9452057 Onasch This project seeks to combine multimedia technology with cooperative learning in the classroom. This combination increases subject matter appeal to the students, more clearly demonstrates concepts, allows exploration of the subject matter beyond the time limitations of laboratory/class sessions, and allows flexibility to accommodate different students' different learning styles. The project focuses on Chemistry and the Life Sciences. For Chemistry, the multimedia technology allows improved molecular modeling, the ability to "slow down" chemical reactions, the simulation of equipment and/or experiments that are impractical at the lab bench, provides students a qualitative "standard" against which to compare lab bench results, increases safety and facilitates group discussion. In the Life Sciences, the equipment is being used for such varied purposes as demonstrating concepts/experiments such as ameboid motion or bacterial motility, photosynthesis, dissections, time lapsing experiments, simulation of lung function, heart attacks, etc. The equipment is mobile; enough equipment stations have been provided so that students can be divided into small teams to conduct experiments, participate in group discussions, etc. The mobility also allows the equipment (in a supervised setting) to be available for student use after class hours.
