students and promote higher-order learning. Strategies for bringing material from humanities and social sciences into chemistry lectures and laboratories through themed courses or specific class activities will be presented. Teaching strategies adapted from non-science disciplines, such as discussion-based lecture, group work, and writing assignments, will be discussed. Speakers are encouraged to address challenges in incorporating liberal arts teaching strategies and the impact that these techniques have on student learning and engagement. Submissions from all levels of chemistry courses, including non-majors and high school courses, are encouraged.
Making Chemistry Palatable for Non-Chemistry Majors Nicole John-Thomas
This symposia seeks to highlight the challenges, innovations, successes and failures experienced by chemistry educators whose main task involves the education of non-chemistry majors. Papers are sought that will provide insight into successful methods to motivate and educate diverse populations of students who may be either science or non-science majors but who are all non-chemistry majors. Of particular interest are educators who teach chemistry to students majoring in Nutriton, Agriculture, Biology, Nursing and the Arts. Presenters are encouraged to share their experiences with respect to pedagogical efficacy, student motivation, innovative methods of student assessment and efficient course management.
Mathematics; Its Role in Teaching and Learning Chemistry, Part II W. Cary Kilner
We had a very productive discussion at the 2012 BCCE and will continue along some of the following threads; please feel free to suggest others. A lack of fluency with mathematics can present an unnecessary obstacle to a life-science major and future career. What mathematics must students understand and be able to do to succeed in general chemistry, thus what skills should they bring from high school preparatory or introductory chemistry? When students aren't prepared for our course, for what part of mathematics instruction must we take responsibility? Is the mathematics that students study in their math classes the same mathematics they will use in your class? How can mathematics education research inform us regarding the issues our students encounter in our courses? Some students approach calculations algorithmically and problem-solve without a full conceptual understanding. How can we affect this? What new diagnostics are available? How are they best designed? What about m!
ath diagnostics for physical chemistry?
"Message in a Bottle": How Do We Reach Millennial Students? James Zubricky, Kristi Mock
Teaching chemistry can be a daunting task in that one must continually ask themselves the question, "How do you stay current in teaching?" Almost every educator has - at one time or another - felt that they could have taught a course better, or has tried to find ways to improve on how to involve students in the classroom. This symposium is geared towards any high school or college professor who, with apologies to Sting, has sent out that SOS message and is looking for new ideas and new ways to teach chemistry by using technology, creative lessons, and/or tried-and-true best practices in the classroom. It is through the sharing of ideas and philosophies on teaching where we, as educators, can increase student learning, increase student retention rates, and attract more students to study chemistry and science.
Metacognition in Chemistry Education Seth Anthony
Metacognition -- sometimes described as "thinking about one's own thinking" -- broadly encompasses various facets of metacognitive monitoring (knowledge of what one knows) and metacognitive control (regulation of one's own thinking processes), and has been linked to topics ranging from studying choices to problem-solving strategies to conceptual change. In this symposium, we hope to bring together discussions and research on the role of metacognition within teaching and learning chemistry that have previously appeared scattered among disparate symposia. To that end, this symposium invites submissions on metacognition in chemistry education, including, but not limited to: assessing student metacognition in various contexts and by various methods, relationships between metacognition and performance, interactions between metacognition and other student characteristics, and interventions or curricula designed to foster improved student metacognition in chemistry.
Multisensory Science Approaches for Teaching Chemistry to Students with Special Needs Cary Supalo
This symposium seeks to feature chemical education research and/or teacher experiences for multi-sensory ways of teaching chemistry concepts. These methodologies should describe multi-modal feedback in either the lecture or laboratory environments. Specific examples with students will also be welcome. Presentations that describe the inclusion of students with disabilities are also strongly encouraged. New tools and/or teaching techniques that are used to fully integrate students with disabilities are also welcomed.
New Directions in Academic Lab Safety Dave Finster
Safety in academic labs is taking on more importance in both high schools and colleges. This symposium will address best practices in academic lab safety instruction and department strategies to foster safe laboratories across the educational spectrum. It is expected that presentations will stimulate robust conversations about current and future practices.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Science and Engineering Practices in the High School Classroom Annette Dobrzynski; Ryan Schoenborn
Unlike other standard documents that only stress the importance of knowledge, the NGSS also focuses on science and engineering practices to help students understand science. Students who engage in these practices develop a deeper understanding of how scientific knowledge is developed and this helps make their knowledge more meaningful. This symposium will focus on activities that effectively engage students in science and engineering practices, as well as provide teaching strategies for incorporating these practices into your tried and true lessons.
