| The objective of this research project was to develop an introductory chemistry program which uses computers in the laboratory for experiment design, data acquisition, and data analysis. The project used the Montana State University (MSU) laboratory interface system. The system is an integrated hardware and software package which allows for a wide variety of measurements (pH, temperature, time, voltage, current, etc.) totally under the control of the user. The MSU lab interface system was designed to allow students to participate in the process of science. The hardware and software contains components which allow students to design experiments, acquire data in methods which they choose, and organize and analyze the data to draw conclusions.;To meet the objective, we developed and accomplished the following: (1) we developed a model which explains how computers in the laboratory can improve a student's overall understanding of chemistry and laboratories; (2) we developed a laboratory program which successfully taught students how to use the MSU laboratory interface system to design their own experiments; and (3) we developed, tested, and evaluated experiments designed to utilize the capabilities of the MSU lab interface system.;We successfully integrated the MSU laboratory interface system into our general chemistry laboratories. Our students were able to acquire the conceptual knowledge, lab skills, and computer skills necessary to complete an independent design project using the MSU lab interface system. Students overwhelmingly supported the concept of final projects and found the computers useful for learning chemistry in the laboratory. Our approach to using computers in the chemistry laboratory is unique in the country. A comparable integrated hardware/software system and set of curriculum materials simply does not exist elsewhere on any scale, large or small. Computers are no longer viewed as a novelty or as something "neat" to have in the laboratories at MSU; they are an integral part of the chemistry labs. |
