Chemistry and Societal Impacts: Re-imagining the First-Year Experience in the Lecture and Lab with CHEM 141

Jose Rodriguez Nunez, Associate Professor of Teaching, Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Emma Davy, Science Education Specialist, Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Starting September 2023, the Department of Chemistry will be offering CHEM 141: a new, enriched, first-year course serving an initial cohort of ≈200 students. This course will be designed with robust pedagogical foundation of research- and evidence-based practices. We seek funding to hire four undergraduate students over two years to achieve two primary goals:

1. Develop lecture resources that connect topics taught in lecture to real-world examples. By frequently linking lecture content with tangible applications, we seek to improve students’ motivation, attitudes, and understanding of the problem-solving potential of this field.
2. Develop laboratory content that will present modern and relevant techniques, applications, and thought processes across the sub-genres of chemistry.

Successful teaching approaches in CHEM 141 will have impact within and beyond CHEM 141, with the potential of directing the pedagogy of other first-year lectures and labs with broader reach at UBC and other higher education institutions.

Jose Rodriguez Nunez, Associate Professor of Teaching, Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Emma Davy, Science Education Specialist, Chemistry, Faculty of Science

CHEM 141 is a new, enriched, first-year chemistry course offered for the first time in Sep-2023 serving ≈140 students. Last year, we received funding to hire two undergraduate students to develop lecture and laboratory activities relating to two primary goals:

1. Developing lecture resources that connect lecture topics to real-world examples. By linking lecture content with tangible applications, we seek to improve students’ motivation, attitudes, and knowledge of the problem-solving potential of chemistry.
2. To develop laboratory content that presents modern and relevant techniques, applications, and thought processes across the sub-genres of chemistry.

This year, we are requesting additional funding to hire two undergraduate students to finalize the work accomplished in these areas to date.

Teaching approaches in CHEM 141 will have impact beyond the course, with the potential of directing the pedagogy of other first-year lectures and labs with broader reach at UBC and other higher education institutions.