Mass Spectrometry Theatre: A Model for Big-Screen Instrumental Analysis

John Allison
Department of Chemistry, College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ 08628
J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85 (11), p 1582
DOI: 10.1021/ed085p1582
Publication Date (Web): November 1, 2008
History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Teaching lecture or lab courses in instrumental analysis can be a source of frustration since one can only crowd a small number of students around a single instrument, typically leading to round-robin approaches. Round-robin labs can spread students into multiple labs and limit instructor–student interactions. We discuss "Mass Spectrometry Theatre" as an example of how to teach instrumental analysis with a single instrument, using a digital projector. Since most instruments are now computer controlled and have few if any dials or indicators, most of the interactions are with the computer. With the computer display projected onto a large screen in the lab, students can interact with the instructor and the data system together, with a small number of operators assigned to use the mouse and keyboard. In this way, the use of any instrument with an attached computer can be taught to larger groups, in the lab, in ways that involve all of the students and the instructor, throughout the laboratory period.

Keywords (Audience):

Upper-Division Undergraduate

Keywords (Domain):

Analytical Chemistry

Keywords (Feature):

Computer Bulletin Board

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Multimedia-Based Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Instrumental Methods
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  • Received: August 03, 2009

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