Are we having fun yet? We are now concluding the fourth session of the Spring 2006 CONFCHEM conference on Web Based Applications in Chemical Education. Thank yous all around to David Yaron, Jordi Cuadros and Mike Karabinos from Carnegie Mellon and Stefan Kuhn, Tobias Helmus, Egon Willighagen and Christoph Steinbeck in Cologne. [applause] Today we start Session 5 -- we are half way through our conference. <http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/bh/confchem/#session5> This week we move into the laboratory and find out how the web can be used to foster collaboration and course management outside the classroom environment. I think you will find these two papers particularly creative and stimulating. 5A: Using InterChemNet for lab curriculum development and evaluation <http://icn2.umeche.maine.edu/newnav/NewNavigator/LoginForm.cfm> Barbara Stewart, Robert Kirk, Francois Amar, and Mitchell Bruce; (University of Maine) <http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/bh/confchem/confchem_s2006.htm#stewart> 5B: The Science of Spectroscopy: Collaborative curriculum development using a wiki <http://www.scienceofspectroscopy.info/> Stewart Mader (Brown University) <http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/bh/confchem/confchem_s2006.htm#mader> Please join us in welcoming our authors for this week: [applause] Mitchell Bruce <http://chemistry.umeche.maine.edu/~mbruce/mbruce.html> and coworkers have successfully implemented a laboratory based network that facilitates the use of advanced instrumentation over the web. You might also enquire from them how they see this work in relation to the peer-led learning environment at the University of Maine, and how this work might be extended to other settings. Steward Mader <http://scienceofspectroscopy.info/edit/index.php?title=Stewart_Mader> is an expert in the use of technology to enhance the learning environment. His paper in another in our series that explores the use of wikis and blogs in the context of spectroscopy. If you have been putting off asking questions to our authors, what better time than this week? Remember, this is a rare opportunity to ask the questions that probably many others reading this also might be asking. Let's find out what this is all about. I know I'm still coming up to speed on all the new technologies that are out there. So, take a look at the papers; ask a question or two. I know the one I want to ask, so I'll do that right now: Do you folks ever sleep? Seriously, do take a look at these papers and over this coming weekend think of just one or two questions for the authors to CONFCHEM@clarkson.edu with a subject beginning with "CONFCHEM 5A" or "CONFCHEM 5B". Full discussion will resume with the authors' replies to these short questions early next week. For those of you not yet subscribed to the CONFCHEM mailing list, it's not too late to join us. See <http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/bh/confchem/confchem_s2006.htm#brief> for brief instructions. Bob Hanson Bob Belford