Engaging Students Using Engaging Students Using Current Topics in Chemical Current Topics in Chemical

ResearchResearch

St. Lawrence UniversitySt. Lawrence University

Samantha GlazierSamantha Glazier

July 31July 31stst 2006 2006

Can primary literature help me..Can primary literature help me..

……learn from and with my students by learn from and with my students by incorporating difficult and uncertain incorporating difficult and uncertain material to balance the established material to balance the established material I present in lecture?material I present in lecture?

……convey practical implications of convey practical implications of derivations, equations and topics that I derivations, equations and topics that I present in class? present in class?

……make course material seem plain by make course material seem plain by comparison? comparison? Like using sprints for mid-distance athletic Like using sprints for mid-distance athletic

competition.competition.

Atoms connected by single bonds Atoms connected by single bonds rotate freelyrotate freely

J.M. Tour et al. Nano Letters, 5, 2330, 2005.

Current Research in Current Research in Undergraduate CurriculaUndergraduate Curricula

Have you incorporated current Have you incorporated current research into an undergraduate research into an undergraduate course? course? Tell your neighbor about Tell your neighbor about one successone success

and and one failureone failure that you experienced. that you experienced. (4 min.)(4 min.)

Biophysical ChemistryBiophysical Chemistry8 juniors & seniors8 juniors & seniors

One of my goals in this course is to co-discover One of my goals in this course is to co-discover

progress in the field of biophysical chemistry progress in the field of biophysical chemistry

by reading current literature. We will dedicate by reading current literature. We will dedicate

several Fridays throughout the semester to several Fridays throughout the semester to

deconstruct journal articles. One or two deconstruct journal articles. One or two

people will be responsible for organizing the people will be responsible for organizing the

meeting, a few more people will be meeting, a few more people will be

responsible for assignments from the lead responsible for assignments from the lead

students and a couple will only be required to students and a couple will only be required to

read the article and be prepared to discuss. read the article and be prepared to discuss.

Evaluation of Literature AssignmentEvaluation of Literature Assignment

Please rate the value of the literature meetingsPlease rate the value of the literature meetings

1 – very valuable 3 – neutral 5- no value

As a way to learn about applications in As a way to learn about applications in biophysical chemistry biophysical chemistry

3.63.6

To increase your understanding of lecture To increase your understanding of lecture materialmaterial

2.52.5

Next year would you recommend more, less or Next year would you recommend more, less or about the same amount of time dedicated to about the same amount of time dedicated to

Literature meetings (1 more, 2 about the Literature meetings (1 more, 2 about the same, 3 less)same, 3 less)

2.62.6

What they saidWhat they said

““It was It was funfun to look at current research, to look at current research, but I didn’t think that it really helped me but I didn’t think that it really helped me to better understand course material.”to better understand course material.”

““I think they were very helpful in giving I think they were very helpful in giving a lot of a lot of practice at dissecting articlespractice at dissecting articles.”.”

““It was valuable for making students It was valuable for making students feel like their feel like their education is directededucation is directed to an to an extent extent by themselvesby themselves.”.”

What went wrong?What went wrong?

With a neighbor surmise why reading With a neighbor surmise why reading primary literature didn’t increase primary literature didn’t increase understanding of course material. understanding of course material. (4 (4 min)min) C:\C:\CourseFolders\ChemCourseFolders\Chem

342\Literature\LiteratureMeetingGuidlines.doc 342\Literature\LiteratureMeetingGuidlines.doc C:\C:\CourseFolders\ChemCourseFolders\Chem

342\Literature\LiteratureLeadCritique.doc 342\Literature\LiteratureLeadCritique.doc

BiochemistryBiochemistry10 juniors & seniors10 juniors & seniors

One goal of this semester of biochemistry is to work on oral communication skills, One goal of this semester of biochemistry is to work on oral communication skills,

presentation, listening, discussing. An additional goal is to develop familiarity presentation, listening, discussing. An additional goal is to develop familiarity

with the biochemical literature and develop skills that allow you to read, with the biochemical literature and develop skills that allow you to read,

discuss, and interpret these articles. At the end of each topic we will read two discuss, and interpret these articles. At the end of each topic we will read two

or three current articles related to that topic. That way we can look at or three current articles related to that topic. That way we can look at

interesting new research. Two people will lead a "journal club" style discussion interesting new research. Two people will lead a "journal club" style discussion

of an article on one topic. They will present the background, main ideas of the of an article on one topic. They will present the background, main ideas of the

