OrganicPad: A Tablet PC Based Interactivity Tool for Organic Chemistry

Abstract

This paper describes a software tool that utilizes the tablet PC's natural user interface to provide interactivity between an instructor and her students in an organic chemistry course. The instructor and the students are equipped with electronic tablets and wireless access to the Internet. The software tool, called OrganicPad, enables an instructor to engage her students in class by sending them problems to solve. The students develop answers to the problems guided by tips and hints provided by the software. All communication is through the web, using the HTTP communication protocol. At any time, the instructor can evaluate student submissions and can quickly understand where students are having difficulty. The instructor can hide students' identities and anonymously use the submissions pedagogically. Finally, the instructor can develop tutorial exercises that students can work on outside of class. We present how we have used OrganicPad and how we plan to extend its functionality in the future.