The benefits of active learning pedagogies are well documented and include improved learning outcomes for diverse learners, enhanced student engagement, and increased learning retention. In this work, two types of active learning activities were developed for a junior undergraduate level analytical chemistry course with a primary emphasis on instrumental analysis. First, the development of several in-class experiments will be discussed. The miniaturization and improved portability of a number of instruments has expanded the walls of the laboratory and has enabled experiments and demonstrations to be conducted in the lecture classroom. An in-class experiment involving the construction of a Job’s plot and an in-class demonstration of electrochemistry will be discussed. Newly implemented miniature instrument round robins that can be conducted within class time will also be presented. The second type of activity that will be introduced relates to teaching top-to-bottom analytical method development by preparing guided activities based on the primary literature. Literature papers are deconstructed and used to present a realistic method development scenario with guided questions that help students think in small groups about each step in the method development process: sample collection and preparation, controls, calibration, and analysis strategy (e.g., choice of instrument, detector, column, solution conditions, etc). Student evaluations of the course activities will be presented.

Bringing the laboratory into the classroom: Developing in-class experiments and teaching method development by deconstructing the scientific literature

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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