NSF Programs that Support Undergraduate Education Robert Boggess, Cindy Burkhardt
This Symposium will feature speakers whose projects have been funded by the National Science Foundation to support undergraduate education. These projects (TUES, ATE, NSDL, Noyce Scholarship Program, S-STEM, etc.) have developed new educational materials, new strategies for delivering educational material, meaningful evaluation of learning gains, means to support faculty development, scholarships for STEM students, and so forth, all aimed toward improving the learning of chemistry or other STEM disciplines by undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds and career aspirations. A NSF Program Officer will present an overview of current NSF programs and will participate in a question/answer session.
Physical Chemistry Education Research Michael Mack, Marcy Towns
The purpose of this symposium is to explore research-in-progress and recent studies that offer new meanings to instructional approaches and student learning in the context of physical chemistry education. The presented research will provide a platform to demonstrate new contributions to our field, offer directions of future research in physical chemistry education, and discuss implications for curriculum practitioners, all based on a rigorous analysis of data. Topics are guided by, but not limited to, the themes of the 2014 CERP Special Issue on Physical Chemistry Education (see http://www.divched.org/content/chemistry-education-research-and-practice-cerp-call-papers). Each presentation will be 15 minutes with up to 4 minutes of questions from the audience. We will conclude the symposium with a panel of invited speakers to further the discussions about physical chemistry education research.
Plugging the Leak: Improving the Persistence of Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) and Women in the Chemical Disciplines Leyte Winfield, Lisa Hibbard
It has been suggested that as the nation seeks to strengthen its stance in STEM, it must leverage the talents of all citizens including underrepresented minorities (URMs) and women. This symposium will focus on impactful teaching and learning support strategies that lead to measurable academic success among diverse populations throughout the undergraduate chemistry curriculum, with primary focus being on the first and second year chemistry courses. Chemical educators will present their experiences regarding course design, content delivery methods (traditional, flipped, web-enhanced, blended, etc.), and in-class activities that promote critical thinking, skill development, and concept mastery. Best practices will be shared regarding the use of educational technology tools, team and inquiry-based learning strategies, and web-based resources. Models for measuring the impact of these strategies and assessment data on student learning outcomes and retention will be presented!
. In addition, educators will discuss the impact of strategies on self-guided learning and self-efficacy.
Preparing PUI Students for Success in Graduate School Cheryl Frech, Luis Montes
Faculty at PUIs work closely with students over their academic career, but may be unaware of current trends in chemistry graduate school admissions. In order to advise and prepare students for successful graduate careers, faculty at PUIs need to be familiar with the non-curricular criteria that graduate admission committees desire in potential students. For example, how important are chemistry GRE scores? Are there minimum GPA requirements? How important is an undergraduate research experience? Do graduate schools tend to recruit from a geographic area? Do graduate admissions committees value other undergraduate experiences, such as lab assisting, tutoring, or supplemental peer instruction? In this symposium, we will bring together faculty at PUIs and faculty who participate in the graduate admissions process to share information and discuss their perspectives. A panel discussion will follow the presentations.
Professional Development for Graduate Teaching Assistants Kelley Current, Holly Dembinski
Graduate students play a critical role in undergraduate education, and their training as apprentice teachers is important especially in light of STEM education reforms. Furthermore, the graduate teaching assistantship (GTAship) often functions as the major preparatory experience for future teaching at the post-secondary level, and there is a correlation between participation in a GTAship and the development of essential research skills. The importance of the GTAship is recognized through the call for more thoroughly developed and widely implemented professional development (PD) for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) by the ACS. Despite this call, there are few studies in the published literature that focus on how GTA PD both supports GTAs during their assistantship and impacts future careers in and outside of academia. This symposium invites presentations from those interested in sharing their research and experiences relating to the PD of chemistry GTAs.
Providing Supplemental Help to Struggling Students Heather Sklenicka
Most campuses have a way for students to get supplemental tutoring for science classes. These resources are an invaluable tool for helping students understand Chemistry concepts and often provide a place for focused learning. Some students go in for a quick question and other should bring a sleeping bag. Unfortunately, there aren't many opportunities for those involved with science learning centers, tutoring, and supplemental instruction to come together and share best practices. This symposium will showcase tutoring at various institutions including their best practices and struggles.
