W. W. NORTON & COMPANY

Chemistry and Biochemistry Workshops

Join us for workshops from our award-winning chemistry educators and authors. We'll explore how to engage your students online and in the classroom, help you overcome common chemistry teaching challenges, and share insights from Chemistry Education Research. We hope you'll join us for our next workshop, or explore our recorded sessions below.

Featured Events

ATTEND LIVE
Unlocking the Power of Smartwork: Exploring the Ebook and Smartwork Features for the Fourth Edition of Chemistry: An Atoms-Focused Approach

Hosted by Richard Jew and Candice Bowler

Friday, October 11th at 1:00 p.m ET

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Chemistry Content Development Specialist, for a demo of Smartwork and the great features to expect in the new edition.

In this session, we'll cover:

-Our new Guided Inquiry ChemTours assignment that will help students understand complex concepts through sequential questions

-The flexible assignment types available: adaptive and static assignments

-Smarwork's Easy-to-use interface and tools

-Some of the great gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades

WATCH ON DEMAND
Flexible, Adaptive, and Affordable: Smartwork for General Chemistry

Hosted by Dorothy Laymon and Stacy Loyal

The date of this workshop has passed.

In this session, we'll cover:

-Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments

-Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments

-Easy-to-use interface and tools

-Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades

-Low cost options with or without the ebook

WATCH ON DEMAND
Bridging the achievement gap in organic chemistry: three approaches.

Hosted by Richard Jew and Stacy Loyal

The date of this workshop has passed.

W. W. Norton's Chemistry Subject Matter Expert and former Smartwork user, Richard Jew, will cover: how our drawing tool encourages students to start structures and mechanism arrows from the right place, ways Smartwork helps students avoid unnecessary errors with our copy/paste feature, requisite arrow connection, and ring templates, and editing and creating your own questions.

WATCH ON DEMAND
Bridging the achievement gap in organic chemistry: three approaches.

Hosted by Joel Karty

The date of this workshop has passed.

Organic Chemistry is plagued by a significant achievement gap among students entering the course, and left unchecked, that achievement gap can lead to high DFW rates for underrepresented populations.

In this workshop, Joel Karty will take instructors through the three-pronged approach that he's adopted to promote equity in his Organic Chemistry courses: (1) A mechanistic organization, (2) A flipped classroom that incorporates videos embedded in the textbook for pre-class preparation, and Smartwork for in-class mechanism problems, and (3) specifications grading.

He'll present observations and outcomes, and we’ll save time for contributions from attendees.

WATCH ON DEMAND
Adaptive, Flexible, and Affordable: Smartwork for General Chemistry

Hosted by Stacy Loyal and Dorothy Laymon

The date of this workshop has passed.

Join us for a 30-minute demo of Smartwork for General Chemistry with Stacy Loyal and Dorothy Laymon, W. W. Norton Marketing.

In this session, we'll cover: flexible options: adaptive or static assignments, pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments, easy-to-use interface and tools, gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades, low-cost options with or without the ebook

Please join us to learn more!

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Chemistry Workshop Series

The Norton Chemistry team is hosting a Chemistry Workshop Series the week of March 14th, and we’d love for you to attend! Join authors Joel Karty, Roger Miesfeld, and our Content Development Specialist, Richard Jew, for exciting demos and engaging talks for your general, organic, or biochemistry classes.

BIOCHEMISTRY
Creating a More Active and Engaging Biochemistry Course, Online or On-Ground

Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

The date of this workshop has passed.

In this workshop, Biochemistry author Roger Miesfeld will share strategies that he has employed at University of Arizona to help his 800+ students see biochemistry in the world around them and keep them engaged throughout the course through active learning modules and multiple low-stakes assessments. Whether you teach online, hybrid, or on-ground, Roger has teaching techniques that will apply to your course.

After Roger’s talk, we will demonstrate Smartwork, the online assessment that accompanies the Biochemistry text as well as the Molecular Exploration videos.

GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Flexible, Adaptive, and Affordable: Smartwork for General Chemistry

Hosted by Richard Jew

The date of this workshop has passed.

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework.

