Electronic chemistry
conferences: Seven years of
CONFCHEM
Scott 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
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Papers
Discussion
Timeline
Archiving
Papers
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http://www.ched-ccce.org/confchem/
10 pages
Links
Multimedia
– images
– CHIME
– video/audio
Discussion
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Listserv
Majordomo
600 to 800 registrants
50 countries
50 messages per week
Timeline
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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
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Topic selection
Soliciting authors
Posting papers
Managing discussion
Advantages of On-line
Conferences
• Author
• Participant
• Logistics
Author Advantages
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Depth
Feedback
Wide audience
Archiving
Asynchronous discussion
Participant Advantages
• More detail
• Multimedia
• Discussion
– quantity (20 to 40 per paper)
– quality
– asynchronous
Logistics Advantages
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Low attendance cost
Very wide audience
Timing and scheduling
Low barriers
Asynchronous discussion
Disadvantages of On-line
Conferences
• Author
• Participant
• Logistics
Author Disadvantages
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Prior publication
Abstracting
Professional recognition
No personal contact
Participant Disadvantages
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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
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Forum or discussion board
Whiteboard
Abstracting by CA
CD-ROM
Cost
Acknowledgments
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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
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Number of papers 11
Papers read 7.5
Time reading papers 5.6 hours
Time for discussion 13 hours