Promoting Higher-Order Thinking Skills: Uses of Mathcad and Classical Chemical Kinetics To Foster Student Development

Mathematical models play an important role in physical chemistry. This paper describes the use of Mathcad software in a series of exercises that explore the mathematical models for reversible first order and series first order reactions. In this approach students learn to use the Mathcad software while exploring kinetics models in an open ended format. Other objectives of the exercises include helping students to develop higher order thinking skills and to foster deeper chemical thinking processes. The method uses the Perry model of student development as the pedagogical framework. This approach to teaching chemical kinetics is an easily implemented alternative to traditional lecture presentations. This is important as retention of material learned through immediate use of the learning in teaching others rises to 90% in group work. The student pair interaction that these exercises require provides the opportunity for teaching that increases learning. Positive student responses to the method and the advant...