July 16, 1999

KU CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT RECEIVES GRANT TO DEVELOP LEARNING LABS

The grant will be matched by $140,000 provided by the University of Kansas Provost's Office.

"This project is a comprehensive redesign of laboratory experiments used in introductory undergraduate chemistry courses," said Joe Heppert, associate professor of chemistry. "We want to present students with an opportunity to apply the scientific method from the earliest stages of their university careers."

According to Heppert, the grant will help

• Support development of effective learning environments to support student inquiry in the general chemistry laboratory;
• Design professional development for faculty preparing inquiry-oriented curricula that will hook students' interests;
• Design professional development for graduate teaching assistants so that they can facilitate student interest, learning and teamwork in the laboratory;
• Development of a strong, integrated knowledge base in chemistry from laboratory projects;
• Engender positive attitudes toward the value of science and mathematics;
• Integrate appropriate applications of technology into introductory chemistry laboratories; and
• Foster critical thinking and decision-making skills.

"We want to foster student understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry," Heppert said. "They can learn this from their own experiences from designing experiments, finding appropriate reference materials, using instruments to make precise measurements and using software for data management.

"They will also learn to understand the value of collaborating effectively with their peers."

A discussion of the principles of the laboratory reform program and working drafts of revised laboratories can be accessed through the project web site at http://www.chem.ukans.edu/hewlett/.