General chemistry students in a second semester Quantitative Analysis laboratory will learn to carry out chemical analyses by working cooperatively in small groups. The groups will design experiments that are productive and efficient, carry them out, and report on them. The students will be assigned cooperative roles and taught technical and personal skills needed to be effective in group activities. Experimental design including methods of identifying important experimental factors, optimizing the factors, and collecting appropriate data to characterize the response of a system will be a primary concern. The teamwork and experimental design activities will provide students a better understanding of what scientists do and a more complete preparation for scientific careers. Information will be gathered to discover changes in student attitudes toward cooperative activities and science.
