41
Reflections from the Conference Chairman In the searching and probing questions and comments of over 450 dedicated individuals in an idyllic but too- brief two and a half days on the peaceful Mount Holyoke College Campus under the cheerful and competent care of the local chemists with generous support from the chemi- cal industry, the Chemical Education Conference 1972 il- lustrated in microcosm efforts of chemistry teachers throughout-principally-the United States and Canada to come to terms with and to understand the role of science and education in afree society. The problems were not new. The answers-appro- priately-ever-changing. For we cannot go hack (says the Second Law). Each generation faces, perhaps apprehen- sively (if satisfied with things as they are) or-the domi- nant mood of the Holyoke Conference~ptimistically (if hopeful for things as they might he) old issues in new dis- guises. Historically, stated reasons for supporting science and education have changed with the political seasons. Science, though not now center stage, bas been, nonethe- less, an important component of higher education in the West since the French Experience under the Republic and Napoleon I. The Republican ideal, writes L. Pearce Williams, histo- rian of science, was a nation of free men who, through knowledee of the universe and the societv in which thev lived, would deliberate cooly on matters of national inter- est and arrive at policies through the exercise of reason and intelligent debate (I). The study of science, continues Williams, was (naively deemed?) the very cornerstone of this approach, for the harmony and order the sciences revealed (in most restrict- ed domains?) justified (they thought; or wished to think?) the assumption of (and wildly optimistic extrapolation to?) the adequacy of (scientific-like?) reason (in complex, worldly affairs?) (I). (For science only tells us what: happens if, for example, sulfur is burned in air. Science-not yet even social science-tells us not whether we will hum sulfur, nor whether we should burn sulfur. Those are more difficult, probably trans-scientific questions (2).) Students in the French Republic were allowed complete freedom in their choice of subjects and attendance. No snecific order of courses existed. Courses could he added or dropped anytime. The result: educational anarchy (I). Na~oleon. on the other hand. brooked no nonsense. dis- obedience, criticism, or discussion. The function of educa- tion in his state, writes Williams, was correspondingly redefined: The Principal goal of education ought to he to give everyone the knowledge necessary for him to fulfill the functions in society to which he is called. For Napoleon (and the US?) science was a weapon to he used against enemies (I). "We did not sell a love of science during the Sputnik era," has said H m y Kelley, former NSF administrator. "we sold fear." All teaching in ~ap&nic France was subordinated to the necessities of the art of war (on England, not yet pov- erty or pollution). Courses were simplified and "directed toward their practical aspects." Instruction in the funda- mental theories of the sciences took too much time. Prac- tical knowledpe, not understanding, was the paramount ~onsideration.~Science declined (I). Such are the Scylla of science pursued solely for the students' (and scientists') sake and the Charybdis of science supported solely for society's sake. Not easy is it to chart non-capsizing courses between the two extremes. Among the Conference's memorable moments were sever- al inspiring accounts of expertly executed runs through the narrows. Repeatedly the Conference grappled, overtly and cov- ertly, with this related problem: How to prepare young men and women for pleasurable careers in a profit-orient- ed industry that hires specialists over generalists, force- ably reminding them that "The dollar sign must he over the door of all of our laboratories," "Our objectives have to be more short-range," "The researcher must recognize his responsibility for making a profit" (3), then, in an in- version of the philosophical principles of insurance, takes much from a few (employees) to give a little to many (stockholders) and fires dedicated individuals who, after devoting their professional lives to the company's narrow interests, have hecome "technically obsolete," "inflexi- ble, " and "unadaptable." The issue Science for the Sake of Science or Society is a knotty one. Fields rated high in "intrinsic" merit (poten- tial for discovering new fundamental laws; in physics, for example, studies of elementary particles, astrophysics, and relativity) are usually rated low in "extrinsic" merit (potential for solving societal problems), whereas fields rated high in extrinsic merit (acoustics and optics) are widely rated low in intrinsic merit (4). The emergent answer a t Conference '72 to Chemistry for Pleasure or for Profit?; Chemistry Pure or Applied? appeared to he Both. We want the "words" and the "music". Some students seek chiefly training in chemis- try, others education through chemistry. To judge from Holyoke, institutions everywhere, big and small, public and private, are seeking their own-not always manifest--destiny, their own distinctiue missions, acknowledging Hegel's contention that freedom is the rec- ognition of necessitv. These are our students. What can we do for them? The ever-chaneine orohlem for the American Chemical - Society's Committee on Professional Training is how best to promote for students, employers, and the discipline of chemistry a healthy balance between the words and the music, the pure and the applied, the pleasurable and the profitable, the intrinsic and the extrinsic, through specific "Objectives and Guidelines" that, while not inhibiting at centers of excellence innovations in patterns of teaching and research, will be useful to departmental chairmen seekine from colleee administrators increased s u ~ o o r t for - . . emerging programs in chemical education. The ever-oresent "~rohlem"for the Conference was. in Lagowskib words, the "misery of success3'-unexpectedly many participants, papers, spouses, and children. The en- thusiasm, patience, and goodwill of the speakers, the au- dience, and the Mount Holyoke staff; the vigorous and disciplined exchange of views in a packed auditorium; the wealth of shared experiences in unscheduled sessions dur- ing meals, the afternoons, and late evening to early morn- ing hours was heartwarming to witness. K t made one proud to he a member of the profession. Literature Cited (1) Williams. L. P.. Ism, 47, pM I. Doc., L956. Reprinted in ',The Rise d Science in Relation to Society", L. M. Manak. ed.. The Maemillan Co.. N. Y., 1964. pp. Henry Bent North Carolina State University Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 5

Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

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Page 1: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Reflections from the Conference Chairman In the searching and probing questions and comments

of over 450 dedicated individuals in an idyllic but too- brief two and a half days on the peaceful Mount Holyoke College Campus under the cheerful and competent care of the local chemists with generous support from the chemi- cal industry, the Chemical Education Conference 1972 il- lustrated in microcosm efforts of chemistry teachers throughout-principally-the United States and Canada to come to terms with and to understand the role of science and education in afree society.

The problems were not new. The answers-appro- priately-ever-changing. For we cannot go hack (says the Second Law). Each generation faces, perhaps apprehen- sively (if satisfied with things as they are) or-the domi- nant mood of the Holyoke Conference~ptimistically (if hopeful for things as they might he) old issues in new dis- guises.

Historically, stated reasons for supporting science and education have changed with the political seasons. Science, though not now center stage, bas been, nonethe- less, an important component of higher education in the West since the French Experience under the Republic and Napoleon I.

The Republican ideal, writes L. Pearce Williams, histo- rian of science, was a nation of free men who, through knowledee of the universe and the societv in which thev lived, would deliberate cooly on matters of national inter- est and arrive at policies through the exercise of reason and intelligent debate (I).

The study of science, continues Williams, was (naively deemed?) the very cornerstone of this approach, for the harmony and order the sciences revealed (in most restrict- ed domains?) justified (they thought; or wished to think?) the assumption of (and wildly optimistic extrapolation to?) the adequacy of (scientific-like?) reason (in complex, worldly affairs?) (I).

(For science only tells us what: happens if, for example, sulfur is burned in air. Science-not yet even social science-tells us not whether we will hum sulfur, nor whether we should burn sulfur. Those are more difficult, probably trans-scientific questions (2).)

Students in the French Republic were allowed complete freedom in their choice of subjects and attendance. No snecific order of courses existed. Courses could he added or dropped anytime. The result: educational anarchy (I).

Na~oleon. on the other hand. brooked no nonsense. dis- obedience, criticism, or discussion. The function of educa- tion in his state, writes Williams, was correspondingly redefined: The Principal goal of education ought to he to give everyone the knowledge necessary for him to fulfill the functions in society to which he is called.

For Napoleon (and the US?) science was a weapon to he used against enemies (I). "We did not sell a love of science during the Sputnik era," has said H m y Kelley, former NSF administrator. "we sold fear."

All teaching in ~ap&nic France was subordinated to the necessities of the art of war (on England, not yet pov- erty or pollution). Courses were simplified and "directed toward their practical aspects." Instruction in the funda- mental theories of the sciences took too much time. Prac- tical knowledpe, not understanding, was the paramount ~onsideration.~Science declined (I).

Such are the Scylla of science pursued solely for the students' (and scientists') sake and the Charybdis of science supported solely for society's sake. Not easy is it to chart non-capsizing courses between the two extremes.

Among the Conference's memorable moments were sever- al inspiring accounts of expertly executed runs through the narrows.

Repeatedly the Conference grappled, overtly and cov- ertly, with this related problem: How to prepare young men and women for pleasurable careers in a profit-orient- ed industry that hires specialists over generalists, force- ably reminding them that "The dollar sign must he over the door of all of our laboratories," "Our objectives have to be more short-range," "The researcher must recognize his responsibility for making a profit" (3), then, in an in- version of the philosophical principles of insurance, takes much from a few (employees) to give a little to many (stockholders) and fires dedicated individuals who, after devoting their professional lives to the company's narrow interests, have hecome "technically obsolete," "inflexi- ble, " and "unadaptable."

The issue Science for the Sake of Science or Society is a knotty one. Fields rated high in "intrinsic" merit (poten- tial for discovering new fundamental laws; in physics, for example, studies of elementary particles, astrophysics, and relativity) are usually rated low in "extrinsic" merit (potential for solving societal problems), whereas fields rated high in extrinsic merit (acoustics and optics) are widely rated low in intrinsic merit (4).

The emergent answer a t Conference '72 to Chemistry for Pleasure or for Profit?; Chemistry Pure or Applied? appeared to he Both. We want the "words" and the "music". Some students seek chiefly training in chemis- try, others education through chemistry.

To judge from Holyoke, institutions everywhere, big and small, public and private, are seeking their own-not always manifest--destiny, their own distinctiue missions, acknowledging Hegel's contention that freedom is the rec- ognition of necessitv. These are our students. What can we do for them?

The ever-chaneine orohlem for the American Chemical - Society's Committee on Professional Training is how best to promote for students, employers, and the discipline of chemistry a healthy balance between the words and the music, the pure and the applied, the pleasurable and the profitable, the intrinsic and the extrinsic, through specific "Objectives and Guidelines" that, while not inhibiting at centers of excellence innovations in patterns of teaching and research, will be useful to departmental chairmen seekine from colleee administrators increased s u ~ o o r t for - . . emerging programs in chemical education.

The ever-oresent "~rohlem" for the Conference was. in Lagowskib words, the "misery of success3'-unexpectedly many participants, papers, spouses, and children. The en- thusiasm, patience, and goodwill of the speakers, the au- dience, and the Mount Holyoke staff; the vigorous and disciplined exchange of views in a packed auditorium; the wealth of shared experiences in unscheduled sessions dur- ing meals, the afternoons, and late evening to early morn- ing hours was heartwarming to witness. Kt made one proud to he a member of the profession. Literature Cited

(1) Williams. L. P.. Ism, 47, p M I. Doc., L956. Reprinted in ',The Rise d Science in Relation to Society", L. M. Manak. ed.. The Maemillan Co.. N. Y., 1964. pp.

Henry Bent North Carolina State University

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 5

Page 2: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

I: Objectives of Education in Chemistry

Session I-& Faculty Set

Moderator: Jay Young, Auburn University Scribes: Leallyn B. Clapp, Brown University

Malcolm Renfrew, University of Idaho

The Keller method of instruction, geared to a student's natural learning pace, is finding enthusiastic practitioners in chemistry. The method breaks up the course into a number of units with specific objectives on which the stu- dent is tested; he must master a unit before he proceeds to the next, and he may repeat the test to demonstrate his mastery as often as proves necessary. Grades in the course are based on the number of units completed, commonly a mix of laboratory and theory being required. The empba- sis tends toward a thoroughness of understanding of limit- ed content rather than completeness of course content.

Teachers who have made use of the method usually he- come enthusiastic about its effectiveness, as demonstrated in the following papers. These have a tone of evangelistic fervor tempered with scientific caution. Difficulties en- countered with the Keller approach are recognized, but the practitioners strike a balance in its favor.

The Keller Plan: Intimacy in the Classroom Linda A. Eggleston and Hans H. Brintzinger, Uniuersi-

ty of M i c h i g a ~ Ann Arbor

In winter semester 1972, a second semester general chemistry course was offered under the Keller Plan for- mat. The class was diverse even though i t was heavily weighted to the highly motivated student.

The course was offered for 5 hr of credit with 8 hr of lab/wk. The traditional lecture material was divided into 17 units with 3 review units. Each of these units consisted of a list of behavioral objectives, suggested exercises, and an assigned exercise. Exams were graded P /F a t an 80% pass level. If a student failed he could take another exam. These exams were computer generated. A pass required passing the assigned exercise (usually a problem in diver- gent thinking). The laboratory was also offered under the Keller Plan. 7 units were required for an A. 3 of these were required units on basic techniques (qualitative anal- ysis, spectronic 20, and potentiometric titration). 1 lab unit had to be an original project. The other 3 units could be out of the standard lab manual or anything else. These were graded P F requiring a high level of performance for a P. As the course was an experimental format we felt we could not grant an A for merely completing all of the units. An optional final exam was offered and final course grades were based on a sliding scale (below). In order to do some comparative studies identical final exams were given to the students in another second semester course which covered the same material, with the same hook only under a traditional lecture format.

Units Lab units No Final Passed required final 80+ 100+ 125+ 150+

It was noted that although the means were the same the students scored the points in different areas. The final exam was categorized according to Bloom's Taxonomy of

Cognitive Educational Objectives. It can he seen in the table below that the experimental group scored higher than the control group on the higber level cognitive ahili- ties.

Experimental 1.1 67% 1.2 57.8 2.1 81

Control 66.2% 70.5 9 6 6 81.1 79.7 37.7 55.7 61.7

A significantly higber percentage of the experimental moun attemnted the oroblem rated higher on Bloom's - . Taxonomy. The control group scored a higher percentage correct in those attempted, however it is hypothesized that this is due to the higher degree of confidence required of these students before they would attempt the more creative problem.

We feel that the success of this course is not to be found in improved academic achievement. It is to he found in the attitudes of the students and staff. The majority of the students felt that the course was less competitive and therefore the grade pressure was less. 81% felt that their understanding of chemical principles was better than it would have been in a conventional course. They consis- tently felt that the course had been fair-independent of the grade they received. 87% rated this course higher than traditional courses in personal interaction. As the staff went, 6 out of 7 teaching fellows would opt to teach this course again under the Keller Plan; 5% out of 7 would he willing to teach it 2 semesters per year in the Keller for- mat.

