Implementing a Student-Designed Green Chemistry Laboratory Project in Organic Chemistry

Abstract

A multiweek organic chemistry laboratory project is described that emphasizes sustainable practices in experimental design. An emphasis on student-driven development of the project is meant to mirror the independent nature of research. Students propose environmentally friendly modifications of several reactions. With instructor feedback, students search for a literature protocol for their most promising reaction. Students follow the procedure as described and also carry out a modified, greener reaction that they have designed on their own, incorporating a modest change in reaction conditions. The exercise concludes with a report focusing on comparative data analysis. This unique approach also focuses on teaching students the important research skills involved in locating, reproducing, and modifying a literature procedure.

Particulate matters: student-led air quality research in the third-year environmental chemistry classroom and the field

“…PBL is a pedagogical approach in which students actively participate in the investigation of real-world problems and in the process gain experience in asking questions, predicting results, designing and carrying out experiments, analyzing data, and communicating results to others [1]. In the undergraduate chemistry context, PBL often takes the form of student-designed research projects of varying scope and complexity [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. PBL and other active learning approaches can sometimes be met with student resistance [10], and student feedback collected as part of some of the PBL initiativescited above indicated that students were often challenged-and in some cases frustrated-by the process, despite also finding it rewarding [3,9].…”

“…PBL and other active learning approaches can sometimes be met with student resistance [10], and student feedback collected as part of some of the PBL initiativescited above indicated that students were often challenged-and in some cases frustrated-by the process, despite also finding it rewarding [3,9]. However, student responses also highlighted a wide range of benefits of PBL, including increased confidence in the laboratory and with research in general [2,4,5], improved experimental design skills [4], and development of critical thinking skills [5,9]. In addition, students reported that they enjoyed the freedom to plan their own experiments and take ownership over their own projects [2,3,8].…”

Development and Validation of Specific Chemistry Teaching Mode for Environmental Sustainability

“…Various studies relating to the application of green chemistry as an effort for environmental sustainability have been carried out [12,13,14,15], but the phenomenon of environmental crisis is still being found, especially with regard to chemistry. This shows that the knowledge of green chemistry for chemical industry practitioners has not been implemented or understood yet.…”

Determination of Alkali Hydroxide Concentration Based on Green Consideration

“…The contamination of the wastewater produced by chemical laboratory is a worldwide problem. Seeking for efficient methods to reuse laboratory wastewater produced in laboratory teaching and applying the methods in chemistry laboratory courses will help students establish the philosophy of environmental protection and sustainable development [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] .…”