Using the web to access real-world data

Cathy Middlecamp
Distinguished Faculty Associate, Chemistry Department
Director, Chemistry Learning Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
chmiddle@facstaff.wisc.edu

Why technology?
The web provides access to data and information that my students and I couldn't otherwise

Chemistry 108 Spring, 2002 Chemistry in Context Chemistry in Context book description Students speak out on Collaborative Learning Student Assessment of Learning Gains ACS EPA NASA NRC

easily obtain (or if we could, it would take too long to get our hands on it). I teach an introductory level chemistry course (250 students in the fall, and 120 in the spring) for liberal arts students who are not pursuing a science major. The course is structured around investigations of current and often controversial issues in chemistry such as air quality, the ozone layer, global warming, and energy conservation. To teach these topics effectively, I need up-to-date, real-world data and I need current information on these topics - usually fast! The web has a wealth of scientific data, as well as current information on quickly-changing issues, both of which I find extremely useful in helping students understand chemistry in ways that are meaningful to them and that also meet my standards as a scientist and chemistry educator. My students' end-of-semester comments on the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) survey emphasize that they value the topic-centered approach of the course (for example, "It is neat how the content ties into the real world - not just boring chemical structures"). And I emphasize that the way I use the web is critical to making this course work for them.

If you have any questions about our project, you can contact me at: chmiddle@facstaff.wisc.edu