The Keller Plan appears to be a viable option to the traditional lecture format for a certain group of people, both students and teachers, and a certain size of group. It should not he taken as a cure-all or a Utopia. Care should be taken as, if it works, it appears to work beautifully. If it fails, it could be a disaster for the student.

Comments

Jack Garland, Washington State Unioersity. The undergrad- uate tutors may have been the students most benefitted by the moeram. Will retention of suhiect matter hv the tutors be eval- bt;d later?

Dr. Eggleston. We would like to evaluate the retention of all of the students in the course and compare it to the control group. This would also yield data on whether the tutors retained more of the material than the other students. However, as those peo- ple connected with the course are not at the University this year it will he difficult if not impossible to collect this data.

John Laswiek, Clarion Stote College. The Keller plan appears to have its greatest impact early in the term when the student, often for the first time in his life, is required to do a thing as well as he can. Then when that is not good enough to do the same thing better. Is the early effect later dissipated?

Dr. Eggleston. We didn't notice an appreciable dissipation. In- stead I think that the students came to require the best from themselves. Seldom, if ever, did we have a student argue over

6 / Journal of Chemical Education

Page 3: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

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Page 4: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Laboratory projects: The laboratory projects are intended to give the student experience in designing, modifying, and/or fabri- cating physical chemical experimental designs and apparatus. Furthermore, the student is encouraged to develop competency in presenting his accumulated data in tabular and graphical form consistent with standards demanded by publication policies of the major physical chemistry journals.

A level of approximately 90% proficiency is required of the Keller unit tests. Failure to achieve that level of competency merely means that the student spends a more concerted effort on his area of weakness and, subsequent- ly, takes another test.

The final course grade is determined by the number of total units completed by the end of the school term.

The learning system just described appears to offer a reasonable a l t emt iue to the traditional lecture-discussion mode of presentation in that i t actively involves the stu- dent in his own learnine orocesses. T h e instructor-student relationship assumes a n entirely different character. Rather than meeting as adversaries, they meet as a part- nership dedicated to completing specific objectives a t a known level of proficiency.

Comments

Mawice Berg. Lyndon State College, Vt. The Keller Plan seems better suited,to a modular system of instruction in which the evaluation of a student consists of addingthe units mastered.

Dr. Kissling. The Keller Plan is, indeed, better suited to a mod- ular system of instruction. In fact, a course will, by necessity, beedme modularized if it is taught by the Keller method. One of the important features of the plan is the creation of study units which are reasonable in terms of the time and effort a student must spend in accomplishing the objectives of that unit. The satisfactory completion of the "presentation-re- sponse-consequence" cycle must he manageable for the student as well as the instructor. The grade, then, becomes an indica- tion of the amount of material mastered, rather than an indica- tion of the degree of mastery.

L. B. Church, SUNY, Buffalo. A student who finishes 10 to 15 study units gets a lower grade and misses important informa- tion on certain key topics. What happens to students in courses dependent on the one in question?

Dr. Kissling. This is definitely a problem. Fortunately, I was spared from facing it. I can suggest two ps ib le options in these cases, however. (a) One might design the content of the study units such that the last two or three units are "enrichment" units and not ah- solutely necessary for successful continuation into the next se- quence of the course. (h) A student could receive an "incom- plete" grade for the first term and then, at the commencement of the second term, begin where he left off.

It is problems such as these which point out how unjustified or arbitrary many of our grading policies are.

Student-Teacher Contracts Rubin Battino, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio

If what vou are doine isn't fun for vou. how can the stu- dent enjoy it? (How can you do it?) s top being so serious. I t is not true that if your students do not learn how to bal- ance equations, they will pump gas for the rest of their lives or have their teeth fall out. Maybe if we remove the "oughts" and "shoulds" and "requireds", maybe our stu- dents "will". We somehow must go beyond the concept of "cvvering" m a t e r i a l i f i t has to be covered, maybe i t should be buried instead. The thing to do is to level with the students about your feelings and expectations and have them do the same with you. Have some dialogue. Share. The process of sharing changes the total atmo- sphere for learning.

Comments

A. R. Armstrang, College of William and Mary. Battino told us that learning by reading what some professor wrote is beautiful, hut learning by listening to what some professor says is ugly. Nonsense!

Dr. Battino. Did I sav that? I thoueht I said that leeturine ia , ~ ~ - generally a poor nay to faeditate learning and rhat other modes of dwng the ]oh (Ilk. rhe Keller Plan, rhould he gwen serious consideration,

B. R. Stanerson, ACS Board of Directors. Is there not real dan- ger in encouraging teachem to stress topics that are fun and bury topics that are boring? If the professor finds the basic principles boring and the less important topics fun, will not students be the losers in spite of a hilarious course?

Dr. Battino. If, an the other hand, the professor finds the basic principles exciting and less important topics dull, will not stu- dents gain because of a stimulating course? Real learning eer- tainly involves work, and some of this work may be boring, te- dious, and repetitious. But if the work is all duty and no joy, it deserves to he questioned.

General Comments

Alfred R. Armstrang, College of Williom and Mary. It can be ar- gued that the lecture technique of teaching is an efficient way to transfer the information and feeling. Exams show equal suc- cess to the Keller plan, and there appears to be evidence that teaching by lectures is in fact more efficient.

R. Scott Pyron, Furman Uniuersity. There has been too much enthusiasm shown in the presentation of the Keller plan, and its disadvantages were not adequately mentioned, We need more details about the mechanics and details of the ways in which this material can beused.

Francis V. Scalzi, Hiram College. It is necessary to have a prop- er comparison between students' performance after using the Keller plan and a more conventional method which would take cognisanee of time, effort, and expense on behalf of both stu- dents and faculty.

Billie Broach, Uniniuersity of A~konsas at Little Rock. It is neces- sary to make sure that the faculty members know what stu- dents have been taught in previous courses, and a reciprocal arrangement between faculty members is important.

Lowell Heisey, Bridgewater College. I am disturbed that in the Keller plan grades are based only on the amount of work com- pleted, which seems to me to place the emphasis on quantity and not on quality. Teachers can contribute comments instead of using the personal contact time to congratulate and cheer students.

Summary

The Keller Plan appears to evoke a strong response in educators as well as students. Clearly, those who have tried out the idea are mostly very satisfied with the re- sults, but, taken objectively, the end results are not nec- essarily any better than those obtained by conventional methods.

Nevertheless as an attempt in producing new tech- niques to motivate students who may not originally be sufficiently interested in a particular subject, the method is a valuable one, although only the future will decide its exact contributions and its position in the general range of- teaching techniques.

On the other hand, opposition to the Keller Plan ap- pears to be bound up with a reaction against what this group considers to be an over-emphasis on psychological aspects of educational techniques. On the face of it, chemistry faculties are not expert psychologists, and their involvement in details of this discipline may not necessar- ily be beneficial. On a historical argument, it does never- theless seem true that new pedagogic methods present im- mediate advantaees. and. although these are not eenerallv maintained over a length; periodof time, they docontrid- Ute to the overall progress of teaching the discipline.

8 / Journalof Chemical Education

Page 5: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Session 1-6: Student Set

Moderators: Stanley Kirschner, Wayne State University Jay Young, Auburn University

Scribes: John Burmeister, University of Delaware Wilbert Hutton, Iowa State-university

This series of papers gives graphic evidence of a transi- tion from the traditional professorial view of a student as one who is the passive recipient of instruction to one wherein the student is recognized to be a valuable active ~ a r t i c i ~ a n t in the instmctional Drocess. This involvement encompasses their cooperation in the formulation of edu- cational ohiectives, and the evaluation of the content and quality of the instruction, as well as actual participation in the teaching itself.

The results of the wide variety of experiences described in these papers indicate that the involvement of students in virtually every phase of their education can be produc- tive.

Revolutionary Chemistry-Students as Course Planners

E. S. Kean and Robert West, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53706

Chemistry 181, one of several elementary chemistry courses which may be elected by nonscience or engineer- ing majors at the University of Wisconsin was reorganized three years ago because the traditional course was not meeting the needs of its students. The course a t that time was a rigorous condensed version of a sequence of fresh- man chemistw courses which were intended to serve as the foundation for more advanced work in chemistry. Since none of the 181 students were expected to take any further work in chemistry, we wished t o replace the old course with one designed specifically for the nonscience majors, one that would give these students a foundation upon which to build a rational approach to the technologi- cal concerns they would face during their lives, and which would emphasize the application of chemistry to societal problems.

We felt that such a course should treat specifically those areas of chemistry which were not only real, hut of most direct importance to the students. We gave up the idea that only professional chemists could or should de- sign a chemistry course and began to look to the students themselves to decide what was important for them to learn. The following is a description of how the course has evolved through the use of students as co-planners.

During the first week of the semester, students are asked to write a short page describing what they hope to get out of the course as well as specific topics of chemical or environmental nature which they wish to learn about. All topics suggested can usually he accommodated during the semester; most are of a general enough nature that they are. Almost without exception these topics deal with nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, or biochemistry. Approximately 50% of the course is devoted to fundamen- tals of chemistry of these three general areas. After a background has been established in, say nuclear chemis- try, the specific topics as suggested by students are dis- cussed in detail before going on to the other general areas. Both the specific chemistry and its societal effects are covered.

Informal class meetings may be called from time to time when needed or requested by students to deal with

topics which are peripheral to the main course of study.01 which are of interest onlv to a limited number of students.

Students are encouraged at all times to express their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the course. Instruc- tors actively solicit such feedback. At the beginning of the semester, many students are reluctant to do so. However, when they see that their comments are not only encour- aged and welcomed hut acted upon as often as possible, this reticience disappears. Such feedback has been re- sponsible for replacement of traditional exams by take- home problem sets.

On a formal basis, a t the close of the semester, students are requested to fill out a two-page form evaluating in de- tail instructors, texts, the laboratory, course organization, and so on. These evaluations form the basis for designing the suhsequent year's course. In general, student response to the course has been overwhelmingly favorable. How- ever, most of the changes each year are due to student input both from these evaluations as well as more infor- mal feedback,

An important part of the course is the mid-semester en- vironmental project. Here students assume resoonsihilitv for their own-pr&am. They generate their own electing not only the particular environmental topic, hut also the medium to express their concern.

Likewise, students are free to generate their own subjects for intensive study in the final paper or report which most students elect in lieu of a final exam. Most are in the form of term papers and deal more specifically with chemical topics than the environmental projects.

In summary then, chemistry 181 involves listening in- tently to our students-not only in what we teach, hut how we teach it. Although we are not naive enough to be- lieve that all our goals can he accomplished in one semes- ter course, we do believe that our students become more comfortable, more open in questioning, more cautious about scientific claims, more willing to examine chemical effects upon their lives.

Comments

Lawrence Friedman, W ~ l l e s l q CLIIPCP I t seems to me [hat lab- matc,ry work 4hm11d he an important inpedient in a course for nunirlence atudenw such 8, the one you teach. b lab work part of your course, and/or do students have an option to do labora- tory activities in their "projects?"

Dr. Kean. The laboratory is an important part of chemistry 181. Again, we try to deal with real subjeets-commercially avail- able or common chemicals. Some of our experiments include the analysis of butter, margarines, and cooking oils for degree of unsaturation; analysis of major components of commercial brands of gasoline; determination of glucose levels in blood samples drawn from class volunteers after fasting and after eating; determination of phosphate content in detergents, and so on. Same students do elect independent laboratory work for either midterm or final projects (e.g., an analysis of phosphate levels in a local creek, development of pottery glazes using vari- ous metal salts, etc.).

Joseph H. Bishop, Hasbrouek Heights H S. Should we at the High Schaal level attempt to differentiate between students aiming for (1) nonscientific or scientific training; (2) non-college or college training? Do you have any suggestions?

Volume 50, Number I , January 1973 / 9

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Dr. Kean. It is not possible to respond to such questions ade- quately in the space available. However, if you mean to ask whether a course such as Chemistry 181 is feasible at the high school level, the answer is, of course, yes.

Dawn Francis, Drake Institute of Sciences. We also have ad- dressed ourselves to the awareness that so-called nonscience students approach chemistry classes with an initial "fear," thus our opening lectures-indeed our very first question to the class is, "Who on earth or out in space (or wherever) is not di- rectly related tochemistry,"i.e., the study of matter.

When the student begins to consider that chemistry is the study of all matter, and all matter is interrelated to energy, then a whole new attitude toward the study of chemistry has been opened and the job from that point on becomes a down- hill effort.

It is important to change attitudes toward chemistry in par- ticular, and science in general, because, as the speaker wisely noted, technology is not about to disappear.

Clifford Matthews, Uniuersity of Illinoi.7, at Chicago Circle. A philosophical dimension much appreciated by students can he added to courses such as Revolutionary Chemistry by using the theme of euolution in its broadest sense to unify basic concepts of physics, chemistry, geology, and biology necessary for an ap- preciation of man's role in an ever changing environment. For nonscience majors at the University of Illinois Chicago Circle, a course based on the symbolic language of structural chemistry, rather than mathematics, has heen developed emphasizing the significance of molecular architecture to the evolving world around us, particularly the organic world in its inorganic set- ting. A strong cultural component emerges naturally from the fundamental scientific activities of the course, which consists essentially of lectures enlivened by carefully-chosen slides and films and reinforced by multimedia lahoratory-discussion ses- sions. The course (Chemical Evolution: Protons to Proteins) he- gins with a panoramic consideration of evolution as a universal syntropic process, continues in some detail with the develop- ment of modern views of the nature of atoms, molecules, and informational macromolecules and concludes with an open- ended discussion of life (a pervasive property of matter?), man (the quintessence of stardust?) and science (a continuing probe into the mystery of order).

Student Assisted Development of the General Chemistry Curriculum Tim Janis and James J. Hazdra, Illinois Benedictine

College, Lisle, Illinois

The structured lecture type approach in general chem- istry for nonmajors no longer appeals to most students. Consequently, a new program was experimented with this past year a t Illinois Benedictine College. The program was a combination of traditional lectures, student presenta- tions, evaluations, and prepared audio-tutorial tapes. Lec- tures were given twice a week, student presentations on descriptive chemistry and quiz sessions once a week. The audio-tutorial tapes were student made for extra credit. The tonic and outline and final evaluation was made hv the instructor. Quiz questions and hints were also tape re- corded and laced in the colleee laneuaee laboratow. Rec- itation sessibns were held a n d each-stu-dent was rdquired to present a problem at the blackboard. The student's performance was evaluated by his classmates. Periodic questionaires indicated that the students enjoyed the new style course. They did not like to he asked to evaluate themselves, especially in recitation. The audio-tutorial tapes were useful and represented a good start into pro- ducing an important course aid. The course closed with a student produced 35-min. video tape of an anthology of General Chemistry.

