More than 15 years ago, the National Science Foundation launched a major initiative to reform the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. A key goal has been a paradigm shift away from memorization of a laundry list of facts to deeper understanding of key ideas in chemistry. This has required an examination of course content from a viewpoint of building knowledge and promoting understanding. In this regard, starting with meaningful contexts, data, and observations is important both to situate the learning, and to allow students an opportunity to derive patterns and develop explanations. Studies of student learning in classes that promote such understanding will be presented.

Trajectories of reform: The role of chemistry content

244th National Meeting (2012)

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