This project involves major changes in the laboratory component of three undergraduate analytical chemistry courses (the one-semester courses in quantitative and instrumental analysis for chemistry majors, and the one-semester course in analytical chemise for non-chemistry majors). These changes are part of larger curricular reform in the Chemistry Department. The changes include (a) the introduction of a role-based cooperative learning approach to much of the work and (b) the development and implementation of problem-based work of industrial relevance. The goal of these revisions is to redress the various short-comings in the education of BS chemists recently highlighted by the NSF and others. The new laboratory content gives more emphasis to spectroscopy and chromatography. The following new techniques are introduced: microwave assisted digestions and extractions, ion chromatography, solid phase microextraction, automatic coulometric Karl-Fisher titrimetry, and FT-IR microscopy. The acquisition of a capillary chromatograph with electron capture detection and a commercial integrated flow injection unit provides upgrades in the areas of gas chromatography and flow injection analysis, respectively. The approach to the teaching of some general principles of instruments, and of molecular absorption spectrometry in particular, is based on an integrated approach which starts with modeling and progresses though the construction of modular instruments to the evaluation of commercial instruments. Experiments on data handling and processing are included. An Industrial Advisory Board provides help in devising much of the experimental work, including the problem-based experiments. A web site has been established as part of the new teaching materials and information will be disseminated through educational conferences and journals.
