2014 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education

At CSB/SJU, we received NSF funding for “Connected Chemistry: An Inorganic, Organic and Biological Chemistry Approach” in which integrated foundation courses were developed. As we implemented cross-disciplinary courses, many shareholders were resistant to change. It was necessary to negotiate with faculty firmly embedded in their traditional disciplines as well as the biology department, education department, pre-health advisors, and the administration to ensure that our new courses fit the needs of various student groups. This workshop will cover aspects of the implementation of a new integrated curriculum, including faculty teaching cohorts, coordination of assessment plans, administrative collaborations, availability of resources and the use of differing pedagogical approaches. The CSB/SJU dean will help attendees brainstorm strategies for their home institutions. Workshop coordinators will use breakout sessions to catalyze discussion between people with similar curricular goals. Attendees will receive samples of activities from our courses and potential resources for supporting substantial curricular revision.