We have developed a new set of interactive web-based resources on teaching thermochemistry, as the latest in a series of modules for the Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change (VC3) project. VC3 is an NSF-TUES project with the goal of developing and disseminating interactive web-based digital learning objects to help first year undergraduate chemistry students learn a select set of topics in general chemistry, by embedding those chemistry topics in rich contexts related to global climate change. The VC3 resources aim to (a) exemplify science education for sustainability, (b) improve the understanding of climate change by both undergraduate students and faculty members, and (c) provide 'best-practice' resources to support chemistry instructors in adopting active-learning pedagogies that situate cognition in authentic science practice and globally important contexts. We will describe our approach to developing these materials, starting with research on student misconceptions about thermochemistry. We are assessing their efficacy by measuring changes in students' understanding about both climate change and core thermochemistry concepts.

Teaching thermochemistry through a climate change context

247th National Meeting (2014)

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