CHEMCONF: An experiment in international online conferencing

Abstract

During the summer of 1993, the Committee on Computers in Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Education sponsored an experimental online electronic conference, entitled “Applications of Technology in Teaching Chemistry,” which was conducted entirely by means of Internet and Bitnet network services. Fifteen papers were “presented,” on topics ranging from the applications of computer animations and simulations of chemical reactions, to using classroom networks to foster cooperative learning. A total of 450 chemistry educators from 33 countries participated. This article describes the organization, operation, and evaluation of the conference, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of online conferencing compared to traditional methods of scholarly discourse, and describes future plans for other chemistry‐related online conferences. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.