The 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for their contribution to developing the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) method for high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution. In recent years, cryo-EM is leading a revolution in structural biology, and becoming a major tool in studying the structure and function of biomolecular machines. Here, we briefly describe the method development of cryo-EM and the personal contributions of the three Nobel Laureates.
In recent years, we actively explored and practiced the teaching methods of organic chemistry laboratory. Some teaching methods, such as broadening the teaching knowledge, using comparative teaching method, situational teaching method, and chemical history education, were developed. These methods can largely stimulate students' experimental interest, arouse the enthusiasm of scientific thinking, enhance innovation consciousness, and obviously improve the teaching quality of organic chemistry laboratory.
"Transforming classroom" derived from the advanced teaching mode at home and abroad, combining with the talent training objective of Bohai University. Transforming classroom, combining intensive classroom teaching with teacher-student interaction, aims at personalized training of the students' practical and innovational ability. Based on the characteristics of analytical chemistry decipline and core ideology of the transforming classroom, we design self-study, intensive teaching, interaction and several other teaching processes to raise classroom teaching efficiency. This synergetic and complementary teaching model inspires students' passion on learning analytical chemistry and improves the teaching quality.
Analytical chemistry is a professional foundation course for chemistry and the related majors. Its content is rich and diverse. Scientific and practical teaching methods can ensure the desired teaching effect. In this paper, the exploration and practice of teaching methods for analytical chemistry for years are summarized. The first class should be paid attention to make students fall in love to the course at first sight. The microcosmic thought of the students should be trained. Image comparison skill should be used to reinforce the comprehension for knowledge. It should focus on the key point and pay close attention to scientific knowledge level and the logical structure. The knowledge hierarchy should be rapidly grasped while micro and macro thinking are fused. The beauty of analytical chemistry should be showed. Cyclic repetition teaching method can effectively improve teaching efficiency. The scope of knowledge can be expanded beyond the text books and the competence in solving problems can be enhanced.
Taking the determination of total alkali content in soda experiment as an example, we use heuristic teaching method to introduce problems, aiming at guiding students to think and discuss, to actively explore and solve problems, to cultivate creative learning and lifelong learning ability and scientific behavior habits. This approach can help to lay a solid foundation for subsequent laboratory course and scientific research work in the future.
The inorganic chemistry of elements is characterized by rich and descriptive contents. To improve the teaching effect, the blended learning is used to combine the advantages of traditional face-to-face teaching with digital learning. The enriched teaching resources are presented diversely and the important knowledge points are practiced in many ways. Meanwhile, the teaching contents, teaching methods and examination and valuation methods are improved. An active learning mode with students as the center and teacher guidance has been established. The preliminary practice shows that the blended learning mode is popular among students, has positive significance to enhance individualized teaching, and improves teaching effect and cultivate innovation ability.
With the aim of enhancing student' problem-solving abilities, a PMPR (problem, method, process and result) laboratory teaching method was put forward in this article. The PMPR laboratory teaching method includes four parts including problem-analysis inducing, problem-solving method seeking, problem solving and result obtaining. In the process of laboratory teaching with the PMPR method, the students' interest in learning has been stimulated. At the same time, the scope of students' knowledge has also been broadened. The students' abilities of problem-discovery, problem-analysis and problem-solving have been cultivated ultimately in the process of laboratory teaching with the PMPR method.
Aiming at the difficulty in comprehension of analytical instruments for undergraduate students, we explored a new learning platform with the use of real instruments which convers the abstract principle and function of instruments into directly perceivable. Our strategy of learner leaded preparation of analytical instrument specimen and multimedia activates students' innate capability in study and innovation. After four years of teaching practice, it was demonstrated that our new mode improved the students' learning efficiency as well as the teaching effect.
The curriculum structure of inorganic and analytical chemistry is discussed in this paper from the view of integration. The integration is embodied in four aspects:teacher staff, curriculum contents, teaching model and the way of evaluation. For the construction of teacher staff, we optimize the structure of teachers' knowledge through the way of communication. For the curriculum contents, we mainly make branch curriculums together in the deep level to form a high level comprehensive course. For the teaching model, through merging the flipped classroom and traditional classroom, students become the center of learning. As for the way of evaluation, we emphasize on the combination of both the process and the result.
According to the characteristics of the instrumental analysis course, the "teaching and research combination" model was applied to the instrumental analysis teaching. The textbook knowledge had been intermixedly explained along with the in-depth analysis of scientific examples. At the same time, the "Flipped Classroom" teaching model was applied to the laboratory teaching. The "student speak primarily, teacher speak complementally" teaching model was accepted in order to change the malpractice of traditional laboratory teaching. The teaching mode of instrumental analysis course was reformed from the aspects of both theory and laboratory.
On the basis of computational chemistry competition named "captivating chemistry, deducing molecules" held in College of Chemistry, Nankai University, we introduce some practices and methods on how to improve the teaching of computational chemistry course from the viewpoints of the competition aim, the competition procedure, the evaluation standard, the training content, the examination mode and the implementation effect.
Combined with the goal of cultivating applied talents in the transformation and development process of local universities, an analysis of the existing problems is carried out on the basis of the present organic chemistry laboratory teaching experiences. In this paper, the reform of teaching methods, curriculum evaluation system, teaching contents and laboratory management are also put forward to explore a scientific and effective teaching model.
Cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n], n=5-8 of glycouril units), a class of barrel-shaped macrocyclic cavitand, have been receiving considerable attention in recent years. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent developments on the synthesis, properties and applications of CB[n]. The applications of CB[n] in molecular switches, catalysts and drug carriers are highlighted.
A new comprehensive college chemistry experiment was introduced. 5-Methoxy-2-phenyl-2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran was prepared from 4-methoxyphenol and styrene by using 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol as the solvent and 2, 3-dichloro-5, 6-dicyanobenzoquinone as the oxidant at room temperature. The structure was identified by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS. In the experiment, students' research interest and exploring spirit will be stimulated, the skill of comprehensive experiment operation and analysis will be improved, and furthermore, the innovative thinking and scientific research ability will be cultivated.
The questions in the 31st Chinese Chemistry Olympiad (Preliminary Test) are solved in detail. The manuscript not only provides systematic analyses for all questions, but also guides the readers through the solutions in an intuitive manner. For selected questions, rich introduction to the scientific backgrounds and bibliographical resources are also included.