In this session, we'll cover:

• Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments
• Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments
• Easy-to-use interface and tools
• Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades
• Low cost options with or without the ebook

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Results of Teaching the Mechanism: Changing Attitudes and ACS Exam Scores

Hosted by Joel Karty

The date of this workshop has passed.

In this workshop, W. W. Norton author Joel Karty will discuss the results he has seen in his classroom since moving to a mechanistic organization, as well as adopters of his text, especially in terms of attrition rates and his students’ ACS scores.

Joel will also answer your questions about moving to a mechanistic organization, and anything else you'd like to ask!

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Intuitive Drawing Tools and Feedback: Smartwork for Organic Chemistry

Hosted by Richard Jew

The date of this workshop has passed.

Join W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew for a workshop on Smartwork for organic chemistry.

Richard will showcase how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

Archived Events

Smartwork for General Chemistry with Stacy Loyal and Dorothy Laymon

Join us as we tour Smartwork for General Chemistry. In this session, we'll cover:

-Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments

-Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments

-Easy-to-use interface and tools

-Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades

-Low-cost options with or without the ebook

Please join us to learn more!

Using low-stakes, high frequency assessment in your Biochemistry Class with Roger Miesfeld

Author Roger Miesfeld has over 35 years of experience teaching pre-med students just like yours how not just to memorize biochemical processes, but understand biochemical concepts.

Please join us for a talk with Roger, where he will share his experience teaching thousands of undergraduates at the University of Arizona. He'll share how he employs high-frequency, low-stakes assessment that uses critical thinking skills, and how he chooses thoughtful assessment through Smartwork.

Integrating Green Chemistry into your organic lab: a workshop with Dr. Gregory Friestad

You’re invited to a workshop with Dr. Gregory Friestad, the organic chemistry lab coordinator at the University of Iowa and the author of the forthcoming text, Techniques and Experiments in Organic Chemistry: Biological Perspectives and Sustainability. Gregory will discuss how he was able to transform his lab at the University of Iowa to reduce waste by 50% as well as reduce costs by 28%. He will also share how he integrates green chemistry throughout his labs while helping students prepare for their future careers using standard scale equipment. We’ll also show the Pre-Lab Assignments and Techniques Videos that accompany the text at no cost, as well as the instructor resources available to help you transition to a greener organic lab.

"Integrating Chemistry Education Research into your classroom" with Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz

In this talk, Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz will discuss the pedagogy she's developed, based on her research, to help students construct and interpret multiple representations in chemistry. She will be sharing strategies that you can immediately apply to your course, as well as resources that accompany her texts.

"Smartwork for Organic Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join us for a demo from our in-house chemist on the intuitive drawing tools found in Smartwork online homework for organic chemistry. It is hosted by Richard Jew, our new Chemistry Content Development Specialist, a former Smartwork user from UNC Charlotte.

Richard will highlight how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

"Smartwork: Flexible, Adaptive, and Affordable Chemistry Assessment." Hosted by Dorothy Laymon and Stacy Loyal

Join us for a demo of Smartwork online homework! In this session, we'll cover: flexible options: adaptive or static assignments, pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments, easy-to-use interface and tools, gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades, and low-cost options with or without the ebook starting at $40 per term

"Flexible, Adaptive, and Affordable: Smartwork for General Chemistry." Hosted by Richard Jew

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework.

In this session, we'll cover flexible options: adaptive or static assignments, pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments, easy-to-use interface and tools, gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades, and low cost options with or without the ebook.

Please join us to learn more!

"Increasing success and equity in organic with specifications grading" Hosted by Joel Karty

Curious about specification grading? Specifications grading (or standards-based grading) is a system of grading that assesses students according to benchmarks they have met, or mastery they have achieved.

A key element of specifications grading is tying relatively short, focused assessments to specific learning outcomes, often allowing students multiple opportunities to pass each assessment. Thus, relative to traditional grading involving a handful of high-stakes exams, specifications grading is designed to improve equity, promote growth mindset, and reduce anxiety—all of which contribute to greater student success.

In this talk, Joel will outline the version of specifications grading he implemented in his Organic Chemistry II course last spring. Joel will further present some of the positive impacts that specifications grading had on him and his students in that class, and will offer insights into improvements that he plans to implement in the next iteration of specifications grading in his Organic Chemistry II course this spring.

