Organic First: A Biology-friendly Chemistry Curriculum

Impact of General Chemistry on Student Achievement and Progression to Subsequent Chemistry Courses: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

“…In recent years, proposed modifications to address issues in general chemistry include: an inverted curriculum, which places organic chemistry prior to general chemistry; , a resequenced curriculum in which students take a single semester of general chemistry followed by two semesters of organic chemistry and then a second term of general chemistry; − a hybrid curriculum such as bio-organic; or a curriculum which omits general chemistry altogether, such as organic only . These curricular approaches infuse more descriptive chemistry at the introductory level on the premise that some students are deterred by the quantitative nature of traditional general chemistry curriculum.…”

Review of Organic Chemistry: An Introductory Text Emphasizing Biological Connections, 2nd Edition

“…From this point, chemistry majors recapture some of the organic topics they may have missed in this scheme through an advanced organic course, while students with other academic majors continue with their own particular academic programs. Reingold has detailed the rationale for this approach in commentaries for both the chemistry and biology education communities, including discussion of why some traditional topics in organic chemistry are left out to make room in the curriculum for the general chemistry and biochemistry topics incorporated in the first-year organic course. It is interesting to note that the “organic first” program at Juniata College meets the requirements for ACS program approval and student certification outlined by the ACS Committee on Professional Training…”

Integrated Chemistry and Biology for First-Year College Students

“…“Integration” has been a part of the language describing various educational enhancements in chemistry and biology for many years. The scope of integration spans the purposeful inclusion of two or more subdisciplines of chemistry (for example, refs − ) or the intentional merging of two or more scientific disciplines (for example, refs − ). The target of integration has been single laboratory experiments, ,,− suites of laboratory experiments, ,,− , multiyear laboratory curricula, , and various courses of study in the classroom. ,,− Classroom integration has taken the form of single courses, simultaneous courses, ,,, and course sequences over multiple terms. ,,− , Other approaches to integration include the offering of interdisciplinary research projects to first- and second-year students. , Interestingly, an emphasis of current integrative projects is to target students in the first two years of college (for example, refs − ).…”

“…The scope of integration spans the purposeful inclusion of two or more subdisciplines of chemistry (for example, refs − ) or the intentional merging of two or more scientific disciplines (for example, refs − ). The target of integration has been single laboratory experiments, ,,− suites of laboratory experiments, ,,− , multiyear laboratory curricula, , and various courses of study in the classroom. ,,− Classroom integration has taken the form of single courses, simultaneous courses, ,,, and course sequences over multiple terms. ,,− , Other approaches to integration include the offering of interdisciplinary research projects to first- and second-year students. , Interestingly, an emphasis of current integrative projects is to target students in the first two years of college (for example, refs − ). As Godrick and Hartman point out: “as we participate and prepare our students to actively engage in the molecular biology–biochemistry revolution of recent decades it becomes not only clear but mandatory to connect these two disciplines [biology and chemistry] early in the education of the science major” .…”

“…The goal, as elegantly put forth in A New Biology , is to provide students with fluency in more than one discipline. Whereas biology integration initially emphasized attention to mathematical fluency, , more and more attention is now given to the integration of biology and the physical sciences, including chemistry. − This endeavor requires disciplinary scientists to learn about each other and each other’s courses, before developing integrated learning environments for their students. As John W. Moore wrote in this Journal in 2002, “Cross-disciplinary teaching is something that neither chemists nor biologists can do alone, and it is perhaps the most difficult aspect of improving undergraduate education in the sciences” …”