A classroom exercise that engages students as a team to develop an intuitive understanding of P-V-T phase behavior of a pure fluid is discussed. This exercise, when implemented in classrooms over a period of three years revealed that the students achieved a deeper level of understanding about phase behavior.

Peer-led team learning (PLTL) is a program of small-group workshops, attached to a course, under the direction of trained peer leaders who have completed the course. Peer leaders ensure that team members engage with the materials and with each other, they help build commitment and confidence, and they encourage discussion. Studies of PLTL have…

Presents Latin square mathematical techniques for assigning laboratory partners so that each pair of individuals work together only once. (MLH)

Chemistry Is in the News (CIITN) is an innovative project aimed at enhancing higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) via connecting university-level chemistry to everyday life and real-world issues. The CIITN project and its related Web tools were presented in a workshop to illustrate their conceptual framework, educational potential, and…

A novel approach to cross-disciplinary and group learning, known as interlaboratory collaborations, was developed. The method mimics an industrial or research setting, fosters teamwork, and emphasizes the importance of good communication skills in the sciences.

Describes a consultancy exercise in which a small industrial company consults with a chemistry class to solve real-world problems related to chemistry and the environment. The exercise was designed to improve students' skills in design calculations, project management, information assimilation, team working, and problem solving. (DKM)

Describes a technique used extensively in the chemical industry to find and control unanticipated safety hazards. Discusses how a team of individuals can consider how equipment or processes operate and deviations from normal conditions. Suggests this technique could be used in educational laboratories. (TW)