Analytical chemistry students at Southern Oregon University participate in a term-long active learning experience on the determination of the most prevalent inorganic ions in Lithia Water, a community resource that was expected to drive economic growth in Ashland, Oregon a century ago. Prior to implementing active learning in the laboratory five years ago, students were provided with a series of traditional analytical procedures to complete these determinations. Now that an active learning approach is incorporated into the analytical chemistry laboratory, groups of students are tasked with designing and conducting analytical determinations for Lithia water analytes in a collaborative manner.<br/>Starting with a 1915 analysis of a local mineral spring, groups of analytical chemistry students apply their knowledge of concentration and stoichiometry to choose an appropriate analytical technique for each ion of interest. Focusing their choice of techniques on those covered during the term; titrimetry, potentiometry, and visible spectroscopy, groups spend the rest of the term identifying, adapting, and conducting analytical methods for prevalent ions in Lithia water. Students are also expected to apply their knowledge of equilibrium chemistry to develop an effective sampling plan, and their knowledge of statistics and charge balance equations to ascertain whether their group had reliably determined all of the prevalent inorganic ions in Lithia water. Groups communicate their progress during the course of the project by writing progress reports (memos), and they conclude their work by writing a term paper that summarizes not only their laboratory results but also provides a short history on the importance of Lithia water to the economic and community development of Ashland, Oregon.

Lithia Water Springs Project: Structuring active learning around a community resource

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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