Electronic chemistry conferences: Seven years of

CONFCHEMScott E. Van Bramer,

Donald Rosenthal

Brian M. Tissue

History of CONFCHEM

First Conference

• Summer 1993

• Applications of Technology in Teaching Chemistry, An On-Line Computer Conference

• 450 participants

• FTP, Gopher, Listserv

14 Subsequent Conferences

• 1995 Faculty Rewards: Can We Implement the Scholarship of teaching?

• 1996 New Initiatives in Chemical Education

• 1997 On-line Chemistry Education Conference

Subsequent Conferences 1998

• On-Line Conference on Chemical Education

• Switching Students on to Science

Subsequent Conferences 1999

• Chemical Demonstrations Trial Session

• Proposals For Change in the Introductory Chemistry Course

• General Papers in Chemical Education

• Distance and Collaborative Education Using the Internet

• What Should Students Know When They Leave General Chemistry?

• Teaching Spectroscopy

Subsequent Conferences 2000

• The Role and Nature of Research by Undergraduates in Chemistry

• The Use of Computer Simulations in General Chemistry

• Assessment of Model Creation and Use by Chemistry Students

Subsequent Conferences 2001

• Lecture Demonstrations in Chemistry on the World Wide Web

• Environmental Issues and Risk/Benefit Analysis in the K to 12 Curriculum*

• On-Line Teaching Methods*

Structure of CONFCHEM

• Papers

• Discussion

• Timeline

• Archiving

Papers

• http://www.ched-ccce.org/confchem/

• 10 pages

• Links

• Multimedia– images– CHIME– video/audio

Discussion

• Listserv

• Majordomo

• 600 to 800 registrants

• 50 countries

• 50 messages per week

Timeline

• Read papers

• Short questions via Listserv

• Response from author

• Discussion

Archiving

• Papers

• Discussion– search– threaded

• Hit Rates (per week)– CONFCHEM home page 50 hits– Past sessions 15 hits– past papers 0-30 hits

Organization of CONFCHEM

• Topic selection

• Soliciting authors

• Posting papers

• Managing discussion

Advantages of On-line Conferences

• Author

• Participant

• Logistics

Author Advantages

• Depth

• Feedback

• Wide audience

• Archiving

• Asynchronous discussion

Participant Advantages

• More detail

• Multimedia

• Discussion– quantity (20 to 40 per paper)– quality– asynchronous

Logistics Advantages

• Low attendance cost

• Very wide audience

• Timing and scheduling

• Low barriers

• Asynchronous discussion

Disadvantages of On-line Conferences

• Author

• Participant

• Logistics

Author Disadvantages

• Prior publication

• Abstracting

• Professional recognition

• No personal contact

Participant Disadvantages

• Confusing threads

• No personal contact

• Poor discussion

• Time consuming– read papers– read e-mail

Logistics Disadvantages

• Technical difficulties

• Small number of papers

• Permanence

Conference Format

• Easy access

• Easy technology

• Promote discussion

Other On-line Conferences

International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic

Chemistry

• http://www.mdpi.org/ecsoc/

• Online poster session with Listserv

Electronic Conference on Heterocyclic Chemistry.

• http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/ectoc/echet98/

• Online conference with Listserv

Format Changes

• Forum or discussion board

• Whiteboard

• Abstracting by CA

• CD-ROM

• Cost

Acknowledgments

• ACS Division of Chemical Education

• CCCE

• Tom O’Haver

• Donald Rosenthal

• Brian Tissue

• CONFCHEM participants

Questions

http//www.ched-ccce.org/confchem/

Evaluation Results

• CHEMCONF ‘97 9% response– Papers 3.8/5.0– Discussion 3.5/5.0– Overall 4.0/5.0

Evaluation Results

• Number of papers 11

• Papers read 7.5

• Time reading papers 5.6 hours

• Time for discussion 13 hours