On the Web edited by
JCE Online: ConfChem
Scott E. Van Bramer Widener University Chester, PA 19013
Chemistry at the National Science Digital Library Theresa Julia Zielinski Department of Chemistry, Medical, Technology, and Physics, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ 07764-1898 Jon Holmes Journal of Chemical Education, 209 North Brooks Street, Madison, WI 53715-1116 John Moore* Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706; *
[email protected] In this first appearance of the JCE Online: ConfChem feature column of the Journal of Chemical Education we present summaries of the eight papers discussed during the spring 2008 online conference in chemical education. This collection of papers from the spring 2008 conference gives insights into the National Science Digital Library through overviews of the library and several of the major collections. The original manuscripts can be found at the conference Web site (1) and the peer-reviewed and updated papers are available at the JCE Online Web site (2). This feature column provides authors with a mechanism for obtaining peer review and publication of their papers in JCE. CONFCHEM is an online conference that provides an opportunity for authors to present papers on the CONFCHEM Web site and for discussion of the papers using the CONFCHEM Discussion List. Discussion of each paper is structured so that participants can submit questions to the author, the authors have a chance to respond to the questions, and then there are several days for discussion of the paper. These conferences have been held online several times each year since the first conference was organized by Tom O’Haver in 1993. Since 1995 the conferences have been sponsored by the ACS
JCE Online: ConfChem The goal of the JCE Online: ConfChem feature is to promote the publication and archiving of work presented in CONFCHEM online conferences. CONFCHEM (CONFerences on CHEMistry) conferences are organized by the Committee on Computers in Chemical Education (CCCE) of the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education. CONFCHEM is devoted to online conferences in chemistry education and research. CONFCHEM papers are available on the Web and discussion of each paper takes place online. The JCE Online: ConfChem feature provides peer review, long-term archiving, and access to the wide range of papers presented in CONFCHEM online conferences. Scott E. Van Bramer, Feature Editor Science Division Widener University Chester, PA 19013;
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Division of Chemical Education Committee on Computers in Chemical Education. The CONFCHEM Discussion List currently has 739 active registrants. Archives of papers from past conferences can be found at the CONFCHEM Web site (3). An elaboration of the nature of the online chemistry conferences and their advantages and disadvantages was published in the Division of Chemical Education newsletter (4). Many other articles described the online conference phenomenon as it related to chemical education (5–11). Some of the earlier online conferences were summarized in JCE by CONFCHEM organizers (12–16). The spring 2008 CONFCHEM Conference, “Chemistry at the National Science Digital Library”, was organized by John W. Moore, Jon L. Holmes, and Theresa Julia Zielinski. The conference lasted four weeks and included the discussion of eight papers. Discussion of these papers resulted in the exchange of several hundred e-mail messages. The CONFCHEM Web site is managed by John Penn.1 Gary Trammell2 and Elizabeth Dorland3 organize the conferences, and Robert Belford4 manages the CONFCHEM Discussion List. Notes 1. John Penn, Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6045. 2. Gary Trammell, Chemistry Program HSB 313, University of Illinois at Springfield, One University Plaza, Springfield IL 62703. 3. Elizabeth Dorland, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Washington University, 100 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130. 4. Robert Belford, Department of Chemistry, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204-1099.
Literature Cited 1. Spring 2008 CONFCHEM Home Page. http://www.ched-ccce. org/confchem/2008/b/index.htm (accessed Nov 2008). 2. http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ConfChem/ (accessed Nov 2008) 3. CONFCHEM Past Conferences. http://www.ched-ccce.org/ confchem/past.html (accessed Nov 2008). 4. Rosenthal, D.; Tissue, B. CHED Newsletter 2000, Spring, 25–27. http://www.ched-ccce.org/confchem/article2000.html (accessed Nov 2008). 5. Van Bramer, S. E.; Rosenthal, D.; Tissue, B. Electronic Chemistry Conferences: Seven Years of CONFCHEM. Presented at the
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 86 No. 1 January 2009 • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • © Division of Chemical Education
On the Web
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15. 16.
221st American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA, April 1, 2001. O’Haver, T. C. Meeting in Cyberspace. Based on an article by the author published in The World & I 1994, February, 218. http:// www.wam.umd.edu/~toh/OLC.html (accessed Nov 2008). O’Haver, T. C. Electronic Conferencing. In The Internet: A Guide for Chemists; Bachrach, S. M., Ed.; ACS Books, Washington, DC, 1996; pp 185–199. Chem. Eng. News 1993, 71 (February 15), 25. Chem. Eng. News 1993, 71 (October 11), 26. Science 1993, 261, 1271. Wired 1993, November, 30. Tissue, B. M.; Van Bramer, S. E.; Rosenthal, D. Electronic Chemistry Conferences: 7 Years of CONFCHEM. J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 2002, 42 (1), 23–25. http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/ abstract.cgi/jcisd8/2001/42/i01/abs/ci010082q.html (accessed Nov 2008). Belford, R. E.; Kelter, P. B.; Kirby, J. F. ConfChem: International Conference on First-Year College Chemistry. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 1413. Jones, L. L. Confchem: Ensuring the Future through Education. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 389. Belford, R. E.; Hanson, R. M. Confchem: Web-Based Applications for Chemical Education. J. Chem. Educ. 2006, 83, 1592. Hoffman, M. Z. CONFCHEM: Division of Chemical Education Online Conference. J. Chem. Educ. 2006, 83, 536.
Supporting JCE Online Material
http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2009/Jan/abs120.html Abstract and keywords
Full text (PDF) with links to cited URLs and JCE articles Supplements
Find each peer-reviewed and updated paper in the ConfChem collection of the JCE Digital Library.
NSF’s NSDL Program: An Overview of Its History, Progress, and Promise at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P01
Chemical Education Digital Library: Online Resources, Services, and Communities at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P02
The ChemCollective Digital Library at http://www.jce.divched. org/JCEDLib/ConfChem/200804/P03
IONiC: A Cyber-Enabled Community of Practice for Improving Inorganic Chemical Education at http://www.jce.divched.org/ JCEDLib/ConfChem/200804/P04
Bridging the Common Molecules Collection and the Science Classroom: Attractive and Inquiry-Stimulating Reciprocal Net Learning Modules at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P05
Open Source and Open Access Resources for Quantum Physics Education at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P06
CSERD—Another Important NSDL Pathway for Computational Chemistry Education at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P07
Online Resources for Teachers and Students from the American Chemical Society at http://www.jce.divched.org/JCEDLib/ ConfChem/200804/P08
© Division of Chemical Education • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • Vol. 86 No. 1 January 2009 • Journal of Chemical Education
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