Engaging Students in General and Organic Chemistry Courses: Authentic Practice in Laboratory Courses, Near Peer Instruction, and Active Engagement in Large Organic Lectures with Professor Anne Baranger

Thursday, February 9th 12:00-1:00pm, Biomed 300 Host: Gabe Mednick

Description: In this presentation, I will discuss our efforts to engage students in the general chemistry laboratory curriculum by designing a curriculum that focuses on authentic practice of green chemistry and is supported by a large learning assistant program. I will also discuss active learning methods in our large organic lectures. In particular, I will focus on my efforts to engage students actively in the first semester of organic chemistry for majors.

Bio: Anne Baranger received her B.S. in chemistry from MIT, her Ph.D. in chemistry from UC Berkeley, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. Professor Baranger has been a member of the chemistry faculty at Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois. She joined UC Berkeley in 2011 where she is Director of Undergraduate Chemistry and Faculty Assistant for Teaching and Learning for the Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education. Her research focuses on investigating student learning in undergraduate research experiences, understanding near peer teaching and learning, developing interventions to improve problem solving by organic students, and creating curricula to teach the authentic practice of green chemistry to general chemistry students.