VIPEr

Course Level:

Topics Covered:

Corequisites:

Science Skills, Practices, and Resources

Subdiscipline:

Learning Goals:

Faculty will

understand the "backward design" concept
learn to write learning outcomes and assessments using the verbs ("activities") and "products" provided
learn how a rubric can be used to discriminate students' levels of achievement

Implementation Notes:

These slides are a quick and dirty summary of a longer hands-on faculty development workshop I do. They provide an introduction to the Understanding by Design process, help in writing learning goals, suggestions for developing assessments of student learning, and helpful hints for preparing a VIPEr learning object.

Time Required:

15 minutes to read the slides; a lifetime to practice the skill :)

Evaluation

Evaluation Methods:

I hope that faculty will use these slides to aid their writing of learning goals and assessments for the VIPEr site.

17 Nov 2018

Quantum Numbers and Nodes

Submitted by Jack F Eichler, University of California, Riverside

Evaluation Methods:

1) Performance on the pre-lecture online quiz

2) Performance on the in-class activity (clicker scores or hand-graded worksheet)

Evaluation Results:

Students generally score on average 70% or higher on the pre-lecdure quiz, and on average 70% or more of students correctly answer the in-class clicker questions.

Description:

This is a flipped classroom module that covers the concepts of quantum numbers, and radial and angular nodes. This activity is designed to be done at the beginning of the typical first quarter/first semester general chemistry course (for an atoms first approach; if instructors use a traditional course structure this unit is likely done towards the middle/end of the first quarter/semester). Students will be expected to have learned the following concepts prior to completing this activity:

a) quantization of energy in the atom and the Bohr model of the atom;

b) how the wave/particle duality of electrons was described by de Broglie;

c) how the wave/particle duality of electrons was used by Schrodinger to develop the quantum mechanical model of the atom;

d) how radial probability distribution was used to generate the idea of atomic orbitals, and orbital probability surfaces.

Learning Goals:

a) describe the meaning of the quantum numbers n, l, and m_l;

b) determine the values of the quantum numbers n, l, and m_l;

c) describe the meaning of radial and angular nodes;

d) determine the number of radial and angular nodes on different types of atomic orbitals;

e) begin to understand the correlation between the quantum numbers and the total number of atomic orbitals for a given atom, and how the periodic table can be used to build up the overall orbital structure for an atom.

Subdiscipline:

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Equipment needs:

Suggested technology:

1) online test/quiz function in course management system

2) in-class response system (clickers)

Course Level:

Corequisites:

Prerequisites:

Topics Covered:

Implementation Notes:

Attached as separate file.

Time Required:

50-80 minutes

8 Nov 2018

5-ish Slides about Enemark-Feltham Notation

Submitted by Kyle Grice, DePaul University

Description:

This is a basic introduction to Enemark-Feltham that can be used in conjunction with any literature that has Iron nitrosyls in it. I made this as a follow up to the work that came ouf of the 2018 VIPEr workshop in UM-Dearborn.

Corequisites:

Prerequisites:

Bonding models: Discrete molecules

General Chemistry

Topics Covered:

Bioinorganic chemistry

Coordination chemistry

Course Level:

Learning Goals:

A student will be able to detemine the Enemark-Feltham label for a simple iron nitrosyl

A student will be able to describe bonding differences between NO+, NO, and NO- ligands.

Subdiscipline:

Coordination Chemistry

Molecular Structure and Bonding

Spectroscopy and Structural Methods

Related activities:

Bonding and MO Theory in Flavodiiron Nitrosyl Model Complexes - Advanced Level

Using IR Frequencies to Compare Bond Strengths via Harmonic Oscillator Model

Bonding and MO Theory in Flavodiiron Nitrosyl Model Complexes - Foundation Level

Modeling of the Flavodiiron Nitric Oxide Reductase Active Site Literature Discussion- Bioinorganic focus

Interpreting Reaction Profile Energy Diagrams: Experiment vs. Computation

Implementation Notes:

I haven't used this yet, but It can be a quick lecture module or online module to help students understand Enemark-Feltham before analyzing a paper on iron nitrosyls.

Time Required:

10 min

Evaluation

Evaluation Methods:

I have not used this yet.

Evaluation Results:

I have not used this yet.

27 Aug 2018

Interactive Syllabus

Submitted by Amanda Reig, Ursinus College

Description:

The Interactive Syllabus is a web-based survey delivery of syllabus content to your students prior to the first day of classes. The web link below explains many of the features and advantages, but in my opinion some of the best benefits are (1) students actually engage with the content on the syllabus in meaningful ways, (2) it saves class time on the first day, and (3) can encourage students to share questions/concerns they may not have been as eager to share in person.

The survey is built on the qualtrics platform, but could be adapted for other programs.

