Fillable Printable Chemistry Poster Template
Fillable Printable Chemistry Poster Template
Chemistry Poster Template
Integrating Real-World Applications into the Introductory Chemistry Laboratory:
An Analysis of Local Water Samples
Christen B. Smith, Holly W. Kerby, Karen L. Anderson
Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI 53706
Department of Chemistry, Madison College, Madison WI 53704
BACKGROUND METHODS
RESULTS
OBJECTIVES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LITERATURE CITED
0
1
2
3
4
5
Where drinking
water comes
from and how it
is treated
How standards
for contaminants
in drinking water
are established
How wastewater
is treated and
where it ends up
Level of Understanding
Before the lab
After the lab
Common Themes
Number of
responses
Importance of what goes down the drain
4
Awareness of watercontaminants
5
Importance of clean water
3
Personal contribution to water quality
7
Source of drinking water
2
Importance of research and regulation of
contaminants
2
0 20406080100
I found the water lab to be interesting
This lab increased my enthusiasm for
chemistry
The lab improved my understanding of
how chemistry helps people address real
world issues
This class would benefit from more labs
involving real world issues
The lab increased my awareness of water
contaminants
Student Response (%)
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
What is the most important thing you will take away from these labs into other
classes or other aspects of your life?
It is important forsociety to understand what new chemicals do in the environment
and how we can test for them.
How water is treated and the effects of contaminants in the water. I'll definitely
have an increased awareness of what water I drink.
I will take away what's really in the water and problems arising from chemicals
being released in water
I will be more aware of what my family puts down the drain
How what I do at home contributes to bigger issues and the importance of having
clean water in our society
Teaching Challenge: Students inintroductory
chemistry classes often have little practical
understanding of the science intheir daily lives or
the nature of scientific careers.
Previous Studies
Laboratory instruction isgenerally linked topositive gains
instudents’attitude towards science and achievement in
science knowledge.
2
Context-based learningactivities inintroductory chemistry
classes have improved students’conceptualunderstanding of
course content.
3
Inanenvironmentally-focusedgeneral chemistry
laboratory course, students cited real-world relevanceasa
motivating factor for their learning.
4
Evaluation ofaninterdisciplinary drinking water analysis
lab demonstrated positive influenceonstudent attitudes about
science .
5
Course: LiberalArts Chemistry, a non-majorsintroductory
chemistry class atMadisonCollege. The class iscomprised
ofapproximately 40 students divided into three lab sections.
1.Develop and implement laboratoryexperiments that
integrate real-world applications ofchemistry,
specifically, drinkingwaterquality and wastewater
treatment.
2.Determine theextentthat context-based laboratory
instruction influences studentinterest and conceptual
understanding of water chemistry.
Lab 1:What’s in my Water?
Students measured the hardness and nitrate concentration of
various drinking water samples using water analysis test kits
Post-Labactivity: Students comparedclass data fortap water with
that measured by the cityusing theWater District’sAnnual Report.
Post-Lab Survey
Likert-scaled statements about the labs and perceptions of
chemistry
Student assessment oflearning gains (SALG)onwater
topics.
Open-response –Studentswere asked toidentify the most
important thing they learned from the water labs
Lab 2:Where does my water go?
Students measured the chloride concentration intap water,
waste water effluent, and a local surface water sample.
6
1.Freedman, M.P. J. Res. Sci. Teach.1997, 34, 343.
2.Gutwill-Wise, J.P. J. Chem. Educ.2001, 78, 684.
3.Mihok, M.; Keiser, J.T.; Bortiatynski, J.M.; Mallouk, T.E. J. Chem. Educ.
2006, 83, 250
4.Richter-Egger, D.L.; Hagen, J.P.; Laquer, F.C.; Grandgenett, N.F.; Shuster,
R.D. J. Chem. Educ. 2010, 87, 862.
5.Steehler, G.A., Ed. Laboratory Manual to accompany Chemistry in
Context: Applying Chemistry to Society, 6
th
ed.; McGraw-Hill: New York,
2009.
Table 2.Sample responses from post-lab surveys
Table1.Summary of student responses regarding the
most important take-away from the water analysis labs
Figure2. Student self-assessment of understanding of water
topics.Levels of understanding were rated on a five-point scale,
where 5 represents stronglyagree and 1 represents strongly
disagree with a statement that thestudent feels knowledgeable
about the topic before and after the labs. Sample size was 28 and
error bars represent one standard error.
Figure 3. Survey responses from Liberal Arts Chemistry students.
Participants (n=28) rated eachstatement on a five-point scale, where5
represents strongly agree and 1 represents stronglydisagree.
We thank Joan Boyce, Don Gillian-Daniel, and Delta Internship
Program participants for helpful discussions and comments.
Madison
tap water
Dasani ®
bottled
water
Residential
well water
Filtered
residential
well water
Photo of the final clarifyingtank at Madison Metropolitan
Sewerage District (www.madsewer.org)
Figure 1.Measurementofnitratelevels indrinking water samples
using water analysisteststrips. Students firstevaluatedthe accuracyof
the stripsbytesting nitratestandards. Nitrateand nitrite levels correlate
with the color intensity on the reagent pads.
