Department of Chemistry
Technology-enhanced flipped classroom approach to pharmaceutical
analysis
In pharmaceutical analysis, students must interpret complex spectra (infra-red, mass spectrometry, ultraviolet etc.) and deduce the structures of pharmaceutical compounds based on the data present in these spectra. Acquiring these skills, is best accomplished by extensive practice in interpreting spectra, something which is difficult to achieve using the traditional lecture setup. I instead proposed to use a flipped classroom approach, where the students are provided with the background theory beforehand, and class time is then spent tackling structure determination using spectral data. Students would work through spectra of increasing complexity during class time, and thereby gain valuable ‘hands on’ experience.
I have been active in the area of technology-enhanced learning for several years. Together with colleagues in Pharmacy, I have developed a set of online assignments in medicinal chemistry for final year students for which we have won a “President’s Awards for Research Into Innovative Forms of Teaching”, in 2013. I have also collaborated with colleagues in DIT, on the development of online assignments in organic chemistry for first year students, work which we have published in the Journal of Chemical Education. I have recently worked with colleagues at the University of Limerick to help implement a similar system for fourth year chemistry students at that institution. I have also presented my work in this area at several conferences e.g. Eurovariety 2013, Variety in Chemistry Education Physics Higher Education Conference 2015.
Click on the links below to view Tim’s blog posts:
To watch Tim’s presentation at Digital Week click here and watch from minute 45:45.