Crossing traditional boundaries with an integrated laboratory curriculum

CHED 164

Maria J. Schroeder, schroede@usna.edu1, Debra K. Dillner, dillner@usna.edu1, Robert F. Ferrante, ferrante@usna.edu2, Jeffrey P. Fitzgerald, fitzgera@usna.edu1, and William B. Heuer1. (1) Department of Chemistry, U.S. Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, (2) Chemistry Department, U.S. Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
A new integrated laboratory curriculum was recently developed at the U.S. Naval Academy. To meet recent ACS-CPT requirements and to satisfy our own desires to introduce more student choice in our major, we embarked on a complete redesign of our laboratory program, reducing 11 credit hours of traditional laboratory courses into a cohesive, 8-credit, 4-semester sequence of integrated laboratory courses covering the core areas of chemistry. These courses are designed along broader themes with many experiments simultaneously exploring concepts from two or more subdisciplines of chemistry. Our program is unique in that it begins in the sophomore year and is completed in the junior year allowing students to pursue research and advanced courses in their senior year. Imagine students in the former “organic lab” using analytical balances, volumetric pipets, and doing titrations in conjunction with an experiment involving liquid-liquid extraction of an organic mixture. The advantages and disadvantages of an integrated curriculum, from both the student and faculty perspective, will be presented.
 

General Posters
7:30 PM-9:30 PM, Sunday, March 25, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Sci-Mix

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007