Teaching space-group diagrams to chemistry students through a peer-tutoring approach

• Published in: Acta crystallographica. Section E, Crystallographic communications Vol. 77; no. 9; pp. 864 - 866
• Main Authors: Zheng, Shao-Liang, Campbell, Michael G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Union of Crystallography 01.09.2021
• Subjects: collaborative/cooperative learning; crystal structure; graduate education; Modern Approaches and Tools for Teaching Crystallography; peer tutoring; space group; symmetry; upper-division undergraduate
• ISSN: 2056-9890; 2056-9890
• DOI: 10.1107/S2056989021008744

Peer tutoring is a teaching strategy that offers a creative way of getting students more involved and accountable for their own learning in college-level chemistry courses. The authors have found that the ` Symmetry and Space Group Tutorial ' [Jasinski & Foxman (2007). Symmetry and Space Group Tutorial , V1.55. http://people.brandeis.edu/~foxman1/teaching/indexpr.html] lends itself well to a peer-tutoring approach in a crystallography course for chemistry students. This in-class activity provides an opportunity for students to learn space-group diagrams, understand basic symmetry concepts, organize what they have learned, and explain it to their peers, which leads to a deeper overall understanding of the subject. We report on our experience in planning peer tutoring, advise on best practices, and demonstrate the positive impact on student learning and engagement.