paper, what the authors wish to show, an explanation of experimental paper, what the authors wish to show, an explanation of experimental

techniques and how they were used, how the authors interpreted experimental techniques and how they were used, how the authors interpreted experimental

results. We will then discuss the paper, the interpretations given, other results. We will then discuss the paper, the interpretations given, other

possible interpretations, other experiments that could help elucidate the possible interpretations, other experiments that could help elucidate the

questions and issues raised in the paper or in the discussion. In order to have questions and issues raised in the paper or in the discussion. In order to have

a discussion, everyone in the class needs to read the paper. To ensure a discussion, everyone in the class needs to read the paper. To ensure

everyone is prepared, you will hand in a brief summary (about one page), a list everyone is prepared, you will hand in a brief summary (about one page), a list

of terms, and a few questions you have about the paper. of terms, and a few questions you have about the paper.

Evaluation of Literature AssignmentEvaluation of Literature Assignment

Enjoyed reading papersEnjoyed reading papers 2.32.3

Reading papers was difficultReading papers was difficult 2.42.4

I became more experiencedI became more experienced 1.81.8

I learned a lot preparing for my I learned a lot preparing for my presentationpresentation

1.71.7

I learned a lot from other’s I learned a lot from other’s presentationspresentations

1.91.9

Assignment was valuable and a good Assignment was valuable and a good use of class timeuse of class time

1.81.8

1 – agree strongly 3 – neutral 5- disagree strongly

What they saidWhat they said

““Although it was a pain to do, the Although it was a pain to do, the summaries and question really summaries and question really helpedhelped…’…’

““I liked learning about the methodologyI liked learning about the methodology of doing different kinds of research of doing different kinds of research especially when it was similar to what especially when it was similar to what we have done in lab!”we have done in lab!”

““I like some but others were I like some but others were overwhelming, so my experience was overwhelming, so my experience was very very dependent on the paperdependent on the paper.”.”

ChallengesChallenges

Careful selection of articlesCareful selection of articles Quality, length, student interest and relevance Quality, length, student interest and relevance

Specify narrow learning objectiveSpecify narrow learning objective Ask students to read articles specifically to see Ask students to read articles specifically to see

how material from lecture is in playhow material from lecture is in play

How to foster ‘tearning’?How to foster ‘tearning’? Other ways to integrate biologyOther ways to integrate biology

In-class projects, including reading In-class projects, including reading assignments assignments

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Nadia MaranoNadia Marano Professor of BiochemistryProfessor of Biochemistry St. Lawrence UniversitySt. Lawrence University

Students of Students of

Biophysical ChemistryBiophysical Chemistry

AbstractAbstractThe practical implications of derivations, equations and topics that The practical implications of derivations, equations and topics that

we present in class are not always readily apparent to students we present in class are not always readily apparent to students even when thoughtful examples are shown. It is a short logical even when thoughtful examples are shown. It is a short logical step to illustrate relevance by the use of current literature. step to illustrate relevance by the use of current literature. Examples such as how free energy is used to explain problems Examples such as how free energy is used to explain problems in nanochemistry or how Michaelis-Menton kinetics are used to in nanochemistry or how Michaelis-Menton kinetics are used to solve enzyme reaction mechanisms have the potential to pique solve enzyme reaction mechanisms have the potential to pique students interests and deepen their understanding of lecture students interests and deepen their understanding of lecture material. Some of the challenges of engaging students in material. Some of the challenges of engaging students in chemical literature are the conceptual density of articles and chemical literature are the conceptual density of articles and the technical rhetorical style. If these barriers can be the technical rhetorical style. If these barriers can be overcome, co-discovering current topics in chemistry with overcome, co-discovering current topics in chemistry with students provides an opportunity for genuine exchanges of students provides an opportunity for genuine exchanges of ideas from other courses, research projects and personal ideas from other courses, research projects and personal interests. Central to my teaching philosophy is finding ways to interests. Central to my teaching philosophy is finding ways to learn from and with my students and motivates my interest in learn from and with my students and motivates my interest in incorporating difficult and uncertain materials to balance the incorporating difficult and uncertain materials to balance the established material that I present in lecture. I will share the established material that I present in lecture. I will share the successes and challenges encountered while reading successes and challenges encountered while reading biophysical chemistry journal articles as a class. Session biophysical chemistry journal articles as a class. Session attendees will be encouraged to reflect on the function of attendees will be encouraged to reflect on the function of current progress in science in their own courses. current progress in science in their own courses.