Georgia Southern professor joins National Science Foundation research project
Georgia Southern University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Gary Guillet, Ph.D., has been named a Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource (VIPEr) Fellow in an innovative study to develop, test and refine a flexible, foundation-level inorganic chemistry course. As one of the first 20 faculty selected for this groundbreaking project, he will join other inorganic chemists from across the country in a community of practice dedicated to improving student learning. Over the course of the project, the VIPEr Fellows will implement evidence-based practices in their courses.
“I expect students to be equal players in the teaching transaction,” said Guillet.” I want them to always be asking questions and wrestling with the material. “This project will allow talented educators to refine the techniques used on Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus and create an overall better course for our students.”
The study titled, “Improving Inorganic Chemistry Education,” is being led by the Interactive Online Network of Inorganic Chemists (IONiC) with support from the National Science Foundation’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education program. The project will use classroom observations, analysis of student work, student surveys and faculty interviews to study how changes in the classroom affect student learning, interest and motivation. IONiC’s web home, VIPEr, will be used as the hub for disseminating the course goals, content and pedagogy. The project will also investigate how IONiC may encourage the adoption of evidence-based classroom practices.
“The project leaders are excited about the energy and commitment of the first group of VIPEr Fellows,” said professor Joanne Stewart of Hope College, a principal investigator on the grant. “We celebrate the diverse approaches they bring to teaching inorganic chemistry and the new insights into the faculty development they will enable.”
To learn more about the National Science Foundation’s VIPEr project, visit www.ionicviper.org/VIPErFellows
Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu
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