Topics Covered:

Communication skills

Science Skills, Practices, and Resources

Prerequisites:

Course Level:

Corequisites:

Subdiscipline:

Related activities:

Syllabus and Content

Implementation Notes:

I implemented the approach in my General Chemistry I course this fall, and will likely adapt for all future courses. I based my survey on the one that can be obtained at the website, but did make modifications. I have uploaded a pdf of my version of the survey, and would be happy to share the Qualtric Survey File to anyone interested (it is not an allowed file type so cannot be posted here).

I sent an email to students on Friday before classes began Monday morning containing a PDF of the syllabus and the link to the survey. I did not assign any points for completion of the survey - just asked them to do so before 8 pm on Sunday (so I would have time to review their answers). I sent a reminder email mid-day on Sunday. I had around an 85% response rate. I estimate it takes around 15 - 20 minutes for a student to work through. It took around 2 hours for me to adapt the survey to my own preferences based on my syllabus.

Web Resources:

Interactive Syllabus

7 Aug 2018

Counting Orbitals: There are rules, it is symmetric, it is beautiful and easy

Submitted by Joseph Lomax, U.S. Naval Academy

Description:

Rules for quantum numbers are confusing but not arbitrary. They are based on wave mathmatics, and once laid out properly are symmetric and beautiful. Within four animation-clicks of the first slide of this PowerPoint Presentation, this beauty will unfold. I do not exaggerate to say, faculty members will be agape and students will say, "Why didn't you show us this before." No other presentation shows in as elegant a way the relationship between 1) n, l and m_l, 2) the ordering of orbitals in hydrogen-like atoms, and 3) the ordering of orbitals in the periodic table (along with the difficulty of assigning orbital filling in transition and f-block elements).

Beauty is in every atom. Let it loose.

Topics Covered:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Course Level:

Learning Goals:

A student will be able to relate the quantum numbers n, l and m_l to each other.

A student will be able to correctly describe the number of subshells and number of orbitals in a shell.

A student will be able to describe the orbital energies in a hydrogen-like atom.

A student will be able to order subshells in a multi-electron system and relate this to the periodic table.

A student will realize the symmetry and beauty of quantum chemistry without ever seeing the shape of one orbtal.

Subdiscipline:

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Implementation Notes:

In the first two slides, often use the phrase "because it's a square."

This is useful for Inorganic Chemistry students as well because it will cement in their mind long lost rules of quantum numbers.

Evaluation

Evaluation Methods:

1) Short answer quiz questions

2) Multiple choice questions on hour and final exams.

3) Awe.

Evaluation Results:

1) From a quiz killer to a typical A, B, C student gets it right, the D student is still a bit confused and the F student still misses the idea.

2) On a question asking, "how many orbitals in the n=3 shell", the results increased from the 40's to 80's %.

3) As jaws dropped, quarters could be slipped into their mouths. Faculty pulled out phones to take pictures of a white-board version before I told them I had a PowerPoint version.

26 Jul 2018

General Chemistry Collection for New Faculty

Submitted by Kari Stone, Benedictine University

VIPEr to the rescue!

The first year as a faculty member is extremely stressful and getting through each class day to day is a challenge. This collection was developed with new faculty teaching general chemistry in mind pulling together resources on the VIPEr site to refer back to as the semester drags along. There are some nice in-class activities, lab experiments, literature discussions, and problem sets for use in the general chemistry course. There are also some nice videos and graphics that could be used to spark interest in your students.

Subdiscipline:

Bonding models: Discrete molecules

Topics Covered:

Acid-base chemistry

Chemical literature

Coordination chemistry

Periodic trends

Physical properties

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Course Level:

19 Jul 2018

Teaching Forum Posts for New Faculty

Submitted by Shirley Lin, United States Naval Academy

Evaluation Methods:

Not applicable.

Evaluation Results:

Not applicable.

Description:

This web resource is a diverse list of VIPEr forum topics about teaching that may be of interest to new faculty assigned to teach general chemistry for the first time. It was created as part of a larger collection to help new faculty get started in the classroom.

Topics Covered:

Prerequisites:

Subdiscipline:

Corequisites:

Course Level:

Using "Clickers" in teaching

Learning Goals:

There are no specific learning goals since this web resource is for faculty to become familiar with some of the topics that have been discussed in the teaching forum on VIPEr.

Implementation Notes:

Not applicable.

Time Required:

If a faculty member reads through all the forum topics, this could take an hour.

Web Resources:

Grading Multiple Choice Exams

"Soft Skills" for first-year science students

Anyone know of good games or activities for teaching nomenclature?

Dealing with Problem Sets

[Laboratory] Writeup Pet Peeves

Creative Solutions to Homework?

Developing Rubrics

The Joys of Technology and Teaching

17 Jul 2018

Stoichiometric Calculations: A General Chemistry Flipped Classroom Module

Submitted by Jack F Eichler, University of California, Riverside

Evaluation Methods:

1) Performance on the pre-lecture online quiz

2) Performance on the in-class activity (clicker scores or hand-graded worksheet)

Evaluation Results:

Students generally score on average 70% or higher on the pre-lecdure quiz, and on average 70% or more of students correctly answer the in-class clicker questions. As noted in the worksheet answer key, question #4 generally gives students the most trouble as they may not yet have learned how to sum a series of reactions to yield an overall reaction. Instructors are encoruaged to do an example of this in the acitivty introduction.