"Intuitive drawing tools and feedback: Smartwork for Organic Chemistry." Hosted by Richard Jew

Join W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew for a workshop on Smartwork for organic chemistry.

Richard will showcase how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

Smartwork can be used with or without a Norton text, and premade courses are ready to go for most major textbooks.

"Using low stakes assessment to set your biochemistry students up for success." Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

During Roger Miesfeld's 35+ years teaching thousands of pre-med students at University of Arizona, he has found that frequent, low-stakes assessment is one of the keys to success in the course whether it's online or in-person.

Roger will share this strategy, as well as others, that he has employed to help students understand biochemical concepts, rather than memorize biochemical processes.

We'll also demonstrate Smartwork, the online assessment platform that Roger uses with the Second Edition of his exciting text, Biochemistry.

"Smartwork: Flexible, affordable online homework for general chemistry." Hosted by Richard Jew

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework.

In this session, we'll cover: flexible options: adaptive or static assignments, pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments, easy-to-use interface and tools, gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades, and low-cost options with or without the ebook.

"Intuitive drawing tools and feedback: Smartwork for organic chemistry." Hosted by Richard Jew

Join W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew for a demo on Smartwork for organic chemistry.

"Preparing your students for a successful organic lab." Hosted by Marilyn Rayner, Dr. Gregory Friestad, and Stacy Loyal

How can we help students feel they belong in their organic lab and have a shot at success?

In this workshop, the Norton media team will discuss their process for creating Techniques Videos with Dr. Gregory Friestad at the University of Iowa. These videos are assignable prior to the lab within Smartwork, a flexible online homework system that you can use to create your own custom pre-lab assignments or use ones already created.

We'll also discuss the research behind how videos can better support underrepresented students and help them feel confident going into the lab..

"Preparing your organic lab students for a greener tomorrow" Hosted by Gregory Friestad

Dr. Greg Friestad will share his experience transitioning his organic chemistry lab at University of Iowa to a greener and less expensive lab. He'll share how this informed his new text, Techniques and Experiments in Organic Chemistry: Biological Perspectives and Sustainability. The Norton Chemistry team will also show our Pre-Lab Assignments and Techniques Videos that accompany the text.

"Intuitive drawing tools and feedback: Smartwork for organic chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew for a workshop on Smartwork for organic chemistry. Richard will showcase how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

"Taking frustration out of online homework in general chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

oin Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework: an intuitive, easy-to-use online homework platform for general chemistry that can be used with the Norton text or without. In this session, we'll cover:
-Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments -Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments -Easy-to-use interface and tools -Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades -Low cost options with or without the ebook
Please join us to learn more!

"Helping organic chemistry students generate the right questions: A blend of online homework and written problem sets." Hosted by Joel Karty and Richard Jew

Asking questions is a vital part of learning organic chemistry. But how can students generate the right questions to ask, in order to best help them learn? Instant feedback on the problems students work on is key, not just feedback as to whether their answer is correct or incorrect, but also where they might have made mistakes. With that information, students can ask, “Why is my answer wrong?” In this way, student learning becomes tailored, personalized, and effective.

Joel will describe this strategy of coupling Smartwork online homework with written problem sets. In addition, he and Dr. Richard Jew (W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and the former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator) will demonstrate some specific features of Smartwork that make the system intuitive and effective.

"Using Techniques videos to support equity in your organic lab." Hosted by Marilyn Rayner & Richard Jew

In this workshop for those who teach the organic laboratory, the Norton media team will discuss their process for creating Techniques videos based on feedback from instructors and students.

We'll also discuss the research behind how videos can better support underrepresented students and help them feel confident going into the lab.

Finally, we'll demonstrate a few of the videos and how they are integrated within the book, and assignable in Smartwork pre-lab assignments.

"Integrating Green Chemistry in the Organic Lab" Hosted by Gregory Friestad

Greg Friestad will share his experience transitioning his organic chemistry lab at University of Iowa to a greener and less expensive lab.

He'll share how this informed his new text, Techniques and Experiments in Organic Chemistry as well as the resources and Techniques Videos that accompany the text.

