Students in general chemistry courses often struggle to see how their studies relate to problems facing society. We report a redesigned first-year undergraduate chemistry course that offers a rigorous chemistry curriculum framed through the lens of global challenges and societal impacts. Students engage in collaborative, inquiry-based learning through highly structured activities that facilitate learning while also building the soft skills that can support success in higher education. The success of this redesign came in part from a partnership between chemistry faculty and the institution’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to collect formative and summative assessment data in real time, allowing faculty to identify and address problems in a timely fashion.

How do I design a chemical reaction to do useful work, and how does my reaction impact society? A case study in reimagining general chemistry

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.