For many students, organic chemistry is a very daunting course. One pedagogical strategy that has been employed in some academic settings as a means to deliver the course material effectively is referred to as Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning or POGIL. Following its implementation in certain college chemistry departments in 1994, various disciplines have adopted this method nationwide. At Neumann University, a Catholic institution serving many first generation college students and students from underrepresented populations, I have implemented my own version of POGIL that includes the use of interactive questions while conducting a "chalk talk." Each "chalk talk" is also accompanied by in-class worksheets, which have been well received by the students. Many students like the worksheets because they are able to apply the knowledge acquired during class. The combination of worksheets and interactive questions allows me to formatively assess the students' learning in real-time. In taking this approach, I have found that the majority of the students are able to master the material at hand.

Learner-centered approach to teaching undergraduate organic chemistry

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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