Description:

This is a flipped classroom activity intended for use in a first semester general chemistry course. Students are expected to have prior knowledge in determining the molar mass of compounds, how to carry out mole/gram conversions, and how to write balanced chemical reactions. The activity includes: 1) pre-lecture learning videos that guide students through carrying out basic stoichiometric calculations, determining the limiting reactant, and determining the percent yield of a reaction; 2) a pre-lecture interactive tutorial that helps students learn the concept of limiting reactant; 3) pre-lecture quiz questions; and 4) an in-class activity that requires students to apply their knowledge of stoichiometry and limiting reactant in the real-world application of converting coal to liquid fuel.

Learning Goals:

Students are expected to complete the following learning objectives:

a) using mole-gram conversions and mole-mole conversions to carry out stoichiometric calculations for balanced chemical reactions;

b) gaining appreciation for how stoichiometric calculations are used in real-world chemical reactions.

Prior to completing this activity, students will be expected to have learned how to use molar masses of elements and compounds to carry out mole-gram conversions, how to balance chemical reactions, and how to use balanced chemical reactions to carry out mole-mole conversions.

Equipment needs:

Suggested technology:

1) online test/quiz function in course management system

2) in-class response system (clickers)

Corequisites:

General Chemistry

Subdiscipline:

Topics Covered:

Descriptive chemistry

Prerequisites:

Course Level:

Implementation Notes:

Attached as separate file.

Time Required:

50-80 minutes

Web Resources:

Activity Introduction

Assigned Reading #1

Assigned Reading #2

15 Jun 2018

Developing methodology to evaluate nanotoxicology: Use of density.

Submitted by Tori Forbes, University of Iowa

Evaluation Methods:

I typically evaluate this activity through class participation although the answer key is posted after class to let the students evaluate their own understanding of concepts. The students do know that they will be tested on the material within the activity and usually I have a density problem on the exam.

Evaluation Results:

This activity is designed to give the students more freedom as they move from the first density calculation to the last set of calculations. Within the last set of calculations, they encounter a hexagonal unit cell so that may require some additional intervention to get them to think about how to calculate the volume of a hexagonal unit cell.

Description:

This activity is designed to relate solid-state structures to the density of materials and then provide a real world example where density is used to design a new method to explore nanotoxicity in human health. Students can learn how to calculate the density of different materials (gold, cerium oxide, and zinc oxide) using basic principles of solid state chemistry and then compare it to the centrifugation method that was developed to evaluate nanoparticle dose rate and agglomeration in solution.

Learning Goals:

A student should be able to calculate a unit cell volume from structural information, determine the mass of one unit cell, and combine these two parameters to calculate the density for both cubic and hexagonal structures. In addition, students will have an opportunity to read a scientific article and summarize the major findings, place data in a table, and explain the similarities and differences between the densities calculated in the activity and the experimental values that are reported in the literature.

Corequisites:

Solid State and Materials Chemistry

Subdiscipline:

Nanochemistry

Course Level:

Second year

Equipment needs:

None

Topics Covered:

Extended structure

Materials chemistry

Nanoscience

Solids & solid state chemistry

Prerequisites:

Will it Float? Density of a Bowling Ball Activity

Related activities:

Investigating the structures of close packed solids in metal sulfide nanocrystals

An ion exchange method to produce metastable wurtzite metal sulfide nanocrystals

Implementation Notes:

I have used this activity in our first semester inorganic chemistry course when we cover solid-state materials. One thing to note is that I do use 2-D projections to describe structures and we cover that in a previous activity. You could remove 2-D projections from this activity if it is not something that you previously covered.

Time Required:

This activity usually takes about 40 to 45 minutes.

Web Resources:

DeLoid et al, 2014, Nature Communications

18 Apr 2018

A use for organic textbooks

Submitted by Chip Nataro, Lafayette College

Description:

This morning before class I was picking on one of my students for having her organic chemistry textbook out on her desk. I believe I said something along the lines of 'how dare you contaminate my classroom with that!' She explained how she had an exam today and I let it drop. That is until later in the class when I was teaching about chelates. I had a sudden inspiration. I asked the student to pick up her organic book with one hand. I then warned her that I was going to smack the book. I did and she dropped it. Based on the size of most organic textbooks, I believe that very few people would be able to hold on to one with one hand while it is being smacked. I then handed her back the book and asked her to hold it with two hands while I smacked it. Sure enough, she was able to maintain her grasp of the book. I think this rather simple deomonstration did a surprisingly good job of driving home the point.

Learning Goals:

From this in-class activity students will develop a simple appreciation for the chelate effect.

Corequisites:

Prerequisites:

Topics Covered:

Coordination chemistry

Course Level: