EDUCATION BELLS AND WHISTLES Virtual ChemLab simulation software provides a realistic lab appearance. But more important, it has an open-ended structure that allows students to explore chemistry and reinforce their classroom learning. view of Virtual ChemLab, a laboratory simulation software package that he and his colleagues at Brigham Young have been developing since the late-1990s (chemlab. byu.edu).
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E-LEARNING BEGINS TO FIND ITS NICHE Simulations and online tutorials to augment traditional learning are slowly being put to use STEPHEN K. RITTER, C&EN WASHINGTON
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LTHOUGH E-MAIL AND THE IN-
ternet are now an indispensable part of most people's lives, the use ofthese and other electronic tools for chemical education is just getting started. Some of the lab simulation software and online tutorial projects that have potential to revolutionize the way chemistry is being taught were presented in several symposia at the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies (Pacifichem) held last month in Hawaii. Many professors post a course syllabus, homework assignments, and study guides on the Web, and some ambitious faculty with large classes may even give exams online. But educators aren't ready to plunge completely into the electronic learning environment and fully adopt simulated lab experiments or self-guided online instruc-
tion, commented associate chemistry professor Brian F. Woodfield of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. One reason is the time it would take for faculty to learn how to use new computer programs and to develop online materials to replace their current versions, he told C&EN. Another reason is that chemistry is a laboratory science that requires intuitive observations and a set of skills learned by hands-on experience, none ofwhich can be fully imitated in the digital realm. "Simulations are a bridge from the abstract to the real, combining old tech with new tech to connect theory in the classroom with real-world experience in the lab," Woodfield said. "The purpose is to provide a creative environment to reinforce or enhance traditional learning, not to replace it." At Pacifichem, Woodfield gave an over-
VIRTUAL CHEMLAB is probably the most sophisticated chemistry e-learning tool available so far, Woodfield noted. The software uses animation combined with photographs, video, and spectra from real lab experiments to create an interface that allows students to feel that they are part of an experiment, Woodfield explained. Virtual ChemLab currently has a simulation module for organic synthesis and qualitative analysis and a set of modules for general chemistry, including inorganic qualitative analysis, atomic theory and quantum mechanics, gases, calorimetry, and titrations. For inorganic qualitative analysis experiments, Virtual ChemLab offers 26 cation solutions and 11 reagents that can be added to test tubes in any combination and as many times as desired by simply clicking on a reagent bottle. Other available lab steps include stirring, centrifuging, decanting, flame testing, measuring p H of solutions or emitted gases, and smelling. That there are 1017 possible experimental outcomes in the qualitative analysis simulation and some 2.5 million reaction combinations in the organic simulation means Virtual ChemLab is really open-ended, Woodfield pointed out. This allows students to explore on their own and "get away from the cookbook culture" that has a tendency to lead them through experiments without critically thinking about what they are doing, he said. And what about lab boo-boos? When a combination of reagents leads to chemical muck, the simulation shows muck. When a dangerous mixture of chemicals is created, the program generates a simulated explosion for effect, complete with a recorded sound of glass shattering. This feature highlights one benefit of the virtual lab: Students can safely get as close as possible to real handson chemistry, even using toxic substances,
E-learning provides a creative environment to reinforce or enhance traditional learning, not to replace it." WWW.CEN-0NLINE.ORG
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EDUCATION without actually having to come into contact come essential for synthetic chemists, and students new to NMR, "Tubie," an N M R with the chemicals. structure deteirninations have become much mascot, was created. Fashioned after an The system has a user's guide accessed easier with faster computers and easy-to-use N M R sample tube, Tubie pops in to provide graphical software, Ferrence noted. But stuvia "tutorial TV," which also displays what background information and help students dents at most predominantly undergraduate is going on with a particular experiment in make sense of difficult concepts. universities, minority-serving colleges and progress. There's also an electronic lab noteAs students progress through the theory universities, and community colleges have book that students use to record results and section, they can quiz themselves on what little exposure to crystallography. observations, get assignments of unknowns, they have learned. In a virtual lab section, and submit results for grading. The stockFerrence is one of the principals in a students learn how to construct a data table room section can be used to create known group of chemists that is reaching out to by using chemical shifts and coupling patmixtures, generate practice unknowns, or some 50 of these institutions so far through