Development of a Research-Oriented Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Course
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L. M. Vallarino [1] ; D. L. Polo [1]
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[1] Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 78, Nº 2, 2001, pág. 228
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
We report the development of a research-oriented, senior-level laboratory course in inorganic chemistry, which is a requirement for chemistry majors who plan to receive the ACS-approved Bachelor of Science degree and is a recommended elective for other chemistry majors. The objective of this course is to give all students the advantage of a research experience in which questions stemming from the literature lead to the formulation of hypotheses, and answers are sought through experiment. The one-semester Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory is ideal for this purpose, since for most students it represents the last laboratory experience before graduation and can assume the role of "capstone" course--a course where students are challenged to recall previously learned concepts and skills and put them into practice in the performance of an individual, original research project. The medium chosen for this teaching approach is coordination chemistry, a branch of chemistry that involves the interaction of inorganic and organic compounds and requires the use of various synthetic and analytical methods. This paper presents an outline of the course organization and requirements, examples of activities performed by the students, and a critical evaluation of the first five years' experience.
