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Learner Reviews & Feedback for General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application by Rice University

4.6
stars
1,085 ratings

About the Course

This course will cover the topics of a full year, two semester General Chemistry course. We will use a free on-line textbook, Concept Development Studies in Chemistry, available via Rice’s Connexions project. The fundamental concepts in the course will be introduced via the Concept Development Approach developed at Rice University. In this approach, we will develop the concepts you need to know from experimental observations and scientific reasoning rather than simply telling you the concepts and then asking you to simply memorize or apply them. So why use this approach? One reason is that most of us are inductive learners, meaning that we like to make specific observations and then generalize from there. Many of the most significant concepts in Chemistry are counter-intuitive. When we see where those concepts come from, we can more readily accept them, explain them, and apply them. A second reason is that scientific reasoning in general and Chemistry reasoning in particular are inductive processes. This Concept Development approach illustrates those reasoning processes. A third reason is that this is simply more interesting! The structure and reactions of matter are fascinating puzzles to be solved by observation and reasoning. It is more fun intellectually when we can solve those puzzles together, rather than simply have the answers to the riddles revealed at the outset. Recommended Background: The class can be taken by someone with no prior experience in chemistry. However, some prior familiarity with the basics of chemistry is desirable as we will cover some elements only briefly. For example, a prior high school chemistry class would be helpful. Suggested Readings: Readings will be assigned from the on-line textbook “Concept Development Studies in Chemistry”, available via Rice’s Connexions project. In addition, we will suggest readings from any of the standard textbooks in General Chemistry. A particularly good free on-line resource is Dickerson, Gray, and Haight, "Chemical Principles, 3rd Edition". Links to these two texts will be available in the Introduction module....

Top reviews

ZK

Aug 29, 2015

If I'd had access to this material when I first failed freshman chemistry 40 years ago, I probably wouldn't have failed. Kudos to Dean Hutchinson for bringing us his innovative approach.

AA

Jun 9, 2021

I love the opportunity given to me to learn this course... It explained the basis and really made me understand the harder parts, now i have better understanding and wider knowledge!.

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226 - 250 of 275 Reviews for General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application

By Gary B

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Mar 16, 2018

Over all a good intro to chemistry but found it long after a while.Perhaps breaking up the single courses into two courses each covering a semester. Found the math during the last two weeks to be a beyond me and wha tI thought was required for a basic beginner course.

By Jason A

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Aug 10, 2020

It was a great course to jump start your foundation in chemistry. Quizzes are nicely tailored from the topic and tests are requires basic to intermediate level of analysis as they are comprised with easy and hard questions.

By Viktor O

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Aug 24, 2015

great course! Unlike other courses, this one really helps the student make a deeper understanding of chemistry and the conceptes that built the science!

By Oluwole A O

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Jul 2, 2021

It is a very educative and good course for moving forward and improving your knowledge in chemistry

By Darren C

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Jul 25, 2017

Helped me learn Chemistry from a fresh perspective! Highly recommended!

By Dr S M

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Apr 30, 2022

great explanation and aswell usefull a lot to review my basics

By Josmar P

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Apr 3, 2021

Lectures are quite good but quizzes have not the same quality.

By Окасов К С

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Dec 10, 2024

Отличная информация, но нужно иметь начальный знания по химии

By John F

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Apr 4, 2024

good course, but some later parts were pretty difficult

By M

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Jul 17, 2017

Very good. A quite effective way of teaching chemistry

By om p

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Sep 12, 2020

This course are very useful in Chemistry subject

By Tanvi R

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Nov 11, 2023

Super informative. Basic concepts are concrete

By Keith S

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Dec 16, 2018

Very clear explanations, well presented.

By Stephen V I S

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Jul 9, 2021

It was kinda hard though but I liked it

By CHAMPION O A

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Jul 13, 2021

Great Course. No doubt about that!

By Akinmusire M O

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Jul 22, 2020

IT WAS EDUCATIVE AND ENLIGHTENING.

By Mohamed Y N

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Apr 24, 2022

i had a fun learning experience.

By Tun L A

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Jun 5, 2016

Very Good Videos for Chemistry!

By Ebubechukwu D N

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Jun 21, 2021

Very Inquisitive & Efficient

By Emmanuel

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Jul 13, 2021

A new light on Chemistry!

By Dr. R K

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Mar 9, 2022

Very informative

By Ivan M A

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Nov 24, 2022

topics are hard

By LILIANA G A

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Oct 28, 2015

Muy buen curso