CHED 1505 |
| Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is an instrumental technique ubiquitous in the undergraduate organic laboratory. The traditional approach to teaching IR usually involves some variation of providing students with a table of numbers correlated to functional group and then practicing on example spectra. Because IR interpretation is a strongly visual process, novices often become overwhelmed with applying the numbers to the spectra. Accordingly, we have developed a visual approach to learning IR interpretation. Briefly, students are given a packet of spectra, each with its chemical structure. Students sort the spectra into functional group piles and then determine for themselves the important IR distinguishing features within each group, thereby gaining practice in identifying patterns and making generalizations. Because the students generate the correlation information for themselves, they are more likely to apply this information correctly in the future. The approach and results from class testing will be discussed. |
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Keeping it Real: Inquiry Instruction and the Chemistry Laboratory
1:30 PM-4:05 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- Oak Alley, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |