Teaching and the Internet ― The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for Chemistry Education

This book's goal is to expose educators to a wide array of online digital teaching tools and to increase awareness of how these tools are currently being used. Teaching and the Internet shares ways in which new technologies, such as collaborative web apps, podcasting, online videos, and social networking sites, are currently being used in the university classroom. The book asks and answers questions like, "How are such technologies impacting our students and the global community?" And, "What will the future of chemistry education look like; as such tools become increasingly common?"

The book is organized into four sections. Section 1 provides a broad and succinct introduction to social media, smartphone apps, and online review sessions. Section 2 covers internet videos and other methods in flipped and blended classrooms. Section 3 features highly-innovative means of enhancing students' research experience in laboratory courses through two fascinating modern tools: the online Guiding Education through Novel Investigation (GENI) platform and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in teaching an analytical environmental chemistry lab. Lastly, Section 4 covers timeless teaching principles.

Mike Christiansen (Ph.D., Brigham Young University) currently serves as an associate professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Utah State University, Uintah Basin (USUUB), located in eastern Utah. With a background in synthetic-organic chemistry, Mike's attention turned to chemical education after joining USUUB in 2011, and 10 of his 19 peer-reviewed publications are now in this area. Mike teaches general, organic, and biochemistry lectures and labs and was recently appointed Editor-in-Chief of USU's new cross-disciplinary journal, the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

John M. Weber (Ph.D., Colorado State University) is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Utah State University Eastern campus in Price, Utah. His role comprises 90% teaching and 10% service. He teaches General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry as well as Introductory and Nursing courses. Covering a teaching assignment for his Ph.D. mentor led him to teaching at Colorado State for two years before making teaching a career at Utah State. He has served on two General Chemistry exam writing committees with the ACS Exam Institute and is the co-Director of the Rural Health Scholars program at USU Eastern.