Discovering ¹³C NMR, ¹H NMR, and IR Spectroscopy in the General Chemistry Laboratory through a Sequence of Guided-Inquiry Exercises

Abstract

This sequence of three guided-inquiry labs is designed for a secondsemester general chemistry course and challenges students to discover basic theoretical principles associated with 13 C NMR, 1 H NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Students learn to identify and explain basic concepts of magnetic resonance and vibrational spectroscopy; collect and interpret sets of 13 C NMR, 1 H NMR, and IR spectra; and correctly identify functional groups and chemical structures for a variety of simple organic compounds. Student survey data, along with in-lab observations of student interactions, lead to the conclusion that these lab experiences enhance student interest, increase communication between students, and improve their ability to explain and correct their own misconceptions.

Design and implementation of active learning strategies to enhance student understanding of foundational concepts in biochemistry

“…Student perceptions of active learning strategies utilized in the course were assessed using an anonymous online survey. It consisted of eight questions asking students to rate their agreement or disagreement with each item 28 . A Likert‐type scale was utilized where 5 = strongly agree to 1 = strongly disagree.…”

“…It consisted of eight questions asking students to rate their agreement or disagreement with each item. 28 A Likert-type scale was utilized where 5 = strongly agree to 1 = strongly disagree. In addition, the survey included three open-ended questions inviting students to comment on benefits, drawbacks and continued utilization of the activities.…”

Hyperpolarised 1H–13C Benchtop NMR Spectroscopy

“…It was through specifically designed Halbach arrays of magnets [15], advancements in shimming electronics, and temperature stabilisation that these tens-of-ppb magnetic field homogeneities were achieved [16][17][18]. From this point, a range of high-resolution benchtop NMR spectrometers with different field strengths and heteronuclear detection capabilities have been developed and implemented across a plethora of applications [19], such as industrial quality control [20][21][22][23][24][25][26], 1 H and 13 C NMR undergraduate teaching [27][28][29][30][31][32], and on-line reaction monitoring [33][34][35][36][37][38][39].…”

Inquiry-based training improves teaching effectiveness of biology teaching assistants

“…Successful inquiry-oriented initiatives such as POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) emphasize the coordination of content and methodological skills during science learning activities [16–18], but implementing large-scale reorganization of teaching materials and curricular content calls for substantial investment in time and money, and may be beyond the capability of many course instructors. Moreover, reorienting major introductory course lecture content toward inquiry learning is a considerable effort, and requires departmental consensus to implement effectively.…”