An Inquiry/Technology Based Approach
to Introductory Chemistry
Guided and Open Inquiry Laboratory Resources: We are recommending the
use of the Inquiries into Chemistry Laboratory Manual by Michael R. Abraham
and Michael J Pavelich as the laboratory manual for this project. This laboratory
manual uses an inquiry approach based on the Learning Cycle.
The guided inquiry activities in this laboratory manual lead the student to
collect data that can be used to support the invention of a major concept. Each
laboratory activity consists of the following sections:
a problem statement that focuses students on the eventual conceptual outcome
of the activity;
a data collection section that guides the students to generate data that
will support the eventual invention/derivation of the concept;
a data analysis section that helps students organize the data in a way that
facilitates conceptual invention;
and an interpretation section that offers the opportunity for students to
identify the concept and can be used as the base for the concept invention
discussion that will occur in lecture.
The intended use of the guided inquiry laboratory activities is as an introduction
to the concepts to be invented and therefore must occur prior to any lecture
coverage of the same materials.
The Abraham and Pavelich laboratory manual also includes descriptions of chemical
systems that students can use to further investigate using an Open-Inquiry format.
The student is expected to develop a problem statement, to design and carry
out a laboratory investigation to solve the problem.