Creating an Interdisciplinary Introductory Chemistry Course without Time-Intensive Curriculum Changes
Name
ACS Chemical Biology 2009_Taylor Mitchell Drennan.pdf
Size
330.08 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
c7ef62b3e49fd012de2d71975d2b7b05
Author(s)
Taylor, Elizabeth Vogel
Mitchell, Rudolph
Drennan, Catherine L.
Date Issued
December 2009
Journal
ACS Chemical Biology
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Citation
Vogel Taylor, Elizabeth M., Rudolph Mitchell, and Catherine L. Drennan. “Creating an Interdisciplinary Introductory Chemistry Course without Time-Intensive Curriculum Changes.” ACS Chemical Biology 4 (2009): 979-982. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. © 2011 American Chemical Society
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
Cutting edge scientific research increasingly occurs at the interface of disciplines, and equipping students to recognize interdisciplinary connections is essential for preparing the next generation of researchers, health workers, and policymakers to solve the toughest scientific problems (1, 2). Accordingly, new recommendations for premedical curricula issued by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) call for a competency-based training, shifting away from specific course requirements to the ability of students to apply knowledge and recognize underlying scientific principles in medicine (3). Chemical principles underlie all of the life sciences, and while the relevance of chemistry to biological processes is frequently discussed in advanced chemistry courses, this is long after most general chemistry and premedical students have stopped taking chemistry entirely. Introductory chemistry courses therefore provide a unique opportunity to impact a diverse cross section of students (4). Additionally, early exposure to the applications of chemistry may be particularly relevant for the recruitment of underrepresented minorities and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into the sciences, since research indicates that students from lower economic backgrounds value college majors with clear career applications (5).
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Teaching and Learning Laboratory
Terms of Use
Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1021/cb9002927
