Making Chemistry Relevant

Students' interest and achievement in academics improve dramatically when they make connections between what they are learning and the potential uses of that knowledge i n the workplace and/or in the world at large. Making Chemistry Relevant presents a unique collection of strategies that have been used successfully in chemistry classrooms to create a learner-sensitive environment that enhances academic achievement and social competence of students.

Rejecting rote memorization, the book proposes a cognitive constructivist philosophy that casts the teacher as a facilitator helping students to construct solutions to problems. Written by chemistry professors and research groups from a wide variety of colleges and universities, the book offers a number of creative ways to make chemistry relevant to the student, including:

• Teaching science in the context of major life issues and STEM professions

• Relating chemistry to current events such as global warming, pollution, and terrorism

• Integrating science research into the undergraduate laboratory curriculum

• Enriching the learning experience for students with a variety of learning styles as well as accommodating the visually challenged students

• Using media, hypermedia, games, and puzzles in the teaching of chemistry

Both novice and experienced faculty alike will find valuable ideas ready to be applied and adapted to enhance the learning experience of all their students.

SHARMISTHA BASU-DUTT is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of Engineering Studies at the University of West Georgia. She has received numerous grants and awards for her groundbreaking projects that integrate education, engineering, and chemistry.