"Creating and editing questions in Smartwork for Organic Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Richard Jew will demonstrate how to create and edit questions for Organic Chemistry using Smartwork.

"Incorporating Chemistry Education Research into General Chemistry" Hosted by Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz

W. W. Norton is proud to host an online talk + Q&A with Stacey Lowery Bretz, Recipient of the ACS 2020 Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry, and coauthor of Chemistry and Chemistry: An Atoms Focused Approach.

Dr. Bretz's research expertise includes the development of assessments to characterize chemistry misconceptions and to investigate students’ understandings of multiple representations (particulate, symbolic, and macroscopic). Dr. Bretz will share some of her research and how it’s informed the pedagogy of our general chemistry textbooks

"Creating Effective Chemistry Videos" Hosted by Joel Karty and Kristen Barrett

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework.

In this session, we'll cover:

- What makes a good organic chemistry teaching video?

- How can we help students feel they can succeed in organic?

Join us for a workshop with author Joel Karty, Elon University, and Professor Kristen Barrett, Rowan University. Kristen and Joel will discuss their process for developing more than 80 videos and animations to help students visualize organic chemistry and become more effective at solving problems.

We'll also demo the new ebook and a Smartwork question with video for the new third edition of Organic Chemistry: Principles and Mechanisms.

"Taking Frustration Out of Online Homework in General Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework.

In this session, we'll cover:

• Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments
• Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments
• Easy-to-use interface and tools
• Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades
• Low cost options with or without the ebook

"Creating a More Active and Engaging Biochemistry Course, Online or On-Ground" Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

In this workshop, Biochemistry author Roger Miesfeld will share strategies that he has employed at University of Arizona to help his 800+ students see biochemistry in the world around them and keep them engaged throughout the course through active learning modules and multiple low-stakes assessments. Whether you teach online, hybrid, or on-ground, Roger has teaching techniques that will apply to your course.

After Roger’s talk, we will demonstrate Smartwork, the online assessment that accompanies the Biochemistry text as well as the Molecular Exploration videos.

"Creating a More Active and Engaging Biochemistry Course, Online or On-Ground" Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

In this workshop, Biochemistry author Roger Miesfeld will share strategies that he has employed at University of Arizona to help his 800+ students see biochemistry in the world around them and keep them engaged throughout the course through active learning modules and multiple low-stakes assessments. Whether you teach online, hybrid, or on-ground, Roger has teaching techniques that will apply to your course.

After Roger’s talk, we will demonstrate Smartwork, the online assessment that accompanies the Biochemistry text as well as the Molecular Exploration videos.

"Flexible, Adaptive, and Affordable: Smartwork for General Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework. In this session, we'll cover:
• Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments
• Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments
• Easy-to-use interface and tools
• Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades
• Low cost options with or without the ebook

"Results of Teaching the Mechanism: Changing Attitudes and ACS Exam Scores" Hosted by Joel Karty

In this workshop, W. W. Norton author Joel Karty will discuss the results he has seen in his classroom since moving to a mechanistic organization, as well as adopters of his text, especially in terms of attrition rates and his students’ ACS scores.

Joel will also answer your questions about moving to a mechanistic organization, and anything else you'd like to ask!

"Intuitive Drawing Tools and Feedback: Smartwork for Organic Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew for a workshop on Smartwork for organic chemistry.

Richard will showcase how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

"Incorporating Chemistry Education Research into General Chemistry" Hosted by Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz

W. W. Norton is proud to host an online talk + Q&A with Stacey Lowery Bretz, Recipient of the ACS 2020 Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry, and coauthor of Chemistry and Chemistry: An Atoms Focused Approach.

Dr. Bretz's research expertise includes the development of assessments to characterize chemistry misconceptions and to investigate students’ understandings of multiple representations (particulate, symbolic, and macroscopic). Dr. Bretz will share some of her research and how it’s informed the pedagogy of our general chemistry textbooks.

"Creating Effective Chemistry Videos" Hosted by Joel Karty and Kristen Barrett

Join us for a workshop with author Joel Karty, Elon University, and Professor Kristen Barrett, Rowan University. Kristen and Joel will discuss their process for developing more than 80 videos and animations to help students visualize organic chemistry and become more effective at solving problems.

