EnviroChemLibrary: Resources for Teaching and Learning in Science

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

Chemistry (12) Environmental chemistry has proven to be an effective vehicle for exciting the interest of students in science at the undergraduate and high school level. However, it has been taught mostly in departments other than chemistry, and the few chemistry departments that have the environmental chemistry option certified by the American Chemical Society generally do not offer more than one environmental chemistry course, and several of the departments do not have any active environmental chemists conducting research on the faculty. The prototype EnviroChem Library project provides examples of the resources developed by the environmental chemistry research community, teaching faculties in non-chemistry and chemistry departments, chemical education, and by industry. The materials include such items as experiments and demonstrations of environmental chemistry, case studies, data sets, textbook reviews, and simulation programs. The materials are classified for the level of student, and the type of use anticipated. The resources available on the Internet site are evaluated for the pedagogy that is used. Dissemination is a key component of the project, and includes workshops coordinated with the Environmental Chemistry and Chemical Education Divisions conducted at the national ACS meetings. An evaluation committee composed of environmental chemists and chemical educators assists in the planning and execution of the project.