LSU

As a chemical educator and Director of the Center for Academic Success, I am interested in ways in which instruction in the chemical sciences can be more effectively presented to students, as well as in mechanisms whereby student learning can be increased. Some of my prior research efforts have focused on the relationship between cerebral hemisphericity (right brain-left brain dominance) and problem solving strategies used by chemistry students.

Currently, at the Center for Academic Success, our efforts involve helping students to discover the metacognitive processes involved in mastery learning of science (as contrasted with rote memorization). The Supplemental Instruction sections, tutorial centers, study strategies workshops and consultations, and service-learning activities focus on engaging students in active learning in order to facilitate learning. Presentations to faculty and student groups at LSU and other universities have included the topics listed below. A complete list of presentations appears in my vita.

    The Millennial Learner: Challenges and Opportunities

    Acing General Chemistry

    Acing Organic Chemistry

    Learning How to Learn: The Most Important Tool for the 21st Century

    Pedagogical Strategies that Promote Mastery Learning in Science

My work with faculty involves the development of pedagogical techniques that facilitate mastery learning. This involves helping faculty understand the characteristics of today's undergraduate student population, helping them recognize the incongruence between the requirements for success in high school science courses and university courses, identifying common misconceptions that inhibit learning, and helping them implement specific pedagogical techniques that maximize student learning outcomes.

A product of my interest in improving student learning in chemistry has been the development of ancillary materials that accompany the textbook, Introductory Chemistry, by Russo and Silver. Specifically, I authored the Problem Solving Guide and Workbook, the Study Guide and Selected Solutions, the Complete Solutions Manual, and the Instructors Teaching Guide for both editions of the textbook. Additional publications appear in the list of selected publications.