The Department of Chemistry was recently awarded a Technology for Teaching grant from Hewlett-Packard. WU joined a total of 31 institutions selected for grants in 2005 including the Rochester Institute of Technology, Penn State, Duke and others in successfully proposing an innovative use of mobile technology in K-16 education. Receiving an award places the university in a position to receive further support from HP in future initiatives. For more information about HP's Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative, see http://grants.hp.com/us/programs/tech_teaching/

The total value of the grant to Chemistry is over $73,500, comprised of $15,000 in cash and HP equipment valued at more than $58,000. Included in the award was a faculty presentation solution consisting of a wireless HP tablet personal computer  with docking station and DVD- and CD-writeable drive, plus a portable HP digital projector. For the classroom, the grant provided 20 wireless HP tablet PCs with DVD- and CD-writeable drives, 10 docking stations, an HP wireless Access Point network transmitter, a 20-unit HP laptop cart and an All-in-One HP Inkjet printer with digital camera.

Collaborators on the grant proposal from Chemistry were Dewey Holten, Professor, Bill Buhro, Professor, Dr. Bill Spees and Dr. Regina Frey. Focusing on curriculum development in key undergraduate courses, L 07 Chem 445, Physical Chemistry Laboratory, and L07 Chem 465, Solid State and Materials, the program was designed to build student skills in chemical computation software and record keeping and data documentation practices. As students in these upper level courses become practicing scientists, it's essential that they be able to perform molecular calculations and visualizations of structures for materials. Adding this capability in the classroom allows for work in small groups and increases opportunities for active learning.

Centering the program on portable tablet PCs allows development of an electronic laboratory notebook for efficient, convenient organization and management of experimental data and observations. Since the tablets can accept pen-based input such as diagrams as well as keyboard-entered data, and are connected to the network wirelessly, students can analyze initial data on the fly, check them against theoretical predictions and modify or refine their experimental protocols accordingly in real lab time. This process forms an effective, state-of-the-art preparation for later work in a chemistry lab or for further graduate study in chemical sciences.

A thorough assessment of the project is planned by comparing student performance from previous courses as well as by gathering student feedback and satisfaction responses via surveys.

by Regina Frey, Senior Lecturer, Chemistry and Director, The Teaching Center

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