Our curriculum supports rich chemistry learning and expands college students’ perception of what it means to be “good at chemistry.” The curriculum is freely available and compatible with in-person and remote modalities. This workshop introduces faculty to data-driven, collaborative tasks, which engage students in genuine chemical investigation. Attendees will leave empowered with curriculum and strategies to create an inclusive classroom in which students realize that they can do science, are actively doing science, and belong in science.

What are data-driven tasks? Learning chemistry like a scientist
Every class session is designed to engage students in (a) data-driven and (b) group-worthy tasks.

(a) The tasks are data-driven because they utilize a curated set of atoms, molecules, measurements, properties, etc. to illustrate chemical concepts. Students genuinely engage in scientific practices such as pattern identification, in/dependent variable control, and testing hypotheses. In tasks, the process of discovery is privileged over “The Right Answer” and prior knowledge.
(b) The tasks are group-worthy because they are sufficiently complex and rely on a diverse set of scientific practices and team skills.

How do you facilitate group tasks effectively? Lessons learned from piloting data-driven tasks
While our curriculum is designed around inherently inviting tasks, significant instructor support is required to establish a classroom environment in which group work is celebrated and productive. We present lessons learned from a multi-year pilot of the curriculum and share ideas for fostering safe collaborative spaces (real or digital) across various class sizes and institutions.