Comments Dawn Francis, Drake Institute of Science. Have you related the

eleven topics shown an an early slide to those concepts which students encounter everyday and which they shall continue to encounter throughout their daily l ivesin their careers, hobbies, etc.?

We applaud your direction in which the student is required to mepare and make presentation-thus becoming "involved."

Another good idea to couple with this is your concomitant use of tapes and work sheets. Is this learning tool incorporated from the heginning-perhaps in small doses, at first-growing to a major effort as the term progresses?

Students use the text as a "bible." Have you tried deliher- ately picking s topic that is not well covered in the "hihle," hut clearly and precisely explained in another text? This "ruse" worked for us in steering students to the library under their awn steam to seek out answers to topics not well covered, but which were to appear on the exam as a "hanus question."

Student-Produced Video-Tapes in a Physical Chemistry Laboratory Course Robert H. Rouda, University of Wisconsin, Madison,

53706

Due to the limited amounts of apparatus usually avail- able in a physical chemistry lahoratory, it is often neces- sary that the students perform the experiments on a ro- tating schedule. This leads to the necessity of having many repetitive lectures and introductory demonstrations. I t is convenient to have these introductions to the experi- ments availahle on videotape for individual student play- backs. In our junior-level physical chemistry lahoratory course a t the University of Wisconsin, these tapes are pre- pared by the students themselves. Included are discus- sions of the theories involved, the use of experimental ap- paratus, and the analysis and interpretation of the labora- tory data. Thestudents thus are not only required to have a thorough understanding of the experiments, hut also gain familiarity with the techniques of instructional media and with the organization and personal presenta- tion of scientific material. The immediate replaying of the videotape to the student is in itself a significant teaching experience. Each year the class prepares a new set of tapes; the resulting feedback from the tapes of the previ- ous year leads to continual improvement in the instmc- tional value of the tapes. Student response indicates an appreciation of this opportunity for a direct involvement in the process of their education.

The Student-Centered Environment: Chemistry Teaching at Johnston College Pau l Corneil, Johnston College, University of Redlands,

Redlands, California 92373

Johnston College is the first "Cluster College" (under- graduate) created by the University of Redlands to add diversity and size without adding anonymity and imperson- alness (created in 1969, we have 300 students and 26 fac- ulty members). We have the mission of creating a new model for higher education of the whole person; specific subjects, such as chemistry, are presented as the exciting and richly human activities that they are. Many of us (faculty and students) have been inspired by Carl Rogers and other philosophers of education to make our setting as ideal as possible for significant learning and as free as possible from artificial harriers to true growth.

Items: 1) no departmentalization-human endeavor is whole cloth; 2) the students participate fully in governance, setting of curriculum, selection of personnel, organization of courses, and evaluation of themselves and others with whom they work; 3) conscious attention is given to the quality of interpersonal activi- ties-facilitative or detrimental; 4) evaluations of students and faculty are written, to preserve the experience as richly as possi- ble, and not distilled to a letter or number; 5) somewhere around the middle of their under graduate career, students (with advis- ing from suitable sources) prepare a program far their own gradu- ation for approval by a student-faculty unit; it includes the stu- dents' origins educationally and the depth and breadth of experi- ence he or she seeks in order to be awarded the B.A. degree; (6) important relationships in classes and the graduation program are established by mutually negotiated, written contracts; 7) in everything, careful preparations are made, hut the unexpected is embraced as it comes along; 8) relationships are natural, not arti-

10 / Joornalof Chemical Education

Page 7: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

ficial: first-name basis, a single non-heirarchical faculty rank, in- formal and meaningful working situations based on goals tomeet.

Jus t setting u p the learning environment as ideally as possible is not enough, we have found, however. Thus we move into the beginning of a "post-Rogerian" educational period dealing realistically with the hard emotional issues that can emerge in a freer and more natural setting. These are the strongest factors tending to encourage, for example a retreat t o authoritarian, comfortable, tradition- al ways of handling a course. Generally, this is due t o our inexperience with perceiving the real issues in a human situation. Thus, we have drawn heavily on skills of group- process psychology,. organizational development, gestalt psychology, replay of video recordings, and the like, to sharpen our perceptions of what is really going on. Pleas- ingly, correct identification of the real issues is the most important element on the way to presenting solutions, which then tend t o emerge naturally.

We measure our success by criteria t ha t far transcend the limits of a particular class or semester, and i t is early t o know with certainty how successful our graduates will be in the complex, changing, demanding situations of the future. We are stressing the tools, styles, and processes, and not just the information, to deal with the future, however; and we feel those are the best qualities t o learn. Comments Charles Matuszak, Uniuemty of the Paelfic. As I teach at the

Unwersity of the Pacific, which pioneered the cluster college concept, I think that one of the motivating reasons behind their formation should be brought out. It is easier to start a new pro- gram from scratch than change an existing program--en- trenched attitudes and self-interest being what they are.

A Good, Hard Look at Behavioral Objectives Robert L. Wolke, Uniuersity of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,

Pennsyluania 15213

This paper was a plea for moderation in the adoption of behavioral objectives as criteria of sound chemical educa- tion a t the college level. Nine assertions were made, fol- lowed by four exhortations.

The assertions: (1) The joh of a good science teacher is twofold-to teach both the methods and the meaning, the "how-to" and the "how-come," the cognitive and the af- fective, the "words" and the "music." (2) Behavioral ob- jectives are useful for teaching the words, are virtually useless for teaching the music. (3) Behavioral objectives make i t too easy for an incomplete education to masquer- ade as an adequate one. (4) Efforts t o y i t e complex and subtle objectives in behavioral terms are largely futile. (5) Behavioral objectives will be most useful to the least-in- spiring teachers. (6) Behavioral objectives are most appro- priate in elementary and secondary schools where the "how-to" is being taught, least appropriate in college where emphasis should be on the "how-come?" (7) The belief t ha t we are able t o specify and quantify the lasting results of education only inhibits the quest for more meanineful coals. (8) Our technolow has out-stripped our philoso~hy. 79) ~ e h & i o r a l objecti%s are partic&rly se- ductive to science teachers, who would like t o believe t ha t everything is precisely measurable.

The exhortations: (1) Use behavioral criteria only for drilling. (2) Give separate exams, or separate portions of exams, on performance skills and on depth of under- standine. (3) Let's s ~ e n d more of our effort on clarifying - . . our educational and less on methods, means, a n d oerformance. (4) Let's avoid giving our students the idea ;hat a list of &rformances is-all there is t o their educa- tion: Comments Jack Garland, Washington State. If you contend that behavioral

objectives are most useful for the poorer teachers, who are not effective with affective concepts, would you agree that they also

would be particularly applicable to good teachers working under the poorest class conditions-namely the mass classes in beginning courses at large schools? Since we are unlikely to gain financing to teach these classes in settings where affective concepts are effectively taught by the lecturers, perhaps we should accept whatever moderate improvements are possible through behavioral objectives.

Dr. Wolke. I'm not entirely convinced that class size (within rea- sonable limits) should necessarily show a negative correlation with the amount of inspiration which can he transmitted by a lecturer. And of course I'm not saying that behavioral objec- tives can't be useful. I'm only saying that they mustn't be thought @as co_mprising the whole job.

Clarence Cunningham, Oklahoma State Uniuersity. It appears to me that the teacher of chemistry (or any other subject) might view any new techniques in teaching (including the iden- tifying of behavioral objectives in a course in chemistry) with the same attitude of objectivity that he views his research. Gross generalizations serve no useful purpose in evaluating any new technique! Behavioral objectives are probably as useful for the teachers as the students because they force the teacher to decide what it is he is trying to teach. Once he has made this decision. whv should he keep this information from his stu- ~. dents?

The only limitation that is placed on the construction of be- havioral objectives is the imagination and creativity of the teacher. However, the same could be said of many other tech- niques, since all of us have limited abilities. Behavioral objec- tives are not, nor can it he claimed that they are the ultimate technique. Much can be learned and little lost from trying something new, and can he fun for both the student as well as the teacher.

Dr. Wolke. I agree that a teacher's sitting down and deciding precisely what it is he wants to teach is all to the good. And so is telling it to his students. But if all he wants to teach is me- chanics, the teaching is sorely inadequate. I don't agree that behavioral objectives are limited only by the imagination and creativity of the teacher. They are inherently a limited tool, and their usefulness should end just about where the teacher's creativity begins. I hope you don't mean that little can be lost by trying anything new. If a new technique happens to he inap- propriate or misapplied, it certainly can do educational harm, fun or no fun.

Maurice Berg, Lyndon State College. Haw will chemical educa- tion be better off when the dragon-behavioral objectives-has been slain?

I feel that behavioral objectives do have something ta con- tribute to chemical education. Therefore, rather than argue over the abolition of behavioral objectives, we should direct our energy toward the consideration of what constraints might be necessary in the use of them, or ho? their construction might be improved to reflect higher level goals.

Dr. Wolke. We're in agreement. I don't want to abolish behavior- al objectives; I just want people to he aware of the necessary constraints.

Steve Hanrahan, Marshall University. We have suddenly dis- covered Bloom's Taxonomy and become experts on the Keller Plan; now we are all practicing amateur psychologists. Let's quit kidding ourselves. If we want to become competent in these areas we can best learn from those who are demonstrably competent.

Jeff Davis, Uniuersity of South Florida. In Session I-A, the ques- tion came up as to whether formal exams were necessary in ad- dition to quizzes on specific objectives. The points brought up in this paper point out an important reaspn for the use of ex- aminations, written or otherwise, and discussion with students. One must he involved with the "music" both as part of the in- struction and part of the evaluation. Mast "comparisons" of different teaching approaches do not involve this component.

Strengths and Weaknesses in Formal Student Evaluations of Teaching and the Teacher Robert C. Brasted and Kenneth 0. Doyle, Uniuersity of

Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455

A distinction is made among student ratings for in- structor improvement, for student course selection via published handbooks, and for personnel decisions (promo- tion, salary, tenure, etc.), concerning the instructor. Im- plications of this distinction for the reliability and validity

Volume 50, Number I. January 1973 / 11

Page 8: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

of ratings are examined. On the basis of a critical review of the literature from 1900 to the present and from data recently collected and analyzed a t the University of Minnesota by the junior author and the senior author, the conclusion is offered t ha t student ratings, carefully gath- ered, are highly reliable and valid indicators of student perceptions of their instructors but t ha t the relationship between these perceptions and measured student learning has only in some cases been demonstrated. Ramifications of this conclusion are methodolow-related, in t ha t differ- -. ent research techniques (now under study a t the Universi- ty of Minnesota) may be necessary t o establish the rela- tionship hetween student perceptions and student learn- ing, and policy-related, in t ha t the university community should (at least until more data are available) negotiate the proportional contriljutions t ha t student perceptions and student learning should make t o personnel decisions.

It is of more than real concern t ha t the instrument used for evaluation he constructed (and evaluated) with profes- sional attention paid t o the quality of the question&. It is further necessary t o be aware of the data in terms of stu- dent opinions-not necessarily t o what has or has not been learned.

Reliable instruments on learning for the students who have already turned in a formal questionnaire have not as yet been developed, in our opinion.

Bibliography

Comments Paula P. Brownler, t h d ~ e r \ ('n!rer.str). Dr. Brasted questioned

the val~dlty of itudent cwluarion questionnaires wi th regnrd to rmpruvmg troching qualrty. since the itudrnt* "don't yet know what they have learned."

At Rutgers, questionnaires were sent out to Chemistry De- partment alumni, requesting feed-hack on many aspects of the Chemistry curriculum (the response actually proved to he very helpful to the Curriculum Committee).

Could such an approach he utilized-more specifically for teacher evaluation-by asking, e.g., seniors ahout their lower level courses?

Dr. Brasted. An approach similar to that used at Rutgers is used by a few selected colleges at one of the Ivy League Schools. The senior class is asked to return evaluations of lower and upper division courses (and teachers) within the first year after grad- uation. They must also feel that many students do not appreci- ate what has been part of an instructional program at the time the course was taken. We feel that too often the ill-prepared and designed questiannaires will he improperly used by the ad- ministration.

Bob McQuigg, Ohio Wesleyon Uniuersity. At least part of the answer to the problems of course evaluations seems to lie in the co-development of evaluation forms by students and faculty. A three-year study at the University of California, Davis (1966- 1969), showed that the same teachers evaluated as excellent by students, on a student formulated inventory, were evaluated as excellent teachers by the faculty on s faculty .developed form. The distillate of many questions on both forms resulted in five basic areas of classr&mhehavior for evaluation of teaching ef- fectiveness. Although these criteria differed between the stu- dent and faculty developed inventories, the correlation of re- sults between the two forms was high. From this work, a hybrid evaluation form was developed and is in use. We at Ohio Wes- leyan are using a short form that has resulted from the Davis work.

Susan Fahrenholtz, Fordhorn at Lincoln Center. In my experi- ence, formal student evaluations of the teacher midway in the semester help inspire the student to think about his own in- volvement in the course, what he is learning and what he hopes to learn. Final questionnaires primarily have an effect on the instructor and on the next class, not on the evaluator. The ben- eficial effect on the student making the evaluation is indepen- dent of the validity of the evaluation.

Special Session: High School Teaching

Moderators: Joe Schmuckler, Temple University Leo Schubert, The American University

Scribe: Henry Heikkinen, University of Maryland

T h i i y individuals participated in this spontaneously- organized session, representing high school teachers and college professors; Joe Schmuckler and Leo Schubert co- chaired.

These represented the main concerns of the assembled participants

(a, How can high school tearher.cullege professor interactions and ramrnunmatrun he itirnulated on both national and local levels?

(h) Can colleges he opened up to allow research efforts either in the high schwl or college Laboratory by interested high school chemistry teachers?

(c) What is appropriate content for high school chemistry? To what extent-if any-should the "preparation" for further study in chemistry in college he considered? How can high school teachers decide what new material to include or old material to include or old material to drop?

(d) What can he done to stimulate and increase high school teacher participation in ACS?

Five resolutions were passed unanimously related t o some of these concerns, which are being forwarded t o divisional officers. All participants welcomed the free and frank ex-

change of ideas. Further sessions of this type are clearly justified.

