Funds are requested for further development and implementation of "virtual laboratories". The goal of this start-up funding is to investigate new teaching strategies for effective chemistry instruction and related scientific subjects. Interactive and visual components will be introduced via "virtual laboratories" on the WWW. This project is a continuation of my postdoctoral research fellowship under NSF-DGE. The start-up funding will be used to implement and evaluate "virtual laboratories" developed during postdoctoral support. Also, new lessons will be developed and material refined with the assistance of student evaluations.
While this grant is aimed at start-up for the young faculty PI, it would benefit the whole scientific community at the University of Wyoming. Close collaborations with current faculty and chemical educators will allow the developed work to be better implemented on a campus-wide scale. A computer lab will be developed for student evaluation of proposed material. This lab will be supported by the equipment included in this proposal as well as by computers supplied by the chemistry department.