"Taking Frustration Out of Online Homework in General Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

Join Richard Jew, W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist, for a workshop on Smartwork online homework. In this session, we'll cover:
• Flexible options: adaptive or static assignments
• Pre-made ChemTour Lab assignments
• Easy-to-use interface and tools
• Gradebook analytics and easy LMS integration of grades
• Low cost options with or without the ebook

"Cultivating a Growth Mindset in Organic Chemistry" Hosted by Grace Ferris and Joel Karty

How can we help all students feel like they can succeed in organic chemistry? Join Grace Ferris, Lesley University, and Joel Karty, Elon University, for a discussion and roundtable on how we can foster a sense of belonging and inclusion for organic chemistry students. We'll cover strategies such as collaborative exams, low-stakes assessment, and using video.

"Intuitive Drawing Tools and Feedback: Smartwork for Organic Chemistry" Hosted by Richard Jew

W. W. Norton's Content Development Specialist and former UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Coordinator and Smartwork user Richard Jew showcases how Smartwork can help your students become more successful in their organic course through easy-to-use drawing tools, multi-step mechanism and synthesis problems, and targeted hints and feedback.

"Using Online Assessment to Build Critical-Thinking Skills in the Biochemistry Classroom" Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

Biochemistry author Roger Miesfeld and the Norton chemistry team explore the Smartwork course for the Second Edition of Biochemistry, as well as the new Molecular Exploration Videos. They also take a look at the interactive ebook, gradebook analytics, and our Interactive Instructor's Guide.

"Applying Chemistry Education Research to Improving Chemistry Assessment" Hosted by Stacey Lowery Bretz

Stacey Lowery Bretz was the recipient of the ACS 2020 Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry, and the coauthor of Chemistry, Sixth Edition, and Chemistry: An Atoms-Focused Approach, Third Edition. In this workshop, she discusses her research on student misconceptions around chemistry and how these results influenced the pedagogy she has developed for her course and her books.

"Creating effective biochemistry videos" Hosted by Monika Sommerhalter and Blake Gillespie

Biochemists Monika Sommerhalter (Cal State East Bay) and Blake Gillespie (Cal State Channel Islands) discuss their process for developing biochemistry videos and animations that help students understand structure-function relationships.

"Teaching Active Learning in a Hybrid General Chemistry Class" Hosted by Sarah Pierce

Sarah Pierce, (Cumberland University) will share her strategies for implementing active learning in her hybrid general chemistry course.

"Applying Chemistry Education Research to Online Learning" Hosted by Cynthia Stanich

In this workshop, Norton's PhD chemist and subject matter expert Cynthia Stanich will share strategies for implementing Chemistry Education Research in teaching online.

"Teaching Organic Chemistry Online" Hosted by Cynthia Stanich and Stacy Loyal

In this online workshop, Cynthia Stanich, Norton's in-house chemist, and Stacy Loyal, Norton's chemistry marketing manager, will discuss best practices for using online homework like Smartwork in an online-only organic chemistry course. They will walk through drawing tools in Smartwork, and discuss how Smartwork can be used for both homework and tests.

"Using Smartwork Online Assessment in the General Chemistry Classroom" Hosted by Shane Brisson

In this online workshop for instructors considering Smartwork, Shane Brisson, Norton's science specialist, will discuss best practices for using online homework like Smartwork in an online-only course. Shane will walk through the visualization and problem-solving pedagogy incorporated in Smartwork for general chemistry, and will discuss how Smartwork can be used for both homework and tests. There will also be time for questions at the end.

"Norton Chemistry—Transitioning to Online Teaching" Hosted by Cynthia Stanich

Cynthia Stanich shares her best practices for teaching chemistry online.

"Teaching Biochemistry Online" Hosted by Roger Miesfeld

In this workshop, Roger Miesfeld, associate dean at the University of Arizona and author of Biochemistry, will discuss best practices for teaching biochemistry online. We will also discuss how you can use Smartwork online assessment in both a coaching and a testing environment.

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Image Credit: (Bretz) GCS Photography, (Miesfeld) Elizabeth Miesfeld

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