Using Software to Engage Students in Learning and to Extend Concepts in Organic Chemistry Activities

Organic chemistry provides an ideal opportunity within the curriculum for students to apply concepts to new situations. Software-based technological tools can be utilized to engage students with the course material, as they lend themselves to helping students develop critical thinking skills. Rather than memorizing concepts, trends, and mechanisms, software-based provide students with the tools to grasp organic chemistry principles and mechanisms more effectively. Computational activities and augmented reality provide students with diverse learning opportunities, moving beyond traditional textbook limitations to foster a deeper understanding. This chapter explores various technological tools to enhance chemistry education, including computational activities for concept derivation, augmented reality for mastering stereochemistry, visualization tools for conceptual understanding, and generative AI for writing laboratory reports.