(1) ACS should ask local sections to take an active role in imple- menting interaction between high school and college chemis- try teachers.

(2) College chemistry departments should work cooperatively with local high school teachers in planning and conducting all-day seminars for high school chemistry teachers. Such plans should he channeled through local school adminis- trators and science supervisors.

(3) The Division of Chemical Education should form a clearing house providing a means of contact between high schwl teachers who wish to do research and college professors with appropriate research projects.

(4) The Division of Chemical Education should become actively involved in allowing a high school chemistry teacher to take oart in a research oraiect at a local non-eraduate-deeree- . - gnntmg in<tltutton ~ l l r h that the research and learn~ng arhreved could be erarntned by s college board tiuch a< the advanced placement exam).

( 5 ) The Division of Chemical Education should request the ACS Council to admit any practicing high school chemistry teach- er as afull member of the Division of Chemical Education.

All resolutions were passed unanimously by the assem- bled group.

1 2 / Journalof Chemical Education

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Special Session: Grades-Usef ul or Counter - Productive ?

Moderator: John Tanaka, University of Connecticut

The "rump session" on grading drew over 40 partici- pants, who held a lively discussion for about an hour and a half, and still left the participants with much to say, as was shown in the number of written comments made after the session.

Questions posed were: What is the effect of grading styles in applying for medical school, dental school, grad- uate fellowships, national awards, etc.? Are grades re- pressive? Are lack of grades repressive? What techniques can be used to identify the upper part of the hell-shaped curve? What innovative evaluative techniques are being used? Do students work only for grades? How do the Uni- versity-wide grading patterns affect chemistry majors for honors (e.g., Phi Beta Kappa)? How does rigorous grading affect "standing" of a chemistry department.in the local academic community? All but the final two questions were discussed a t length hy the group.

As expected, opinions on grading varied through almost as many shades as there were participants. Several people commented thoughtfully that before worrying about what system should be used, the important thing to decide is the standard of performance. Robert Grandey of Park- land College, Champaign, Ill., questioned whether stu- dents know "what the teacher's standards are, either be- fore or after the fact of grading." Robert Rouse of Mon- mouth College, New Jersey, said that "each faculty mem- ber must determine in advance what is satisfactory per- formance, and that performance should be given a "C" in the traditional grading scheme, with "A" given only for truly outstanding work.

William Moomaw of Williams College remarked that "it is curious that chemists who use quantitative data and extol its virtues are reluctant to use quantitative assess- ment of student performance." He called this reluctance "one way to avoid making hard decisions," and worried that "by avoiding quantitative decision making, we, the instructors, will become negligent in the care with which we assess and evaluate the students' work." He expressed the hope that instructors "won't cop out of our responsibi- lities to carefully assess our students' performance. "

The subject of grading should be considered on its own merits, not in response "to a student demand which in fact is not representative," Lawrence Epstein of the Uni- versity of Pittsburgh feels. He said several hundred fresh- men offered the option of a grade or simple credit, only one per cent selected the latter. This observation was ech- oed by Malcolm Renfrew of the University of Idaho, who added that the student choice of letter grades "must in some measure reflect student experience that letter grades are rising."

Robert Rouse of Monmouth College, New Jersey, ob- served that some students work only for grades, but that his position was that "any way a student can be encour- aged to work is good if the method works." Jean Johnston

of Connecticut College said that the uses of grades should be of primary concern. She felt these uses were "helping the student in his self evaluation" and "screening of can- didates." The conventional grades, she felt, are better un- derstood by others than descriptive sentence evaluations.

Needless to say, not everyone in the group favored tra- ditional grading. Jerry Bell of Simmons College criticized the discussion by saying that "All the shibboleths (both pro and con) concerning traditional and unconventional grading or evaluations were trotted out, but no hard sta- tistics or facts were offered. Our experience at Simmons has been both documented and researched in as many ways as possible, and the data are available for anyone in- terested in seeing how a totally "ungraded" system works. We are not unique, but to the best of my knowledge no re- search on the effects of a change from traditional to un- conventional has ever appeared from any other institu- tion. Our experience on the whole has been very positive. The original experiment (H, P, F plus written evalua- tions) from 1968-71 has now been adopted 'permanently'."

Paul Corneil of Johnston College in Redlands, Calif., said that Johnston has "created an environment of great interpersonal interaction in order to study fundamental issues of humanizing higher education. We thus explicitly acknowledge the complex nature of the learning and eval- uating process by an appropriate form of course record- the personal, written evaluation for each student at the end of each semester. Research by us into the acceptance of such transcripts has shown that a majority of the grad- uate and professional schools in the U.S. welcome such complete records, and a majority of the remainder want in addition only a one-page summary of the student's under- graduate career (which we now provide).

The favoring of a written evaluation system for schools that have classes of less than 30 was echoed by Stanley Bernstein of Antioch. He said that the traditional system demands that the instructor "play God with a student's career" which is "untenable because the data we use to decide on the grade is so imprecise."

Several questions about written evaluations were raised by Frances Stcrrett of Hofstra University. She asked if students who get evaluated with a written paragraph get to know their evaluation. If so, he feels that "such a para- graph is related to conventional grades-what then is the difference?" If the student does not know the evaluation "he can not work for the grade, but is that fair?"

A final comment, labeled by Warren Colson of Fram- inghain (Mass.) State as "a minority report from Utopia," expressed the desire for "students who come to us to learn, not to get a grade of a degree." He advocates abol- ishing grades, degrees, and diplomas and says, "Let Ad- missions and Personnel officers devise their own instru- ments to assess applicants!"

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 13

Page 10: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Session I-C: ACS Set

Moderator: Leo Schubert, The American University Scribes: Jack Garland, Washington State University

R. S. Rouse, Monmouth College

Objectives and Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Chemistry

A report by t h e Committee on Professional Training

The mission, a t the undergraduate level, of an active, modern department of chemistry transcends the training of professional chemists. Chemistry, the science of the metamorphoses of matter, plays an important role in many disciplines and in the intellectu- al lives of man" students seekine a liberal education.

.\lost studentr m frrst, second, even thrrd year chemrstry coum- es, and many students in baccalaureate-degree programs in chemiktry, are preparing fur funher work in areas outside pure ehemistry-in the humanities, social sciences, or patent-law and business, for example, and, particularly, in the biological sci- ences, medicine, pharmacology, agriculture and soil science, geol- ogy, mining and metallurgy, materials science, engineering, pollu- tion control and ecology.

Approval and periodic reviews of a department's eapahility to offer complete programs to prepare a student for professional wark in chemistrv attest to the eontinuine academic soundness of the depanment'a entire undergraduate program and to its ability to s p r w the dwerre necda and interem uf the younger generatrun in times of rapid change.

This report presents objectives and guidelines for undergrad- uate education in chemistry and describes procedures the Com- mittee on Professional Training of the ACS uses in evaluating un- dergraduate programs preparing the student far professional work in chemistry.

Approval of an institution by the Committee follows an exten- sive study of its undergraduate chemistry program, conducted by a group of experienced scientists and educators representing dif- ferent fields of chemistry and different academic and nan-aca- demic institutions concerned with chemistry and chemical educa- tion. The group works from guidelines (below) periodically revised through consultation with academic, governmental, and indus- trial chemists. The study utilizes an extensive questionnairepm- pleted by the departmental chairman giving information regard- ing the curriculum and quality of faculty, facilities, and students (including names of recent graduates, their types of employment, advanced study, and performance in graduate school), supple- mented by copies of examinations in intermediate and advanced level courses and student reports on independent study and fe- search. The study is followed by an informal Committee confer- ence with the department chairman. An on-site visit by a Com- mittee assoeiate-an experienced chemist and teacher-may be suggested and arranged upon invitation from the president of the institution. All emenses of the associate are assumed hv the ACS.

The Committee focuses attention on the overall ouolitv of a . ~, profeiiional program judged by number and credential> 01 the teaching ataff: rlyor, breadth and depth of instrucrimal offerin@: adequacv ol facilitiep and wpponmi: pefionnel, performance of graduates. Details of program implementation (such as course ti- tles, sequences, prerequisites, lectures, seminars, independent study) are not prescribed. The program as o whole must be mod- em, coherent, and challenging to students.

If a program meets the spirit and intent of the guidelines de- scribed below, and if the Committee's study has reeeived the en- dorsement of the institution's president, the institution is placed on the ACS list of schools offering approved programs. This list is published annually in Chemical andEngineering News.

The programs at approved institutions are reviewed at least once every three years to assure that they remain strong and

modem and that the courses as soecified in the euidelines are ac- rually w e n on a regular schedule The rewew alro pmvrdes mfor matlun lor the Cornmrttee about trends and tnnovatwns in the teaching of chemistry.

Many approved institutions offer, in addition to the profession- a1 degree program in chemistry, other excellent degree programs that require a lesser concentration in chemistry. The Committee encourages such programs, designed to serve students who with good justification may wish to combine education in chemistry with intensive studies in other disciplines. Many satisfying ca- reers in the chemical industry, government, and other areas are open to students with strong backgrounds in chemistry combined with computer science (for chemical information and data sys- tems work); law (for patent work); economics (for sales, purchas- ing, and market research); library science (for chemical librari- ans); system's engineering (for work in pollution control, urhan- ism, and ecology); and history, literature, and philosophy (for lit- erature research and technical editing). A degree in chemistry with supporting work in zoology and biology has long been the pmgram of choice for students planning careers in medicine and dentistrv.

Finally, the Committee recognizes that, among the some 1,IW inrtiturions 01 higher education that offer the Laccalaureate de- gree u.th a rnnjor in chem:stry. there are man) which offer in- struction in chemistry within their stated education objectives and circumstances which cannot be so broad and complete as that required for a professional undergraduate program in chem- istry. Many able students fmm such institutions have made ex- cellent records in the chemical profession.

Curriculum

To stimulate continued, forward-looking change in chemical education and to achieve flexibility in student career-options, the Committee encourages further development of diuersity, as well as quality, in undergraduate education in chemistry. Estahlish- ment of uniform programs of chemistry throughout the country would not, in the Committee's opinion, promote the service of chemistry to society. Each department should seek to define its own mission. Experiments with the content and style of teaching are strongly endorsed. The following guidelines are intended to encourage and to promote such experiments and to offer defini- tive criteria for institutions planning and developing curricula, facultv. and facilities in chemistrv. . . ~ ~~ ~~~

The Fmr Tub Yzarc. The fundamental, beginnmg courses in a curriculum are errtirally imponant. Vsually the majorit) of sru- dents enrolled in firit- and second-year chemistry cuursei are nor chemistry majors. Often they are taking chemistry as a require- ment in some other curriculum. Many of them may take no other science. Chemistry departments have an important obligation to serve as best they can the technical and broader educational needs of such students. Here is a maim challenee to the nrafes- slon and an exre.lent upporlun~ty to make a argmficanr cuntrnhu- tmn to the careers and mellectual development of many future citizens and community leaders.

The first two years of a curriculum will often need to include basic physical-chemical principles, a generous amount of descrip- tive chemistry of the elements, a substantial amount of organic and biochemistry, important basic features of the determination and interpretation of molecular structure and reaction rates, and

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laboratory work that employs modem techniques and instru- ments useful tostudents in other drsriplines.

Particularly in the fmt year, special efforts need to he made to plve students an appreciarion for, and historical insight into the immense impact oichemical science on thought a n d technology and the significance for nations and for man and his environment of svnthetie chemicals and chemical transformations in aericul- ~ ~~

~ 0~~~ ~~~

ture, industry, medicine, and other segments of a modem, tech- nological society.

Emphasis on pure theory has too often led to a neglect of the practical, aesthetic, and humanistic aspects of our science, not only in courses for nonscientists, but in the education of profes- sional chemists as well. Unfortunately, lecture experiments and demonstrations-particuldy effective in generating lasting inter- est in chemical phenomena-have almost vanished from the rep- ertoires of many departments.

Mathematics, Physics, and Physical Chemistry. Students pre- paring for professional work in chemistry need a good grounding in differential and integral calculus, with some work in partial differentiation, differential equations, and linear algebra. Experi- ence in statistics and computer science is highly recommended. Work equivalent to a t l e a f one year of a laboratory course in physics, preferably calculus hased, should precede, or possibly he

'taken with a thorough introduction to the more mathematical as- pects of physical ehemistry.

Foreign Language. A reading knowledge of a foreign language, although not required for professional undergraduate education in chemistry, is strongly recommended, particularly for students planning advanced study in science. German is especially useful.

Communication. The art of communication must he developed by any individual aspiring to the status of a professional in any field. The consensus of employers of chemists is that no skill is more wanting among baccalaureate chemists. Formal courses in English composition provide a valuable start hut are not enough. Continual practice and criticism are necessary to develop skill and experience in oral, written, graphical, and even pictorial pre- sentations. Many colleges have formal requirements in compasi- tion, but hoth the faculty and students af chemistry must create and utilize opportunities to refine these skills. Seminars, labora- tory reports, literature studies, and various other components of formal courses provide valuable opportunities for practice.

Core Material. Programs of study in chemistry for majors and nonmajors can he variously organized to reflect the institution's mission, the available facilities, and the interests and capabilities of the students and faculty. Commonly, the core material of a chemistry curriculum for a professional degree a t ACS-approved institutions has been covered in 2 or 3 semesters of introductory chemistry, including qualitative and elementary quantitative analysis; 2 semesters of organic chemistry; 2 of physical chemis- try; 1 of inorganic chemistry or biochemistry; and 1 of instrumen- tal analysis. The level a t which this core material is presented is very important. For example, the last three courses listed; name- ly, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, and instrumental analysis, ordinarily should have physical ehemistry as a prerequisite.

Aduanced Work and Interdisciplinary Programs. Adequate pm- fessional undergraduate training requires that the core material he followed by approximately two semesters of advanced work presented a t a level that utilizes fully concepts and techniques developed in the core curriculum. Many patterns of advanced work are possible and appropriate, depending on the individual student's interests and objectives. Advanced work in chemistry may include further courses in traditional areas of chemistry or such topics as: polymer chemistry, topics in chemical physics, solid state chemistry, and independent study and research. Alter- natively, advanced work may be pursued outside the department in, for example: mathematics, physics, computer science, statis- tics, molecular biology, geochemistry, and engineering-provided sufficient advanced courses are offered in chemistry so that stu- dents may, if they wish, satisfy the need for advanced work with- in the ehemistry department.

