Incorporating Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences into Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Curricula
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Melissa A. Kerr [1] ; Fei Yan [1]
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[1] North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
Township of Durham, Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 93, Nº 4, 2016, págs. 658-662
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
A continuous effort within an undergraduate university setting is to improve students’ learning outcomes and thus improve students’ attitudes about a particular field of study. This is undoubtedly relevant within a chemistry laboratory. This paper reports the results of an effort to introduce a problem-based learning strategy into the analytical chemistry laboratory curricula at North Carolina Central University. This study involved a total of 48 science major students who were taking two analytical chemistry courses, namely Quantitative Chemical Analysis and Instrumental Analysis, spanning Fall 2011 to Spring 2015. Course-based undergraduate research experiences or CUREs have been systematically incorporated into the laboratory components of these two consecutive analytical courses in Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 semesters. Each CUREs project involved identifying a problem, locating an appropriate method via literature search, designing a study, collecting samples, measuring variables, analyzing data, and presenting the results in a formal report and an oral presentation. Our evaluation of the preliminary impacts of CUREs integration shows that the majority of students became more excited about careers in chemistry, and science in general, as an outcome of this exercise. This is evidenced by overwhelmingly positive feedback received from the student participants, as well as increased retention of upper-level science major students.