Recognizing Excellence: Investigating a Recognition Program for Two-Year Colleges Annemarie Ross, Neil Bastian, Blake Aronson
ACS is investigating ways to recognize excellence in chemistry and chemistry-based technology education in two-year college programs. Any such framework needs to address the diversity of programs, student bodies, locations, structures, and available resources that make up the two-year college chemistry landscape.
In this symposium, presentations, panel discussions, group discussions, and breakout sessions will be used to collect community input on such questions as:
1) Can two-year college programs benefit from ACS recognition?
2) How is excellence demonstrated in different types of programs?
3) How can excellence be recognized when there is no dedicated chemistry program?
4) What does excellence look like? How is it defined?
5) What can faculty do to document excellent practices at their institutions?
Join the ACS Two-Year College Advisory Board in developing a recognition process that will strengthen the two-year college chemistry community and all of higher education.
Renewable Energy Laboratory Experiments for the Chemistry Curriculum Jennifer Schuttlefield Christus
One of the current grand challenges is meeting the global energy need in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. As a society, we will need to develop strategies that incorporate renewable energy in a sustainable fashion. This will require a combination of numerous things including new policy decisions, altering societal attitudes, and advancing technology and innovation. Therefore, teaching students to be environmentally literate, informed citizens has never been more important. In this session, participants are exposed to laboratory experiments centered on renewable energy concepts for different levels of chemistry courses. Lab experiments provide the perfect platform to introduce the ideas of current renewable energy technology and the idea of sustainability, while providing students with hands-on learning experiences and reinforcing topics currently being covered in the class.
Research in Chemistry Education Thomas Pentecost, Jack Barbera, Jessica VandenPlas
This symposium provides a forum for chemical education research. A submitted presentation should briefly address (1) the motivation for the research and type of problem investigated and (2) the methodology chosen to both gather and interpret the data collected. The presentation should focus primarily on the findings and the interpretation of the data. This symposium is sponsored by the ACS DivCHED Committee on Chemistry Education Research.
Science as Service: Research-Oriented Service-Learning Projects in Undergraduate Science Programs Adam M. Kiefer, Jennifer L. Look
Although science-based service-learning projects have been established at many undergraduate campuses, most concentrate on the application of existing technologies and resources to address community problems. This symposium examines chemistry-oriented service-learning programs and projects that utilize fundamental research carried out by undergraduate students. These projects are designed to encourage learning with a purpose, ensuring that students are able to apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems at the local, national and global level.
SEMCTO and WMCTA Present Our Best Practices Peg Convery
For years chemistry teachers from the east and west side of Michigan have collaborated with colleagues from their respective regions. For the first time, members of the Southeast Michigan Chemistry Teachers Organization (SEMTCO) and the West Michigan Chemistry Teacher's Association (WMCTA) will present our best teaching tips and activities in one symposium. Join us as teachers from both sides of the state present their favorite demonstrations, teaching tips and laboratory experiments.
Sharing Ideas and Best Practices for Teaching a Green Chemistry Course Sarah Kennedy
Green chemistry concepts have been incorporated into several core curriculum courses, especially in organic chemistry lecture and laboratory. Some institutions have implemented new courses focused entirely on green chemistry. This symposium aims to bring together faculty that have designed dedicated green chemistry courses (with or without lab component) to discuss their course materials and best practices. Speakers in the symposium will be encouraged to share teaching materials with participants and to discuss potential collaborative opportunities among educators and industrial partners.
Skills Students Need for Success After the Community College Thomas Higgins
Most chemistry students at a community college are aiming to transfer to a four-year college and complete a baccalaureate degree, apply to a professional health science program, or enter the workforce. All of these pathways require soft skills and thinking skills that are not part of the traditional chemistry curriculum but are essential for success. This symposium will discuss the skills students need to be taught
to succeed and effective practices in instilling them.
Student Assessment Practices in Chemistry Education Scott Lewis
The measurement of student knowledge, through assessments, has appropriately gained increased attention among chemistry educators and researchers. This symposium will explore issues related to assessment practices used in chemistry education. The intent is that this symposium will showcase both a diverse range of student assessment techniques used and efforts that are in place to improve existing techniques. Example topics for this symposium can include the introduction of novel assessment techniques or studies designed to establish the validity of student assessments.