Total Hours in Chemistry. No four-year C~IIiCulum can cover the whole of chemistry. The quality of an undergraduate's educa- tion is, therefore, mare important than its precise content. Under- graduate education for a successful career in ehemistry does re- quire, however, hoth breadth and an opportunity for specializa- tion. Many curricula may accomplish those goals. Always, an es- sential ingredient, in addition to quality, is time. To become a

. chemist takes extended, diligent efforts. In the Committee's experience, a professional chemist should

have completed as an undergraduate a t least 500 hr of laboratory

in chemistry and the equiuolent of 400 hr of traditional classroom work. The latter may he satisfied oio lecture courses or through oroerams of self studv. individual or p r o u ~ tutorials. and semi- " . hars that, well plannid, are effective in developing the indepen- dence and self reliance necessary for a successful professional ca- reer.

Laboratory Work. Through laboratory work a student should gain experience with a variety of modern techniques in: synthesis, separation and analysis, structure identification and determina- tion, chemical kinetics, determination of thermodynamic proper- ties. Additionally, a student should achieve self-confidence in the ability to: perform 'quantitstive manipulations, assess the reli- ability of the work, handle statistical analyses of data, use effec- tively and with understanding a good selection of modern instru- ments, including, for example, ir, uv, and nmr spectrometers, plan experiments through use of the literature, observe standard safety measures, keep adequate experimental records, and write good reports.

For the laboratory to be effective, a well considered balance be- tween experiments giving training in different techniques is es- sential. Further, some experience in the actual computer process- ing of experimental data is strongly recommended. Among prsc- tieing chemists, the interfacing of computers with laboratory in- struments is becoming increasingly important.

Independent Study and Research. Properly pursued and guid- ed, independent study and research can help undergraduates ae- quire, more effectively than does conventional coursework, such mature and useful traits as a spirit of inquiry, a habit of initia- tive and independence, sound judgment, patience, persistence, alertness, and confidence in one's ability to use the current litera- ture-important objectives for any collegiate program. Addition- ally, active research participation and direction of independent study projects provide a valuable means of maintaining a praduc- tive, enthusiastic, and professionally competent faculty.

Although the Committee strongly endorses the efforts of the in- stitutions to develop such programs, they also recognize that, to he well done, independent projects are particularly demanding of institutional resources and faculty time, and that great care must he exercised in the planning of independent projects if the ap- proach is to he educationally effective. Although laboratory expe- rience acquired through undergraduate research can be valuable irrespective of whether the goals of the research itself are fully realized, without careful preparation and supervision, indepen- dent work can also be unproductive and frustrating.

To guard against these difficulties, the Committee believes that no more than 75 hr of research experience should be counted toward the total of 500 hr suggested for laboratory work in an ap- proved, professional program unless the investigations receive un- usually good faculty supervision and institutional support, so that a student acquires a thorough knowledge of the background of the topic and experience with a variety of instruments and experi- mental techniques.

Always, preporation of a well written, detailed report should be part of the research ezperience.

Cooperative Work-Study and Internship Programs. Institutions persuaded of the educational efficacy of a cooperative program with an industrial or governmental laboratory may thereby he able to enlarge significantly their students' educational experi- ence, particularly with modem, expensive research instruments, and, with proper supervision, provide an effective alternative to independent study and research in their own laboratories.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff are evaluated in terms of:

Numbers Teaching loads Institutional policies regarding salaries, sabbatical leaves, and

~romotions Background of each faculty member: advanced deprees, srien-

tiflc sperialiratiun, proferwrial expermre, relation of tearh- ing respnnqihilities tu chief areas of pn,frssionnl competence. research interests, publications, and professional activities

Provisions for student assistants Machine shop and electronics assistance Stockroom and clerical help

Chemists with earned doctoral degrees in ehemistry, or with equivalent experience, should comprise a t least 60% of the teaeh-

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ing faculty. Their interests should he distributed aver the major areas of ehemistry, and upper level and advanced courses should be handled by faculty who have related scientific specialties and experience. Staff size depends upon course enrollments, but the Committee believes that, except in rare instances, effective pro- mams require at least the equivalent of four full-time staff mem- bers.

Teaching loads are particularly important. They should he a t a level that permits a faculty member to stay abreast of recent de- velopments in ehemistry and related areas, to modernize courses, to pursue scientific research, and to engage in other activities of self-renewal essential to continued development and effectiveness as a teacher, scholar, and scientist. Even at smaller institutions where chemistry enrollments are not large, teaching loads which exceed fifteen contact hours per week (lahoratory supervision in- cluded) generally weaken programs and seriously hamper contin- ued professional development of those faculty members involved. Formal teaching loads often are much less at larger institutions, particularly a t those offering programs at the graduate level.

Institutions noted for quality programs in chemistry acknowl- edge that generous teaching-load credit must be given for faculty time spent guiding experimental work and student research, where the quality of contact between students and a faculty member and the personal impact of a faculty member on stu- dents far exceeds that achieved in conventional lecture and labo- ratory situations.

Facilities Lecture Rooms and Office Space. Classrooms for chemistry

courses and individual staff offices near staff and student re- search lahorstories should he provided in building~ equipped with modem demonstration facilities.

Student Instruetionnl Laboratories. Laboratories should he well-lighted and ventilated and equipped with such facilities as gas, water, and electric power. Hoods should be readily available. The California standard of 28 ft2 and 42 ftz of working space per student for lower and upper division laboratories, respectively, may serve as a guide.

Faculty and Student Research Laboratories. In addition to course laboratories, provision should also be made for faculty and student research, again with adequate facilities for the type of work intended, and provision for semi-permanent setups for ex- periments run over extended periods.

Library. The institution should provide within or near the chemistry building convenient access to at least twenty current ehemistry periodicals with good hack runs, including some foreign language acquisitions. If Beilstein and, particularly, Chemical Abstracts are not taken, the Committee will seek concrete evi- dence of the ability of the institution to provide students with fre- quent experience in gaining entrance to the chemical literature. Should the chief holdings in ehemistry he housed in the main li- brary, important reference works and some current journals should,be kept in a departmental reading room.

Resource Rooms and Self-Learning Centers. Good programs en- courage self-learning and interaction among students. Increasing- ly, departments are finding valuable modern, well-equipped, carefully supervised resource rooms with such learning aids as those found in traditional reading rooms (elementary and ad- vanced textbooks, handbooks, hooks on the history and philosb- phy of science and technology and the science-technology-society interfaces, current issues of selected scientifie journals, and how- to-study books) and, additionally, copies of old quizzes and lec- ture notes, programmed supplements, film strips, blackboards, desk calculators, a computer terminal, and tutorial services by faculty and student assistants.

Equipment and Instrumentation. Instruments and equipment required for modem undergraduate education in chemistry in- clude, typically, the following: single-pan analytical balances; pH meters; recording spectrophotometers (ir, visible, and uv); gas chromatographs; equipment for radiochemistry (including count- ing equipment and sources), atomic absorption, calorimetry, con- ductance, and automatic temperature control; a polarograph; and an nmr spectrometer. Instruments should be reasonably recent models that reflect current use by professional chemists. For com- plex, expensive instruments, "bench-top" models may he ade- quate. A department should have several major pieces of sophisti- cated equipment that can he used in undergraduate instruction and research.

Safety. Instruction in chemical safety, maintenance of modem safety devices, and observation of standard safety practices in the

laboratory should be emphasized. Special facilities are needed for the handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous chemicals. Eye protection for everyone engaged in lahoratory work should be re- quired. Experiments that risk fire, explosions, or exposure to toxic materials should not he allowed without special planning for protection from those hazards. Showers and eye baths should be provided in all laboratories where any hazardous chemical may be used. A safety plan should exist for emergency situations in- volving fire, explosions, and evacuation of injured persons. Tele- phones with prominently displayed emergency numbers should he easily accessible at all times to persons working in laboratories, particularly in those in which unsupervised work may he carried out.

Particular provision should he made for the safety of students permitted in laboratories at odd hours for open-ended experi- ments or who may he engaged in individual research projects of uncertain outcome. If a faculty member or lahoratory supervisor cannot be physically in close proximity to students so engaged, there should be a requirement far not less than two students to be present in the laboratory at all times. Students so engaged in "off-hours" or in isolated lahoratory situations should be thor- oughly familiar with safety facilities and procedures.

Departmental Organization The chemistry department should preferably he organized as

an independent administrative unit with control of an adequate hudeet. The hudeet should orovide adeauate funds not onlv for " " exoendshle ruoolies but for eaoital eauioment and overall camtal

tant scientific meetings. Adequate budgetary suppart is essential to a strong program as is an organizational structure for the de- partment that provides far reasonable departmental involvement and control in matters pertaining to faculty selection and promo- tions, development of courses, assignment of course responsihili- ties, and similar intradepartmental activities. In those institu- tions in which the deoartment is administered as a division of a larger unit, it is essential that it retain enough autonomy to carry out properly the ahove functions.

Joint Cooperative Programs Undergraduate programs can often profit hy using resources of

neighboring institutions, and the Committee encourages such ar- rangements. Moreover, the Committee will consider joint applica- tions from two or more neighboring institutions which, by pooling resources, believe they can offer a joint professional program. Each case will he considered on its own merits but must have strong prospects of permanence, and clearly stated designation of responsibilities for curriculum planning and administration and for the certification of graduates.

Certification of Baccalaureate Graduates Chairmen of chemistry departments at approved institutions

may certify to the Society for membership purposes those gradu- ates who have completed the curriculum as prescribed in these guidelines. Certified graduates are eligible to become Members of the Society after graduation; other chemistry graduates may be- come Associate Members after graduation and Members after three years of professional experience in chemistry or chemical engineering.

Certification of the graduate occurs a t the time of graduation .with the baccalaureate degree. To he certified, the graduate must have completed successfully the curriculum as described above. If, in the opinion of the department chairman, the courses eom- pleted by the graduate have essentially met the intent of the re- quirements, the graduate may he certified even though some minor deficiencies and variations may exist in the course distri- bution.

C. Wallins. Chairman H. S. Gutowskv J. H. Howard, Secretary H. S. Mosher H. G. Walsh. Assistant Secretarv W. B. Renfrow k. A. Bent '

G. A. Berchtold W. H. Eberhardt

R. 0. Schaeffer W. P. Slichter

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Discussion of Committee Report

The ACS, through its Committee on Professional Train- ing, played the major role in shaping the nature of under- graduate chemical education in this country. The occa- sionally revised "Objectives and Guidelines for Under- maduate Education in Chemistrv" as well as the ACS ac- " creditation procedure has set high standards for chemistry denartments. Session I-C addressed itself to problems racsed by these practices.

Two presentations by John I. Brauman, Stanford Uni- versity, and Emil J. Slowinski, Macalester College, were concerned with the operation of the ACS guidelines. The tentative recommendations of the Committee on Profes- sional Training were discussed by its chairman, Cheves Walling, University of Utah. This was followed by a panel discussion of the points raised in Walling's presentation. Finally, the floor was open to questions which were ad- dressed to individual speakers and panel members. An op- portunity was provided for additional questions and state- ments by attendees whose questions and statements could not he handled in the available time.

John Brauman in "Elementary Course Content Re- visited" gave three reasons for his assertion, "to a large ex- tent, course content is secondary to how it is taught": (1) Students don't learn what we teach; (2) Emphases in courses change; (3) Some things we teach turn out to be wrong. What we teach should encourage people to learn, or better, to teach themselves. Experimenting with the curriculum is one way for faculty to become alive as con- cerned people to whom students can then respond with interest.

E. J. Slowinski in "The Undergraduate Chemistry Major Program: Successes, Failures, and Trends," stated that the old ACS guidelines are basically good. He identi- fied chemistry as an academic leader in relating experi- ment with theory and in interpreting practical observa- tions theoretically. He criticized sharply the proposed new ACS guidelines as being much too theoretical; they ignore the 50% non-certified majors coming from certified col- leges as well as the fact that large numbers of chemistry majors are interested in careers which are not profession- ally chemical. Those who will he chemists do not need BS training as intensive as the guidelines require. Slowinski strongly urged the ACS to estahlish an irreducible mini- mum for chemistry majors which will make the total pro- gram more reasonable. As an extreme example, instead of one year of physical chemistry we should have one semes- ter of physical chemistry and one semester of biochemis- try. (Numbers of chemistry majors have doubled where such options are available.) More than one course beyond physical chemistry need not be required. The only trend mentioned by Slowinski was that toward more descriptive chemistry and away from theory.

Cheves Walling of the University of Utah and the Committee on Professional Training discussed "The Chemistry Major of the Future." The new "Objectives and Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Chemis- try" of the Committee on Professional Training represent a considerable change from the 1965 "minimum stan- dards," and reflects changes which have taken place in the interim and the committee's judgment as to future trends.

The most obvious change is greater flexibility. Specific courses or course sequences are no longer spelled out with the idea that it is promams as a whole which should be . . evnluated. Neverthelc.;;, time remains an essential i n a e - dient and the committee helieves that an adequate p r ~ f e s -

sional program requires the equivalent of 400 hours of lec- ture material and 500 hours of laboratory.

The guidelines also stress two other points. First, of- fering the professional degree is only one of the tasks of most departments. Many departments offer alternative majors with a lesser concentration in chemistry, and the committee encourages such programs for students wishing to combine chemistry with studies in other disciplines. Beyond this, most departments carry a large service load in their first two years of courses for students in other areas, and course offerings a t this level must accommo- date the needs of this moup.

Finally, the guidelines imphasize that an adequate un- dergraduate curriculum cannot neglect the cultural and practical impact of chemistry on our society and must in- clude pertinent material in courses for both nonscientists and future professionals.

Following Walling's remarks, each member of the panel provided some remarks, highlights of which are

R. W. Collins (Eastern Michigan Unioersityj pleaded for more stress on the computer, including replacing foreign language courses by computer science courses.

William Arendale (University of Alabama in Huntsuille) ex- pressed concern about narrowness of training and suggested majors should not be separated from others so soon.

Paul Cohen (Trenton State College) requested that Ph.D.'s not he the only graduate degrees considered in the report so that the gap between Ed.D.'s and other he lessened. Concerns for high school teacher requirements and for more versatility among chemistry graduates were also expressed.

Robert Walter (University of Illinois, Chicago Circle) commend- ed the greater flexibility of the new program and raised the question about what constitutes a professional chemist. "Did the CPTreallv ask itself this ouestion?"

Normal Craig (Oberlinj Did the CPT really examine the idea of 500 laboratory hours? 450 hours is much more reasonable and akin to current practice.

Philip Bayless (Wilmingtonj pointed out that some small schools will have difficulty qualifying.

