In its least inspiring form, organic chemistry laboratory would consist of nothing more than the delivery of content and a series of unrelated mechanical actions addressed to a passive audience. Students in a �performance mentality� mode could simply follow a set of prescribed actions to achieve a predetermined outcome that requires little preparation, reflection, or retention. In the interest of teaching science as a process, we have incrementally redesigned our two-semester organic chemistry laboratory curriculum to better reflect the �mastery mentality� of a research chemist that involves curiosity, deep learning, and individual accountability. In the first semester, students adapt a literature procedure to prepare compounds required for one faculty member's research. While we used to teach basic techniques like thin-layer chromatography, extraction, melting point, recrystallization, and spectroscopy as separate unrelated experiments, we have integrated all of these methods into a 13-week project where students confirm the identity and purity of the reactants, track a reaction, and isolate and purify the crude product. One of the key skills is translating the terse experimental section from the literature and creating a detailed written Experimental Plan outlining specific actions to be taken each week. In the second semester, faculty design a set of projects for the preparation of materials for their research from which students choose based on what they want to learn. Students independently search for literature methods and may consult with faculty and experienced researchers in the design and implementation of their project. Each semester culminates in a group meeting where students present their data and interpret their results. Thus, by encouraging our students to develop the habits of mind and process of �thinking like a chemist,� we better represent the nature of independent science.

Using course-embedded research in the organic chemistry laboratory to promote mastery mentality and �thinking like a chemist�

247th National Meeting (2014)

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