Abstract:

Many chemistry courses are requirements for different majors and graduate/professional schools, yet one failure or one negative experience in the classroom can impel students to discontinue their pursuit of medical school, graduate school, or anything STEM-related. My objective is to use the chemistry classroom to develop the students’ Science Identity – their self-perception of their competence and confidence as an academic/scientist. To that end, laboratory courses can complement lecture instruction by increasing academic investment and enhancing students’ understanding and grasp of the material. In this talk, I will first discuss my teaching philosophy with respect to both lab and lecture instruction. Next, I will deliver a prelab lecture for an experiment using Evan’s method.