L. B. Church (SUNY-Buffalo) suggested that departmental li- braries are not appropriate for today's science and that all sci- entific material should be in one place, i.e., a science library or the main library.

Joyce Fan (Houston Baptist) noted a shift in students toward premedical programs.

The floor was then open for questions and discussions.

Glen Rodgers (Muskingum) argued that the key to teacher effec- tiveness is the teacher's enthusiasm. The statement "It does not matter what you teach but rather how you teach it," is trying to de-emphasize previous preoccupation with content.

Robert Landolt (Muskingum). The revised guidelines should re- flect the increasing need for chemistry majors to place educa- tional experiences in their chosen profession into perspective. At Muskingum there is same success with a Junior-Senior Sem- inar program designed to relate students' academic experience with problems of the "real" world.

Stanley Bernstein (Antioch). The proposed objectives and guide- lines put too much emphasis on Chemistry Departments. Some schools, such as Evergreen State College and Johnston College, (University of Redlands) are striving for interdisciplinary edu- cation by eliminating departments. How will the certification deal with these institutions?

Lawrence Epstein (Uniuersity of Pittsburgh). Although new guidelines do not require specific courses, other profffsional so- cieties, licensing boards, medical schools do specify courses. Can ACS actively influence these bodies to change their re- quirements, i.e., broaden them, to conform to our new broad- ened guidelines? The University of Pittsburgh feels definitely inhibited from dropping the conventional courses because of the

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 17

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real possibility of jeopardizing the careers of their students. in the late 60's and early 70's. As a result they are responding Leonard Fine (Housatonic). There should be more visible recog- to requests from students for more flexibility in curriculum

nition and understanding of the changing and increasing role of content with a series of new curricula which will go into effect two-year institutions and their impact on the total education in September 1972. picture.

Robert Rouse (Manmouth) asked for response to the following ~

~ summary specific points: (a) Possible replacement of inorganic by bio- chemistry. (b) Addition of one year of mathematics (differen- tial equations and linear algebra) (this means 19 credit total- not counting computer and statistics courses). (c) Is German in or out?

Robert Becker (Cannon) seconded Slowinski's thoughts on liber- alization of chemistry major requirements. At Gannon, enroll- ment of chemistry majors has dropped from 10-15 graduating seniors in the late 50's and early 60's to 3-6 graduating seniors

There seemed to he acceptance by some that the old ACS Guide- lines were satisfactory. Others expressed pleasure at the options opened by the revised Guidelines. Several of the participants felt that the Guidelines were still too concerned with the preparation of chemistry majors instead of being concerned with the majority of students taking chemistry who are not majors. Computer technol- ogy courses in place of German received considerable support. It was certain that there was no concensus.

II: Beyond the Conventional Classroom

Session Il- A: Continuing Education

Moderator: Henry Heikkinen, University of Maryland Scribes: Rick ~ u i h l k e , university of Bridgeport

John Alexander, University of Cincinnati

Technical obsolescence is one of the most pressing problems presently confronting chemical education. In all areas of the profession, hu t most particularly for indus- trial chemists, teachers in liberal arts colleges and high schools on account of time pressures as well as for chem- ists in geographically isolated places, new approaches must he found which will allow scientists t o keep abreast of current developments in their fields. Women who have temporarily dropped out of professional activity in order t o raise families also face problems in returning t o scien- tific employment. The evening meeting on Wednesday was concerned with ways of meeting the need for continu- ing education of chemists.

Combatting Technical Obsolescence W. P. Slichter, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill,

New Jersey 07974

By various estimates, a t least half the chemists who have ever lived are alive today. As teachers or as members of industry, they are confronted with a science tha t is growing in depth and scope with great speed. No matter how sound the formal education of these people may he, i t has t o he augmented by continuing activities of learning if the individual is not t o fall behind the progress of chemi- cal science. T o combat the erosion of technical ohsoles- cence, chemists in education and industry must seek to join their interests for a genuine dialogue which will cause the academic community t o broaden its traditional pat- terns of thinking and will lead industries t o he involved, intellectually as well as materially, in the educational processes of career professionals. This talk gives a specific example of a program of continuing education, developed in the past several years by Bell Telephone Laboratories, which is designed t o meet these objectives. Educational institutions and industries must recognize t ha t measures for maintenance of technical competence of their career people are not only contributions t o the excellence of chemistry, hu t are also in fact part of the cost of doing business.

Comments

Dwaine Euhanks, Oklahoma State Uniuersity. Early in 1971, as a result of urging by Oklahoma industrialists, the State Re- gents for Higher Education installed a statewide TV hookup between academic institutions and principal industrial sites. Transmitting studios are located at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater), Oklahoma University (Norman), and Tulsa Uni- versity. Receiving/talkhack studios are located in major indus- trial centers.

TV students view the lectures live, during working hours. They may freely enter discussions with the professor, on-campus stu- dents, and TV students at other sites. Daily courier service is provided to all points on the network (for homework, exams, etc.).

The system is presently committed to advanced courses and we have offered both upper-division and graduate chemistry cours- es using the system.

My experience with senior-year inorganic chemistry using the TV system was very favarahle. The course evaluations from off- campus students at four sites were closely comparable to those from on-campus students. We believe the TV hookup is build- ing closer ties of friendship and cooperation between the aca- demic and industrial communities in Oklahoma. We are now beeinnine to explore possibilities for interinstitutional coopera- . . tion.

Dr. Sliehter: This activity in Oklahoma is an important example of what can be done in maintaining competence through educa- tion. Similar efforts involving the use of television have been undertaken in several other places, such as Southern Methodist University, and taped courses are part of the educational pro- grams of other institutions, for example, Colorado State Uni- versity. I strongly agree that activities of this sort are highly important in building closer ties between the academic and in- dustrial communities.

Herbert Meislieh, City College of CUNY. Do you think that a broad sabbatical program for sending chemists to academic in- stitutions would alleviate the problem of scientific obsolescence and would provide research input at the colleges? The colleges might then be able to cut hack on the number of PhD's being trained. Subsidv for the leaves could come from the chemist (a lower salary fa; a year), his company, goviinment, and school if he does any teaching.

Dr. Slichter. In principle I agree that a general program for sending industrial chemists hack to academic institutions for

18 /Journal of Chemical Education

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intellectual renewal is a fine idea. Indeed a modest number of corporation? such as my own give active support to the return of many of their people to the campus. Whether this sort of ac- tivity should he as formalized as the university sabbatical pro- gram is open to question, in my opinion. The career duties of industrial chemists are of a continuing character and are not readily tied to the calendar as are those of the academic seien- tist. It is therefore not clear from an administrative viewpoint that a sabbatical program in the strictest sense of the term, could be a reeular feature of industrv. Nevertheless. wise man- agement wrll encourage professional peuple to wek our opponu. nlties for return t u univsrslries.

.I. Edmund White, $autl,ern Ill~nu~s lhiuerzit ) . A suggestiun which would assist in comhatting technical obsolescence is a simple exchange of university professor and industrial chemist. If the industry and university are in the same locality, the par- ticioants would not have to move or disruot families. No manev would he required ' l ' h ~ y would iimply chnngr jobs lor a semes- rrr. 'l'hr profrssor would hrcomr educated i n current indurtrlal prohlcmi and need., and would get resenrrh experience; the m- dustrial man would learn new techniques and facts from his associations at the university and his activities in preparing to offer courses or seminars.

Dr. Sliehter. I think this proposal for a simple exchange of the university professor and the industrial chemist is a fine idea whenever geography and other conditions make it possible. As a corollary it will he valuable all around for industrial chemists to he encouraged to undertake part-time jabs as teachers at universities. Such activities are reasonably easy to come by in many metropolitan areas.

Rent a Prof D. A. Brisbin, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario,

Canada

In 1968, the University of Waterloo introduced several "off-campus" correspondence courses in Physics. The suc- cess of this venture prompted the extension of the pro- gram to include courses in chemistry, mathematics, and earth sciences. At the present time there are 39 courses being offered, seven of which are in chemistry, with a total enrollment of well over 1300 students.

The courses are designed primarily to assist high school teachers to refresh or expand their knowledge of the subject, as well as upgrade their teaching qualifications. The long distances involved from many Ontario regions to the University are prohibitive to "on-campus" courses for many teachers between the months of September to June.

A tape or cassette recorder is sent to each student en- rolled, and a t appropriate intervals taped lectures with accompanying notes, diagrams, etc., and assignments are mailed to him. Feedback takes the form of short taped "tutorials" accompanying the graded assignments.

Each course consists of 40 lectures of u p to 40 min du- ration and 12 assignments. There is a mid-term and a final examination.

The chemistry courses offered are Chemical Structure and Chemical Reaction, Chemical Spectroscopy, Chemi- cal Bonding and Structure, Organic Chemistry, Biochem- istrv. Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistrv. and General . , ~ h i s i c a l ~Lemistry.

The du~lication and circulation of all the material for the coursks is handled by the correspondence program staff.

The overall success of the program to date and the in- creasing interest in it may he seen from its steady growth since 1968.

Comments

Neil Potter. Mohawk na i l Rep. H. S. Pnrhnns the nivisinn nf - ~~- - ~ - .-~~-r. .... -. . ...... .. Chemical Education, by means of the JOURNAL OF CHEMI- CAL EDUCATION could pall colleges and universities to locate those that offer correspondence courses in chemistry that might

serve either teachers or students in high school in our more rural areas. If such do indeed exist, this published information should heof considerable interest to many in the backwoods.

Dr. Brisbin: If such a list were compiled-and I agree that it would be useful-would it include Canadian as well as Ameri- can offerings?

Water, Man and Chemistry: A Videotaped Module for In-Service Teacher Education R. D. Koob and D. E. Tallman, North Dakota State

Uniuersity, Fargo, 58102

A twenty-hour videotaped series has been produced to meet the needs of teachers with a wide variety of hack- grounds. The series features the equilibrium chemistry of water systems. Solubility, pH, complex formation and redox reactions are covered. An attempt is made to move from examples with ohvious human implications to the underlying models with some degree of continuity. Water treatment, usage and disposal in the Fargo-Moorhead urban area is used as a h a c k d r o ~ for the entire series. with all topics appearing to emanate from a discussion of these Drocesses. The thermodvnamic formulation of the eouilih- iium constant is prese&ed as the unifying model ior in- terpretation of all the phenomena discussed. The video- tape format was chosen for the flexibility i t offers for bringing "on site" examples into the classroom, for the ease with which sections of the presentation may he re- played, and for its portability. The last feature is particu- larly important when the student body is widely scattered and operating on noncoordinated schedules.

supporting materials in the form of reference hooks, lab activities and Drohlems accomDanv the videotane to form a self study p&kage for participat&g teachers. 'The entire package is distributed to eight regional centers in North Dakota. Each regional center is the site of a 2 or 4 year college or university. A staff member from each of these institutions acts as a resource person and monitor for the course within his region. Contact with each center is maintained via telephone and personal visits by the co- directors of the ~roiec t .

We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation during develo~ment and administration of this course.

Comments

Neil Potter, Mohowk na i l Reg. H. S. Could the Division of Chemical Education form a TV tape Bank? Schools could pro- vide their self-made tapes and exchange them for those of other schools. I understand the ACS has backed a plan for exchange of 8 mm and 16 mm films on a low cost non-profit basis. Per- haps it would he best to combine the tape project with the film project.

An Undergraduate-Graduate Research Collaboration Program Francis V. Scalzi, Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio 44234

and Peter Kovacic, Uniuersity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, 53201

The Undergraduate-Graduate Research Collaboration Promam (UGRCP) was conceived in 1966 and develoned for the puipose of establishing a number of research coliab orations between graduate professors and undergraduate teachers with students a t the undergraduate institutions and to nurture these relationships so they might grow into long-range associations. I t is now in progress, in the form of a two-vear oilot ~ r o i e c t centered a t the Universitv of . . isc cons in-~ilwaukee, serving ten college teachers acun- dermaduate institutions in Wisconsin. Illinois. and Ohio a n d receives its financial support from thk National Science Foundation augmented by a contribution from

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 19

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the University. T h e program was designed with a number of goals in mind, most of which focus on chemical educa- tion a t the undergraduate colleges. It is based on the premise t h a t undergraduate research has proven t o be one of the most effective educational tools a t our disposal over the years and, a t the same t ime, has served a s a highly successful technique for combating faculty obsolescence. T h e research is being done largely during the summer months a t each undergraduate institution by the college teacher a n d one of his students. Summer stipends support the two researchers. Modest funds are made available for chemicals a n d supplies, for several exchange visits of the collaborators, a n d for annual conferences at tended by the entire Program personnel.

While the major portion of t h e research is carried out a t the colleges, a n d t h e benefits of this activity with t h e fi- nancial support a re felt there directly, t h e University, on the other hand, acts a s a focal point for the Program, serving a s a resource center for the use of major research equipment a n d library facilities, a s a communications center, a s a locus for meetings, a n d a s a home-base for the graduate collaborators. Modest funds for faculty release time, clerical expenses, a n d meeting costs a re provided.

T h e Program format is simple a n d flexible, encouraging frequent exchanges between t h e collaborator-pairs a n d fo- cusing attention o n t h e needs a n d desires of the indiuidu- als involved a s their research progresses. T h e financial support is provided where i t is needed most, enough to sustain the momentum of the project for a n extended pe- riod a t those colleges which are already fundamentally ca- pable of supporting research. Contacts are also being en- couraged between t h e various participating institutions, hopefully stimulating co-operation in other areas such a s curricular matters, community programs, or educational activities beyond t h e immediate aims of the Program it- self.

Comments

Leon Gortler, Brooklyn College. One of the real problems over the next few years will be the shortage of chemistry graduate students. These will cause the official or unofficial death of a number of PhD programs.

The faculty at these institutions who were involved in research will suffer a great deal (technically, professionally, psychalogi- cally), and perhaps one answer to keeping them in research is collaborative programs similar to the one you have suggested. It may be sufficient for these faculty to continue research with undergraduates only, hut these would be real advantages to a collaboration that might involve graduate students at the PhD granting institution.

Dr. Scalzi. The concept of collaborative research is one that is probably widely practiced in the U.S.A., but nearly always on a one-to-one basis and rarely formalized in any way. Conse- quently, we seldom hear about these efforts unless grant awards are announced, revealing the collaborative nature of the work, or until the research is published. I believe that orga- nized and formalized collaboration programs could he of value in a great number of circumstances. These associations could crass all sorts of institutional lines, status levels, and research areas. Such an approach applied to the situation you refer to might very well be an effective answer to the problem provided that it be suitably organized and financially supported, at least tosome extent.