Student-Centered Learning with a Focus on Improving Process Skills in the Classroom and Laboratory Regina Frey
The purpose of this symposium is to bring together practitioners of a variety of student-centered pedagogies (such as PBL, PLTL, POGIL, or TBL), from high school through university level. Emphasis will be placed on those approaches that require students to be actively engaged on a regular basis, with a focus on improving process skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, or problem solving. Presentations that contain assessment of these student-centered approaches are especially welcome.
Survivor Skills for 1st to 5th year Teachers Laura Slocum, Douglas Ragan
We have all heard teachers in their early years of teaching say things like, "This is too much for me." OR "Maybe I am in the wrong place or doing the wrong job." Perhaps this is even the 20 yr teacher some days. National research indicates that one in five novice teachers leave in the first three years and as many as half will leave by the fifth year. Why do they leave? Often they are frustrated, overwhelmed and feel like they have little to no support from their administration or colleagues.
In this symposium, experienced teachers will share lesson plans, activities, teaching strategies, projects, classroom management techniques and more so that novice teachers do not have to "reinvent the wheel." There will also be packets and a prize drawing for all the 1 - 5 year teachers attending the symposium.
Target Inquiry: Teacher Designed and Tested Inquiry Materials that Really Work Debbie Herrington, Ellen Yezierski
The Next Generation Science Standards expect teachers to develop an inquiry-based science program for students in which students learn science content while engaging in key science and engineering practices. Unfortunately, many teachers have little experience with inquiry instruction. Furthermore, science inquiry is a complex process incorporating many instructional methods making the development of high quality inquiry materials difficult. In this symposium, teachers will present inquiry materials they developed and tested in their own classrooms as part of the Target Inquiry program. Each presentation will include an overview of the materials, important aspects of their successful classroom implementation, and student assessments.
Teaching Bioanalytical Chemistry: From Classroom to Laboratory Harvey Hou
This is the fifth symposium session focusing on the topic of bioanalytical chemistry presented in BCCE in the past eight years. The symposium aims at the broadly defined bioanalytical chemistry, which includes the analytical methodologies and applications in chemical biology, forensic science, medical science, material science, environmental science, and nanotechnology at undergraduate and graduate levels. The previous symposium presenters enjoyed the stimulating interaction and discussion on novel ideas of implementing the bioanalytical chemistry components in the existing chemistry classes or developing the complete bioanalytical chemistry courses to enhance students' learning. We believe that bioanalytical chemistry is one of the most promising enhancements in chemical education.
Teaching Chemistry by Incorporating Context from the Elementary to the College Classroom Michael Mury, Terri Taylor
Chemistry education research shows that students build strong connections to chemistry concepts when they can incorporate real-world contexts. As the Next Generation Science Standards become more prevalent at the K-12 level and as more college faculty incorporate current education research to make chemistry relatable, context will continue to grow in its importance. Presentations in this symposium will focus on showing how integration of context has worked in classrooms at various grade levels.
Teaching High School Chemistry Collaboratively Across the Globe Doug Ragan, Kristin Gregory
Through the use of technology (twitter, videos, google docs & hangouts) several teachers across the
globe with a shared passion for improving the learning experience for their students collaboratively joined together to create ideas such as #molympics and an online warm up question/video library.
By working together, we found ways to share creative ideas, to deal with adjusting curriculum, and keep up with technology. Our presentation will show how we collaborated to expand our curriculum to include engaging collaborative activities and share enriching demonstrations.
Teaching Inorganic and General Chemistry with VIPEr Learning Objects Joanne Stewart
The Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource (VIPEr) provides a supportive community and a rich array of teaching resources for inorganic and general chemistry. The resources on VIPEr are available as discrete 'Learning Objects,' small pieces of curricular material adaptable to different classroom situations. VIPEr Learning Objects include in-class activities, laboratory experiments, literature discussions, problem set questions, 5-slides about (a mini-lecture format), and web resources. This symposium features examples of the development, adaptation, and implementation of VIPEr Learning Objects, and stories of the role of the VIPEr community in the professional development of faculty at various career stages.
