Author Description

Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics & Kinetics: A Guided Inquiry was developed to facilitate more student-centered classroom instruction of physical chemistry using Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL). These activities guide students through a wide variety of topics found in a typical undergraduate treatment of Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, and Kinetics. When feasible, the activities incorporate a molecular point of view, supported by very simple models to help chemistry students grapple with the abstract, formal, and mathematical structure of thermodynamics. The activities introduce entropy prior to concepts of work and enthalpy, which enables deep connections between molecular properties and macroscopic properties. The activities have been tested both in settings that teach quantum first and those that teach thermodynamics first, and they serve students well in both contexts. Kendall Hunt is excited to partner with The POGIL Project to publish materials in a variety of disciplines that are designed for use in active learning, student-centered classrooms. POGIL is an acronym for Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning. Because POGIL is a student-centered instructional approach, in a typical POGIL classroom or laboratory, students work in small teams with the instructor acting as a facilitator. The student teams use specially designed activities that generally follow a learning cycle paradigm. These activities are designed to have three key characteristics: They are designed for use with self-managed teams that employ the instructor as a facilitator of learning rather than a source of information. They guide students through an exploration to construct understanding. They use discipline content to facilitate the development of important process skills, including higher-level thinking and the ability to learn and to apply knowledge in new contexts.