Volume 4 (Issue 1) Download

Promoting Higher-order Cognitive Reasoning and Reviving Intellectual Curiosity in General Chemistry Undergraduate Students After COVID-19

Tiare L. Thiessen and Liza Abraham

 

Abstract

Most undergraduate science students enrolled in a first-year General Chemistry are likely seeking professional development in medical or biological fields, making enthusiasm difficult to generate in the chemical sciences. Now exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, motivating and inspiring the millennial and subsequent generations has become a complex obstacle for faculty and staff at all levels of educational institutions. Passive learning strategies and indifferent attitudes have become commonplace, while student curiosity and engagement have become a rarity. Implementing and inspiring higher-order learning strategies that enable knowledge retention, conceptualization, and application requires careful delivery and style of course curricula. This paper presents a collaborative, interdisciplinary worksheet that connects mandated General Chemistry core concepts with biological applications, green-chemistry evaluations, and skin health considerations. Consequently, presenting fundamental chemistry principles in a relevant and synergetic manner reignited student edification, engagement, and interpersonal peer connections.