The Analytical Classroom: Teaching Beyond Quantitative Analysis Kate Stumpo, Robbie Montgomery
Quantitative Analysis is often the bane of lower-division undergraduate chemical education, because students have a hard time seeing beyond the fairly rigorous calculations and titrations. This course is often the first taste that a Chemistry major gets of what is really expected of them in terms of independent thinking and problem solving, as well as higher-level writing and lab skills. This symposium will explore new strategies to modernize the course, as well as methods to provide context from outside the classroom. Specifically in the lecture, how are instructors using journal articles, descriptions of modern analytical techniques, writing skills, and problem solving to help students see the utility in this course. In lab, how are instructors going beyond the traditional titration experiments and providing real-world problem solving models, or real-world experimental contexts, as well as intensive writing workshops.
The Laboratory as a Platform for Professional Development of Graduate Teaching Assistants Kathleen Hess
Graduate teaching assistants are an integral part of many undergraduate laboratories. Faculty members that instruct laboratory courses rely heavily on the ability of the graduate TAs to facilitate the laboratories in a safe and active learning environment. In a short period of time, graduate students must be instructed to teach and grade the materials associated with the laboratory. While serving as a laboratory TA, the graduate TAs must also be successful in their research and/or coursework. This symposium will explore the various training methods that are used to advance the ability of graduate students to become professionals at their teaching duties. Presentations are welcome that provide strategies to address questions of any of the following topics: time commitment of teaching duties, experimental training, evaluation of teaching abilities, mentoring programs, assessment and advancement of grading skills, classroom management, and presentation capabilities. Unique top!
ics not listed will also be considered.
The Legacy of Systemic Change: Lessons for Chemistry Faculty George Lisensky, Joanne Stewart
As part of the 1995 National Science Foundation Systematic Change Initiative in Chemistry, two groups developed a complementary set of modules focusing on real-world problems as a way to introduce important core concepts, show the links between chemistry and other disciplines, and create a flexible model for curriculum reform (http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=100783). Presenters in this Symposium will consider (1) how the topical modules and their use have changed over time, (2) what active learning strategies have persisted, (3) what resources derived from these initiatives are available for use in classes, and (4) the impact of involvement on the subsequent professional work of participants.
Undergraduate Research in Chemistry: Expanding Opportunities and Broadening Participation Rebecca Jones, Timothy Chapp, Tim Born
Engaging undergraduate chemistry students in research is a valuable enterprise which utilizes some of the best practices of higher education. Chemical educators have demonstrated leadership in developing, implementing, and evaluating curricular and classroom approaches for increasing the number and diversity of student researchers. Presentations regarding individual or group projects in lecture or laboratory, redesigned courses which focus on a specific research topic, and/or the general undergraduate research process are welcome. Faculty who have incorporated research activities and/or projects into specific collegiate chemistry classes are invited to share their experiences. Expanding participation in research, while ambitious and potentially rewarding, also poses difficulties and challenges that differ from those accompanying traditional chemistry instruction. This symposium is an opportunity to communicate best practices and innovative ideas related to increasing the num!
ber and quality of undergraduate chemical researchers.
Views from the Classrooms of Conant and Regional Award Winners Laura Slocum, Deanna Cullen
The James Bryant Conant and ACS High School Regional Award winners are some of the best chemistry teachers in the nation. These teachers have much to share with other educators about best practices in the classroom. Winners typically have an opportunity to present an award address at ACS National and Regional meetings. But, how many of us get to hear their actual award presentations and learn from their experience? This symposium, sponsored by the Journal of Chemical Education, JCE, will give attendees a chance to meet and benefit from these award-winning teachers, as well as find out more about how to nominate a teacher for one of these awards and how each award selection process works. You will also get a see how JCE is showcasing these awardees and some of their work on ChemEdX.
Web-Based Resources for Chemical Education Robert E. Belford, John H. Penn, Jonathan H. Gutow
This symposium seeks presentations on resources that can be obtained over the Internet, and ways they can be utilized for the teaching and learning of chemistry. We are seeking presentations that address perspectives of development and implementation of web based technologies, and their applications to classroom, hybrid and online learning environments. Topics such as the application of mobile devices, and how social networking and semantic web technologies are influencing chemical education are also encouraged. The objective of this symposium is to provide educators and developers opportunities to share resources and experiences. This symposium is sponsored by the ACS CHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education, http://www.ccce.divched.org/.
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