Lori Weiner, St. Barbara H. S., Chicago. I hope there might be cooperative programs similar to this type between high school teachers and college professors. High school teachers could

serve as lecture demonstrators and teaching assistants. They could help plan introductory chemistry courses more in line with students' backgrounds. In return, they would obtain ac- cess to the college's resources of personnel, equipment, and li- brary services, and have the opportunity to conduct some re- search. High school teachers are probably more in need of the resources of a university than are teachers from small colleges.

Dr. Scalzi. There are already a number of programs existing at individual universities and some colleges which open their doors to high school teachers offering a variety of services and opportunities for collaborative efforts. But my feeling is that there aren't nearly enough of these. I douht, however, that UGRCP, in particular, is designed to offer much help to high school personnel. It would be pretty difficult for any but a few talented and fortunate high school teachers to carry on this level of research at their own institutions (because of insuffi- cient equipment) or, for that matter, at the University offering the service (because of limited time). As you suggest, the re- sources required by the high school people are more educatjonal in nature rather than of the research variety.

Joseph Sehmuckler, Temple Uniuersity. Miss Lori Weiner, a participant asked Dr. Scalzi about the possibilities of higb school chemistry teachers getting involved in small research projects. The Philadelphia Section, ACS, with Temple Univer- sity for many years has provided grants far small research proj- ects for high school teachers. As one of the authors of the proj- ect, I suggested that higb schoal teachers be encouraged to as- sociate with an industrial or academic chemist to join with him or her in their work.

The work done by the H. S. teachers was for the most part to he done back in their schools and could easily serve as a moti- vational techniaue for students in that the" would see their ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ ~~.~ ~

teacher invulved in chwnirnl research. L.act venr the Xstinnal H~ad~uar te r , fACSr rent me on a speaking tour on t n i - suhjert ro cd lqes and Lniveraitiea in the Great Lakes Area .I reprlnt of an article on this topic is available from me.

In many instances, financial grants are usually needed for equipment. In mast cases the academic or industrial chemist can suoolv the chemicals. etc.. needed. .. ,

The most important aspects of this kind of activity are that the teacher can make cantrlbutions to scientific knowledge and professional friendships are established.

William Torop, West Chester State College. As the Education and Training Coordinator for the Philadelphia Section (ACS) I would like to report that we have a program for high schools similar to the one reported by Dr. Scalzi, in the spirit advocat- ed by Dr. Brisbin. We have provided 5 or 6 high schoal teachers each year with a grant for equipment and supplies as well as any honorarium to do research in bis/her high schoal with the students and with the advice of a college or industrial chemist. Budget considerations will eliminate the honorarium this year. However, the program has heen otherwise funded by the local section for another year.

General Remarks Regarding Funding. One of our most pressing problems in this area-in which we are eagerly promoting new programs or opening new vistas-is that of the present low level of available funding. It is no secret that the NSF Education Divisions are presently in a state of disarray, particularly, it seems, with regard to the kinds of programs they are willing, or able, to support. Our own program (UGRCP) will not be sup- ported beyond November 1972. And even the most firmly docu- mented evidence of its high potential for success on an expand- ed scale does not appear to be sufficiently convincing to elicit further support on any basis. We feel that this is extremely un- fortunate. Even the most promising of new programs designed to offer a wide scope of application has any chance of success if not funded by a grant foundation. Individual universities or state university systems are unable to supply the levels of funding required in programs of this scale. Nor are they readily able to disperse university funds outside their own systems un- less these funds are supplied by an external agency.

20 I Journal of Chemical Education

Page 17: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Special Session: Women's Caucus

Moderator: Paula Brownlee, Rutgers University

This group of women discussed the particular problem of the technical ohsolescence of women who have been absent several years from the profession, and who wish to re-enter it. We call attention to the different situations of women for whom efforts must be made to aid re-entry into their chosen profession. We address ourselves to

A. Colleges Offering Associate andBaeealaureoteDegrees (1) Open up regular program far full-time students to appro-

priately qualified part-time students. (2) Permit women to enroll in specific courses for particular

up-dating purposes without registering to take degrees. (3) Publicize these opportunities in the local and professional

press. (4) Provide counseling services for such women, whose needs

and situation differ markedly from most regular students. B. Institutions Offering Masters ondDoetora1 Programs

In addition to the above (under A). (1) No-one should be denied admission to a degree program

on the basis of age. (2) The requirement for full-time study for an advanced de-

gree should be liberalized.

The problems for women who already have advanced de- grees are different. There are few well-defined routes back into a career. We urge, therefore, that

(1) Universities and Colleges initiate Teaching Internships pro- vidine a diversitv of teachine resoonsibilities. Where aooro-

(2) The Chemical industry initiate on-the-job training for women.

The Women's Caucus goes on record as stating

(1) We oppose nepotism rules. (2) Maternity leaves and benefits should be granted to women

employees as part of the job contract. (3) We are particularly unhappy with the stereotype of women

chemists as second-class professionals. Summary

An important cause of technical obsolescence, namely lack of sufficient time for broadening and deepening pro- fessional involvement, could be remedied by exchange and collaboration programs. Personnel exchange between aca- demia and industry could bring the benefits of intellectual refreshment to both sectors. Closer cooperation between liberal arts college faculty members and those of large uni- versities on common research interests would he a desirable way of keeping all scientists closer to the mainstream of activity. Both kinds of programs will require sufficient funds for released professional time.

Extension and correspondence courses can act as impor- tant ways of combatting obsolescence born of geographical isolation.

It would also appear that the unique problem of dealing with technical obsolescence of women can be largely solved with some very simple but humane adjustments of uni- versity admission and industrial and university employ- ment practices.

Session 11-5: The British Open University

Moderator: Joseph Vanderslice, University of Maryland Scribes: Evelyn Halpern, Pennsylvania State University

William P. Halpern, University of West Florida

A new institution embodying novel educational tech- niques, the Open University in Great Britain, has aroused considerable international interest. This university with- out a conventional campus was described, both in terms of practical operational details and also in terms of its eeneral i m ~ a c t on British ~ost-school education. One imerican Lniversity has adapted the Open University Science Foundation course for evening students this year.

The British Open University Science Foundation Course Robert J. Mnnn, Uniuersity of Maryland

The British Open University is an attempt to make available a University education to a large segment of the British no~ulation who have nreviouslv been denied one. The onl; qualification for entrance is the attainment of 21 vears of ace. The University is currently in its second vear bf operati&, four years afteiits inception in 1968.

The Science Foundation Course is mandatory for science studies. It is designed to be an integrated multi- disciplinary course, composed of 34 conceptual units, cov- ering the disciplines of chemistry, physics, the life sci- ences, and the earth sciences. The course also attempts to

place science in a social context. The course takes 44 weeks to complete and involves the student in about 10-15 hr of study per week. The foundation course is cur- rently dealing with approximately 10,000 students.

The course is designed so that it can be utilized by stu- dents in their homes. Study material is transmitted to the students by mail, television, and radio broadcasts. The mail is used for texts, study guides, assignment material, and home experiment notes. The national television broadcast is used to present experimental demonstrations (in which the student may he asked to participate) and to clarify conceptually difficult points in the course units. Radio transmission is used mainly as a source enrichment medium.

The course comprises an integrated experimental pro- gram based on a home experiment kit, which every stu- dent receives, and the weekly television broadcast.

A student's progress in the course is assessed in five wavs: self-assessment, com~uter marked assessment, tutor marked assessment, summer school assessment and a final examination. All, except the first, contribute to the student's final grade.

A student has available tutorial services at regional ceo-

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Page 18: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

ters where he can receive help and advice. He is also ex- pected to attend a summer school week where he is ex- posed to intensive laboratory and tutorial work.

Further details of the Foundation Course and other Chemistry courses can be obtained from Professor L. J. Haynes, The Open University, Walton Hall, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, Great Britain.

The Open University In Context Peter Farago, Editor, Chemistry in Britain, The Chemi-

cal Society, Piccadilly, London

Having successfully survived its first years after its poli- tically motivated birth, the British Open University is now a permanent feature of the post-school educational scene. Currently it has about 40,000 students out of a total post-school student population of approximately 550,000 although one should note that additionally there are -625,000 part-time students in Britain.

The economics of the OU are undoubtedly successful since the cost per student is only a fraction of that in a traditional uni\,ers~tv. It is also generally agreed that the educat~onal package offered is of high quality- arguably too high since it appears that, in chemistry, a t least, about 16 hours' study a week are required. There are still some problems: for example, the experimental side of the physical sciences operated throbgh a home experimental kit and the summer school for practical techniques, and through thought-experiments tb obtain the necessary knowledge of scientific logic, are by no means uucontro- versial. Further developments are also required to ensure that the staff of the university are kept up with the march of their discipline in addition to that of educational tech- nology.

The main problem, however, is the place of the Open University as part of a national educational scheme. It is now clear that the original idea, that the main beneficiar- ies should be those who did not get a chance of a universi- ty education through social disadvantages, has not been fulfilled and the working class enrollment in the OU is minute. Currently the single largest group of students are teachers in secondary schools. This has happened despite the unprecedented public information effort that has gone into the popularization of the Open University concept. It does therefore appear that one cannot impose education on groups that do not genuinely desire it and whose needs are not voiced by themselves.

Another function will undoubtedly come to the fore in the future: the retraining of graduates on an in-service basis and thus countering the increasingly fast graduate obsolescence in a work siiuation. This will he of immense importance if technological and scientific knowledge is to be brought up to date for those who most need i t in their daily life.

The British Open University Science Foundation Course at an American College George Stranss, University College, Rutgers University

University College at Rutgers University is offering the Open University Science Foundation Course as a one-year experimental program in 1972-73. The decision to do so was made in order to explore new ways of sewing the part-time adult student a i d also because the integration of different disciplines in this course appeared an effective way of overcoming one of the greatest disadvantages of part-time education: the separation in time of courses which are related and ought to be studied simultaneously.

There are about 40 students in the science course. Stu-

dents not presently in college were enrolled, to preserve the spirit and intent of the OU program. No formal en- trance requirements were set, but each applicant was in- terviewed to ensure adequate background in mathematics. Applicants ranged from those with no college to holders of bachelor's degrees. Students successfully completing this course will receive 15 credits towards the AB degree. The Graduate School of Education at Rutgers will grant its students up to 9 credits towards the M.Ed.

Students will work from the text material published by the British OU. There will be a study center Ghere they can consult with faculty members representing the differ- ent disciplines, and where the British TV and radio pro- grams will be presented on film and tape. The British Home Experiment Kits will be used, hut the work will he done in a lahoratory at the College, under supervision, rather than in the student's house.

Students' progress will be assessed by use of the British computer-marked and tutor-marked assignments, supple- mented by other assignments, and a final examination.

The combination of self-study with free (and frequent) access to a tutor may result in more contact between part-time student and teachers than in the conventional classroom course. The Science Foundation Course is envi- saged as a highly effective introduction to a curriculum for chemistry, physics, or biology majors in which stu- dents would initially see their field of choice as an integral part of a larger structure.

Comments

Malcolm Renfrew, Uniuersity of Idaho: Is scholarship support planned far the Open University in proportionate degree to that now offered for attendance at other universities in Great Brit- ain?

Dr. Munn. No, since the Open University costs are very small and students are all supposed to be wage earners or in a com- parable financial situation.

William Halpern, Uniuersity of West Florida. Would it not be cheaper and more applicable to use materials already available at Rutgers in the laboratory?

Dr. Strauss. Yes, it is definitely cheaper to use local laboratory equipment. However, in the interest of expediency it was decid- ed to use the British Open University kits for our one-year ex- perimental course.

William Marshall, Oak Ridge National Laboratory: I assume that the Open University interdisciplinary science course is di- rected toward the general population in an attempt ta upgrade the cultural-intellectual appreciation of science and allowing citizens to make intellectually wise political decisions about science. What efforts are made in Britain to include multidisci- plinary courses in the formal education of the under 21's?

Dr. Farago. A number of universities are offering multidisciplin- arv and some multi-facultv oromams. A number of science oro- . . . pwni in the secundar). icllool* nrr 01," dr-iend ro illummare rhe ~ w ~ a l and cultural aiperts of .~.irnrr. 'lhr difftrulty 1.. rhs early rperralnatwn uf chllclrtn i n thr a r t - or m c n r e rrream~, so that nonscientists do not usually obtain much explosure to science over the age of 14-15.

Summary

The British Open University was established during the tenure of Labor Prime Minister Harold Wilson, primarily as an attempt to open up the formerly "elitist" British sys- tem of hizher education to British workers. In spite of the fact that i t has apparently not been successful in this ob- jective, the Open University was judged to have had an enormous impact as an innovation on the British education scene. It was predicted that it would remain a permanent part of the British University system. For American part- time students, the Open University Science Foundation course has the particular advantage of offering exposure to several related scientific disciplines simultaneously.

22 /Journal of Chemical Education

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Ill: New Directions for the Traditional

Curriculum

Session Ill -A: Chemistry for the Preprofessional Students

Moderator: Robert C. Plumb, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Scribes: Helen L. Whidden, Randolph-Macon Women's College Fred W. Davis, Lynchburg College

More chemical experiments and chemical measure- ments are performed by nonchemists than by chemists- geologists synthesizing minerals, meteorologists seeding clouds, electrical engineers doping crystals, psychologists studying effects of drugs on mental disease, even house- wives experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

How can chemistry teachers overcome the obstacles to doing an effective job with students who will need a sub- stantial knowledge of chemistry hut who aren't going to he chemists? Frequently the students don't know why they should study chemistry and usually the teachers don't know enough about the applied chemistry fields so that they can show the applications of chemistry. In the papers to follow we may get some ideas on how to solve this problem. The continuing existence of many of the present jobs in chemical education depends on our mak- ing strong efforts to solve the problem.

The Misery of Success J. S. Lagowksi, The University of Texas at Austin

Chemistry as a profession has heen outstandingly suc- cessful in convincing others that chemistry, from a techni- cal and cultural standpoint, is a useful subject to study. We now find chemists employed in disciplines where none were found only a few years ago. Chemistry is often the vehicle for descrihing to students the "relevance" of science. Thus chemistry has become a more diffuse disci- pline than most of us are accustomed to think of it. This represents the success of chemistry; the misery of this success is now upon us because conventional educational techniques are not geared to handle the spectrum of stu- dents with the background, ahility, and motivation that are upon us. We need to invent new strategies for teaching and learning, employing those elements of educational technology which have been shown to he useful.

