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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2004  > March  >
In the Classroom
Thermodynamics in Context: A Case Study of Contextualized Teaching for Undergraduates
John Holman and Gwen Pilling
Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
Cover
March 2004
Vol. 81 No. 3
p. 373
Abstract
Thermodynamics is often considered to be a dry and theoretical area of undergraduate chemistry. To make it more accessible, a contextualized approach to first-year university thermodynamics has been developed, building on the experiences at the high school level of ChemCom in the United States and Salters Advanced Chemistry in the United Kingdom. A constructivist approach takes into account students' prior understanding of enthalpy and energy transfer from high school chemistry. Contextualized lectures, tutorials, workshops, and examination questions are supported by a bank of Web-based questions designed to practice the basic mathematical manipulations. Contexts used include fuels, explosives, food, and bioenergetics. The course, which is aimed at chemistry majors, has been used at the University of Leeds and the University of York in the United Kingdom. Initial evaluation suggests that the approach increases the appeal of thermodynamics and improves learning of fundamental principles. The article seeks responses from other instructors who are interested in bringing the benefits of contextualized teaching to undergraduate chemistry.
More Information
*  Citation
 Holman, John; Pilling, Gwen. J. Chem. Educ. 2004 81 373.
*  Keywords
 Chemical Education Research; Physical Chemistry; Teaching / Learning Theory / Practice; Thermodynamics
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 February 3, 2004
February 18, 2005
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