Chemistry - Cooper Research Group

This research group, under the direction of Dr. Melanie Cooper, focuses on improving the teaching and learning of chemistry at the undergraduate level. They use a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques in order to examine the way that students learn chemistry and to inform the design of evidence-based curricular materials. 

Several research projects are currently underway: 

CLUE - Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything is a transformed general chemistry curriculum, developed by an interdisciplinary team of a chemist and a molecular biologist, that aims to bring about evidence-based change in general chemistry. 

3DL - Three-dimensional learning (3DL) in STEM education is a model described in the National Research Council's Framework for K-12 Science Education in which disciplinary core ideas (DCI's) cross-cutting concepts, and scientific practices are interwoven to facilitate students developing a coherent understanding of science.  The 3DL for Undergraduate Science(#DL4US) project has adapted this framework for teaching and learning at the university level, with a particular emphasis on transforming introductory ('gateway') courses in biology, chemistry and physics. 

beSocratic - is an online assessment system developed by our research group that recognizes and responds to a variety of input forms, including text, free form drawings and graphs. beSocratic provides students with targeted feedback and offers instructors and researchers tools for online analysis of student responses.

Associated Projects