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

4.7
stars
1,264 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

CS

Aug 30, 2015

Excellent course, pleasant to listen to. Definitely improved my understanding of chemistry.

ZK

Aug 28, 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.

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176 - 200 of 317 Reviews for General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application

By Oscar N R G

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Apr 29, 2024

EXCELENTE CURSO

By OMER M E G

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Nov 9, 2022

كانت دورة رائعة

By Ansari A

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May 31, 2021

its very useful

By Rutuja T

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Sep 4, 2020

its too usefull

By Eniola M A

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Jul 7, 2020

Amazing course

By Kamidulinov A

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Jan 21, 2026

классный курс

By suleman A A

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Oct 12, 2023

Thank you all

By Rokib B

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Aug 25, 2022

Nice and Good

By GANDHI P

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Oct 6, 2022

nice course

By ABHISHEK T

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Jun 6, 2022

nice course

By 이동윤

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Jul 19, 2021

일반화학의 기초가 되었

By Nwagu-Ajana B C N

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Jul 14, 2021

Nice course

By T. G

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Aug 25, 2025

INFORMATIVE

By Lindy J C

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Feb 10, 2022

TERRIFIC!!!

By Goodness O O

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Jun 22, 2021

Good Course

By Shahid I

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Jul 27, 2020

Good course

By Param L

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Jul 16, 2020

Eexcellent.

By Opara F c

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Jul 8, 2020

its so good

By Tejaswini R

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Jul 5, 2020

good course

By ROSHAN J

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Jun 2, 2023

eexcellent

By 유현준

•

Sep 21, 2021

good study

By Mzon M A

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Nov 30, 2025

Very good

By María E A

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Nov 7, 2025

excelente

By Hadaly

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Jun 27, 2025

bien good

By Ms. A C

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Nov 10, 2023

Excellent