terns from spectra of common compounds. retrieve instructor-assigned unknowns. the STaRBURSTT CyberlnstrumentaErrors entered by the students are automatition Consortium (starburstt.org). STaRHow good is Virtual ChemLab? In one cally corrected and highlighted in red. Once BURSTT (Science Teaching & Research evaluation, students who noted that they the table is complete, the student is directed Brings Undergraduate Research Strengths had used the system performed 30% betto select the molecular fragment associated Through Technology) includes five core ter on the lab final exam than students who with an N M R signal, then assemble the instrumentation hubs at California State said they hadn't used the system, Woodfield fragments to form the molecule. University, Fullerton; Central Connecticut reported. The simulations, when used as a When NMRTutor was tested with 110 State University; Southeast Missouri State prelab assignment, also tend to help students students in spring 2005, it performed with finish real labs much faster, he added. few glitches, Browne said. The tutorial is go- University; Youngstown State University, in Ohio; and Illinois State. Prentice Hall sells the software along ing full-scale with 1,100 organic chemistry The consortium team is developing onwith workbooks for college and high school students during the current winter term. line curriculum materials on crystal growth, and, later this year, middle school. The workbooks contain tear-out lab worksheets IT'S DIFFICULT to determine if the tutorial data collection and refinement, structure determination, and how to use crystallothat can be completed by using the software. makes a difference in the overall perforgraphic databases for their own students A site license for a high school or university mance of students, Browne pointed out. and for students at member institutions. currently runs $600. Individuals can purFor example, students who said they used They also are facilitating local and remote chase various simulations and a workbook the tutorial performed only a few percentaccess to X-ray diffractometers so students for about $35 each. Virtual ChemLab also is age points better in their course grades. But can practice or carry out research. Particibeing packaged with several chemistry textanecdotally, "we have found it helps accelerpating faculty at the instrument hubs make books. About 150,000 U.S. high school and ate learning by giving immediate feedback blocks of time on their instruments available college students are using Virtual ChemLab, when a student makes mistakes," she said. for students to come in for hands-on Woodfield noted. work or to send samples and operate A number of other innovative e-learnan instrument remotely. ing tools were presented during PaciThe consortium's goals are simple, fichem lectures and poster sessions. Lois Ferrence said. T h e members want M. Browne of the University ofAlberta, to increase crystallographic training Edmonton, described NMRTutor, an opportunities and provide an infrainteractive online tutorial program to structure for broader use of university assist undergraduate organic chemistry crystallography resources. "In the end, students in learning the basics of proton we want to increase the supply of aspirnuclear magnetic resonance spectroscoing crystallographers," Ferrence told py. Alberta chemistry graduate student C&EN. Crystallography happened J.James Bailey was a major contributor to be the expertise of the consortium to the project, she noted. organizers, he added, but the consorThe inherent difficulty associated tium is currently expanding the project with enabling large classes of students to include other instruments. to acquire and practice interpretation of HELPING HAND NMRTutor, led by "Tubie" the E-learning has great potential for real N M R spectra presented an oppor- NMR mascot, supports classroom learning by chemical education, as the variety of tunity for Browne and her colleagues to helping undergraduate students understand initiatives presented at Pacifichem develop NMRTutor, she said. The Al- the basics of proton NMR. showed. Woodfield thinks broader berta chemists had already prepared an use of e-learning will be driven by the next online Organic Chemistry Lab Handbook Another e-learning tool that is starting generation of students who will have had that includes tutorial sections on separations to catch on is remote access to analytical exposure to e-learning programs in high instrumentation. A student or researcher in and infrared spectroscopy (www.chem.ualschool and will start to ask for similar sysone location can log in to a computer server berta.caAorglabs/Handbook.html). They tems at the undergraduate level. E-learning in a distant location and drive an instrument simply expanded it to include the N M R also will likely be adopted more quickly for as though it were in the same room. At Pacitutorial. A section on 13C N M R is in the fichem, associate chemistry professor Gregdistance-learning courses or courses for works, as well as sections on chromatograory M. Ferrence of Illinois State University which lab costs or lack of lab facilities may phy and other techniques. described one such initiative to help students be a factor, such as those for nonscience NMRTutor's theory section contains a learn about X-ray crystallography. majors or those offered by community colcomplete background on proton N M R at Routine X-ray crystallography has beleges or high schools. • the beginner's level. To avoid overwhelming 32
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