New Perspectives in Science Education
Learning to Green/Greening to Learn
Devin Latimer, University of Winnipeg (Canada)
Abstract
At the 2019 meeting of the New Perspectives in Science Education conference, I presented on our general approach to the incorporation of the principles and metrics of Green Chemistry into our Organic Chemistry program.[1],[2] I have also described the approach and benefits of this type of exercise in an article for The Conversation,[3] as well as an online presentation to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).[4] The Learning to Write-Writing to Learn duality is well known in the literature and demonstrates that, while learning to write is an important outcome, writing is also a mode of learning.[5],[6] Similarly, the introduction of chemical techniques in a comparative fashion while introducing the 12 principles[7] and metrics[8] of green chemistry can provide a chemistry fundamentals learning opportunity in addition to the tuition of sustainability. Currently, we are building on a previous experiment of ours[9] to develop a series of process oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) exercises whereby organic compounds are isolated from an unknown mixture by column chromatography as well as liquid-liquid extraction and then the environmental factor (E factor) and process mass intensity (PMI) metrics determined for each of the separation techniques. We have now prepared 3 complex mixtures and distributed them to individual students in our Advanced Organic Chemistry course and they then accomplish a guided inquiry exercise to independently develop simpler and greener processes to separate and characterize these mixtures. The principles involved can be applied to green chemistry experimental development in any chemistry course.
[1]Greening the Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Latimer, D. Session Chair (Chemistry Education) and Presenter, New Perspectives in Science Education Conference, Florence, Italy (March 21-22, 2019).
[2] Greening the Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Comparing Synthetic and Purification Techniques in Organic Process Development; Latimer, D.; New Perspectives in Science Education conference proceedings, Florence, Italy 2019, 40-43.
https://conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/prevedition.php?id_edition=30&mat=CPR
[3]Green chemistry labs teach students a sustainable and innovative mindset, Latimer, D.; The Conversation, August 18, 2019.
[4] Learning to Green – Greening to Learn: Green Chemistry Metrics in the Undergraduate Organic Lab, Latimer, D.; Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education session at the IUPAC/CCCE 2021 online conference (August 13-20, 2021).
[5] Writing as a Mode of Learning, Emig, J. . College Composition and Communication 1977, 28 (2), 122−128.
[6] Writing as a Mode of Learning: Staged Approaches to Chromatography and Writing in the Undergraduate Organic Lab, Clary-Lemon, J., Gervacio, R. and Latimer, D.; J. Chem. Educ., 2019, 96 (5), 969-969.
[7] Anastas, P. T.; Warner, J. C. Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press: New York, 1998
[8] Dicks, A.; Hent A. Green chemistry metrics: a guide to determining and evaluating process greenness, Springer: New York USA, 2014.
[9] Overcoming the hurdle from undergraduate lab to research lab: A guided inquiry structural characterization of a complex mixture in the upper-division undergraduate organic lab; Latimer, D., Ata, A., Forfar, C.P., Kadhim, M., McElrea, A. and Sales, R.; , J. Chem. Educ., 2018, 95 (11), 2046-2049.