Let me share with you a vision of an educational system of the future which might be viable in alleviating some of the problems which beset us today. This is best placed in the framework of what a typical s t u d e n t J o h n Q. Stu- dent-in a future university might he doing as he acquires his knowledge in chemistry. First, John is taking a chem- istry course for 2.5 semester hours of credit on the basis of a profile examination he took before he was allowed to register for chemistry. This was an extension of the old idea of advanced placement except the instru- ment used was more sensitive to establishing his compe- tence in sub-areas of the suhject. Although John did not have a sufficiently strong background in all the suh-areas to skip all of general chemistry he received the equivalent of partial placement. In effect, the profile exam was used to prescribe an individual course of instruction for John. The course involves lectures, modular material which is written andlor in audio-visual format. In some cases he

has computer-based tutorial modules to complete and he has been assigned to a director of studies who meets with him on a regular basis. John's director of studies also deals with 50 other students on the same basis. He can do so-intelligently-because he has access to a computer based management system which makes available to him John's progress through the originally prescribed materi- als. Thus John finds himself not segregated on the basis of his major, hut in an on-going system in which the depth and breadth of his involvement has been individualized to his needs and his hackground.

The system in which John learns has one other suhtle- to him-advantage. Since it is highly modularized, it is easily updated with respect to new information or ideas. In other words, i t is flexible from both the teacher's and learner's point of view, responding to pressures from ei- ther side. This vision is not as far fetched as it might seem on casual inspection. Elements of it are present in some of the papers presented a t this conference. The tools are a t hand if we can he so hold to use them.

Comments

John Moore, Eastern Michigan Uniuemity. Computer assisted management of courses, although limited, can relieve the teacher of much routine work, thus making time available for a more personal relationship with the students.

Anna Harrison, Mt. Holyoke College. In grading the variable credit courses envisioned by Dr. Lagowski, one can use the product of quality and quantity of accomplishment.

Geoerge Splittgerber, Colorado State Uniuersity. An important feature of Dr. Lagowski's plan is its potential to solve our wor- sening problem of diversity of student backgrounds. Among the problems posed by the plan is that of the good student who would be permitted to skip many modules in several af his be- ginning courses. Instead of registering for 15 credits in 3 courses he might register for only 9 in these same courses, and might thus add 6 additional credits in other areas. This could result in a very heavy end-of-term work load. Have you considered how this problem might be met without restricting the stu- dent's ability to take a "full-credit" load in an increased num- ber of courses?

Gene Wubbels, Grinnell College. I believe the progress you suggest will depend on our ahility to integrate new technologies with our personal idiosyncracies. Well-planned devices and pro- grams will go awry if we leaveout our individual touch.

Freshman Chemistry for Engineers

John Tanaka, University of Connecticut, Storrs

Engineers are often required to take one year of chemis- try. The freshman chemistry course as usually taught is not appropriate as a terminal course in chemistry for eugi- neers. This does not mean that all the material taught in freshman courses is inappropriate. Rather the assertion is

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 23

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that there should be a change in relative emphasis, time allocation, and topic selection.

One of the nrimarv resnonsihilities of eneineers in the . A

actual practice of engineering is to evaluate engineering materials. Cost analvsis in terms of sources. availahilitv. and processing characteristics requires some appreciation of the chemistry of the materials being considered. More immediately related to the appreciation of the chemistry involved are such topics as material compatibility, aging characteristics, adhesive properties, tensile strength, flexi- bility, stress cracking, and dielectric properties. It is therefore suggested that the thematic approach for a freshman chemistry course for engineers (ME, CE, EE) should he a materials approach. This is integrating unlike the divisive approach of emphasizing inorganic, organic, nhvsical. or biochemistw. Because this is to be a terminal Lo&?, it is not propied to include Chem E students. Because mechanical enzineers are often required to take a course in metallurgy a i d the other engineers can select this course as an elective, the materials heading should he subtitled to indicate that most of the time will he spent on materials other than metals. The topics covered should be polymers, petroleum products, silicates (mica, glass, stone. etc.) and solid state materials (semiconductors, phosphors, etc.). This topical materials approach dictates that tonics be covered in the "reverse" auuroach, i.e., no- mencla'ture, structure, properties ( ~ h ~ s i c i i and chemical) preceding the principles. Because the associated princi- ples are covered, it is envisioned that bonding, pH, mole concept, energy changes, equilibrium, etc., will be includ- ed. The question then arises as to what is left out in order to make room for the new material. It is sueeested that -- in-depth treatment of measurements, theoretical yields, emnirical formulae. ouantum mechanics. thermodvnam- s , . ics, kinetics, redox reactions, complex ions, and some as- pects of solution chemistry can be sacrificed.

Comment8

Audrev Comnanion. Illinois Institute of Technolam. For the last ... fwr year, n t I.I.T. we have been teaching n 5-hr cnurs~ for en- pnecnng ond science majors wth a strung n~nterinl+ science emphaxi in the second iarnestrr. All roprcs ment~oned by John Tanaka are woven into a presentation of structural inorganic chemistry at appropriate points in the form of "special lec- tures". Kenneth Schug and I have developed course outlines, problem sets, and supplementary notes on these topics that we would be pleased toshare wtth those interested.

Jack Garland, Washington State Uniuersrty. Four years ago (at Missouri) we developed a course far engineers (not Chem. Eng.) and showed that omission of many conventional chemical top- ics was hoth ~ossible and desirable. However. I would caution againir omrttmg of "u\t.rlap;" wth lnrer courses, such as ther- modynnmi<:. Hepeafed exposure ru 1he.e wh~rctr i s impnanr t o reinhrce <tudvnt lesrnmg. The relationship uf thembody- namies and other topics to the practical, real situations de- scribed in chemistry provides a favorahle teaching opportunity which should not be thrown away simply to avoid duplication.

Larry Church, SUNY, Buffalo. I would argue against "special- ized" general chemistry courses as this tends to encourage Freshman students to establish a major and course sequence which ultimately may "trap" them in a major and/or prafes- sion prior to a proper introduction to that subject.

Clarence Cunningham, Oklahoma State Uninioersity:The omis- sion of the so-called "chemical arithmetic" from a chemistry course for eneineers will eliminate a student's anlv exnasure to . . rhi. .uh,ect. hln~ny profr~simal engineerma examinatiunr, i n - dudin:: those in Oklahunm, nrc wrighted very heaxdg with rhese skrlls. In fact, the chemistry section of such exam~nafions is composed primarily of calculations and thermochemical functions. Most engineering thermodynamics courses do not cover what we call "thermachemistry".

Can a Biology Major Find Happiness-or Learn Chemistry-in the General Chemistry Course? J. Emmory Howell, Uniuersity of Southern Mississippi,

Hattiesburgh

Recently a great deal of emphasis has been placed on the needs of the nonscience major who enrolls in a chem- istry course. Another important group consists of science majors who need a reasonably rigorous background hut who do not intend to major in chemistry. Continuing sur- veys of student career goals a t the University of Southern Mississinoi have shown a consistent trend toward in- creased'krollment in the allied health and bioscience areas. Currentlv 60% of the students in aeneral chemistw identify their career goal as one of the aliied health fields, and another 20% indicate their intention to pursue a hios- cience undergraduate major. Only about 2% indicate a ca- reer goal of chemistry when they enter the course, al- though many pre-medical students do eventually declare chemistry as their major.

The statistics cited indicate that general chemistry at USM is largely a service course. The needs of these stu- dents must be met in a positive manner. One problem faced by such students is fear, based on comments by stu- dents who have previously taken the course, high school teachers, and academic advisors. This problem is coun- tered successfully by using a combination of techniques including an extensive course syllabus, behavioral objec- tives which are employed in day to day practice, tutorial aids and resource help, coordinated laboratory-lecture timing, and audio and written programmed materials. The use of objectives enables the student to know what is expected of him or her. The resources permit the student to obtain individualized help in learning. Adjustments in course content to make it more relevant to hiologically oriented students have been made in hoth lecture and laboratory.

An important feature of the course is that students can leave it after one, two, or three quarters depending upon major requirements and personal desire. Nursing stu- dents, for example, leave the course after one quarter and eo directlv into a snecial oreanic course.

The benefits the department receives by having a single general chemistw course instead of several suecialized courses include its ability to use only the most interested faculty members, more frequent offering of the course, more sections per term, better distribution of faculty credit for teaching, and the opportunity for team teach- ing. Most important, however, are the student benefits which include maximizing personal attention even though the formal lecture sections are large. Student dignity is upheld because all students are receiving credit for the same level course, no matter what their declared major. Analysis of final grades has shown that students with var- ious declared majors do equally well in the course. Stu- dent comments regarding the course have been very favor- able.

In the past two years at USM it has been demonstrated that non-chemistry science majors can he happy in the general chemistry course and that they can learn chemis- try.

Undergraduate Organic Chemistry: Needs of Biologically Oriented Students Compared to Future Professional Chemists Charles A. Matuszak, Uniuersity of the Pacific, Stock-

ton, California

The curriculum reforms of each department and profes- sional school can have a serious impact on a chemistry department. The school of pharmacy at the University of

24 / Journalof Chemical Education

Page 21: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

the Pacific recently changed their curriculum. In doing so certain drugs is one example. Much more needs to be done in they cut out the second semester of a two-semester se- this area. quence in organic chemistry and a one-semester, low mathematical physical chemistry course. About one-fifth of the total student units of the chemistry department was thus suddenly removed as this involved about 130 or more students. The school of pharmacy introduced a one semester, three unit "practical organic" course taught in their school as a replacement of the second semester of or- ganic. They thought that the particular needs of pharma- cy students could he met better this way.

My subsequent thinking has led me to conclude that they were partly correct but that it should be possible to direct an oraanic course much more towards the needs of biologically-oriented students without sacrificing the fun- damental orinciples which future chemists need.

In an effort to pinpoint topics which should be empha- sized or deemphasized, a survey of about 30 faculty mem- bers in pharmacy, biology, and biochemistry was made. It did not yield that information but did indicate that the faculty fell into two distinct groups. One group commonly thinks and works on the molecular level (biochemistry, molecular, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, etc.) and feels that virtuallv all tonics are important. The other group is larger and does dot work a t the molecular level very often and rarely uses organic.

My own thinking has been along the following lines. Biologically-oriented students need to have the chemical background to understand the basis of life and death on the molecular level as the fascinating story unfolds over the next few decades. I do not imply that biochemistry should be taught instead of organic hut that the back- ground needed for the biochemistry of the present and the future should be emohasized.

Some specific t o p k are suggested by looking at biochem- icallv imoortant comoounds. The imidazole mouo, the - .. indole group, the quanidine group, and sulfur-containing groups are present in the common amino groups but most organic texts do not discuss their chemistry. Imidazole is well suited to orovide a framework on which to develoo many fundamentals of organic. I plan to spend an equiva- lent of a week on it in the one-semester organic course the next time I teach it. Over 50% of drugs contain nitrogen. Nitrogen chemistry, including heterocycles, should be in- troduced early in a course and be emphasized.

If we do not orient our courses more toward the non- chemists, we may find that someone else will be teaching those students instead of chemistry department faculty.

Comments

Michael Martin, Unioersity of Michigan. A major reason that mast biologically-oriented students take chemistry is so that eventually they can take a course in biochemistry. The trouble is that they take biochemistry at the wrong time. It should be taken when a student is a sophomore, before he has taken ge- netics, cell biology, and physiology. Indeed, it is usually taken in the senior year, or in the first year of graduate school. Mak- ing biochemistry a sophomore-level course, which could be trken after two or three semesters of chemistry, would be a sig- nificant improvement in the chemistry curriculum offered to life science students. This is such an easy curriculum adjust- ment to make, that I em surprised that sophomore-level bio- chemistry has not already become a standard feature of our service offerings.

Robert Goldsmith, St. Mary's College of Maryland. Organic chemistry for biology students is a real challenge. My approach is to emphasize those aspects of organic chemistry which have special relevance for biology majors. Areas such as stereochem- istry, proteins, the chemistry and practical uses of alcohols, amines and sulfur materials. are oresented with s~eeial atten- rnni to drug- and dwc, and cartinoprnir hvdrorarhons. Exper. irnpnt are wed whwh hare b i h g i c n l intrrwr. 'l'hr synrhe~w. ,,utrif~rarion and measurement of .lrnple phyricnl propeniea of

Chemical Concepts in Allied Health Leonard F. Druding, Rutgers University, Ngw Bruns-

wick, New Jersey

In a four-semester Associate of Arts degree program for nurses, medical technologists, therapists, etc., where an understanding of certain basic principles of general, or- ganic, and bio-chemistry is quite important for the future careers of these medically oriented students, at best only a one-semester course in chemistry can be included in their curriculum.

To include discussions of general, organic, and bio- chemistry in roughly forty hours of lecture and perhaps an equal amount of laboratory time appears to he a formi- dable task to most chemistry educators who can only think of these topics in the traditionally all-inclusive mode of development. A more appropriate attitude towards the one-semester course starts by examining the careers for which these students are preparing themselves and determining what chemistry they will actually use or unknowingly encounter, then attempt to build a course around this information. Despite the plethora of texts written for teachers of chemistry for the allied health sci- ences, the chemistry teacher often remains a stranger to the hospital environment and to the responsibilities of the future professions of his students. He lacks the know-how to correlate chemical principles with the practical appli- cations germane to his students and thus "loses" his stu- dents.

At the same time that the course is being built around information of most use to the students, care must be taken to include enough general principles, and to choose examples carefully enough so that the information will not become obsolete within a short period of time. With a lit- tle effort, a conscientious instructor can create a suitable course, that, based on our experience, will be accepted by SLUUBIILS.

Because instructional time is as limited as the coverage is broad, each concept or principle to be included in the course must be incisively evaluated for its ultimate value to the student. Even the mode of presentation should be carefully considered. Some of the more descriptive but less important topics should be left for self study (texts, audio-visual aids, etc.). Because the usual repetition found in most courses cannot be done here, the key topics should be available for studv in a~nrooriate review books. .. . film loops, and tape cassettes.

The outline of a suitable chemistrv course for the health science students was developed by a group of involved fac- ulty from two-year and four-year colleges as well as hospi- tal schools of nursing. This group first met with nursing educators, nurses, representatives of the state licensing board and professional organizations and hospital person- nel to learn what chemistry was needed and used, and how much of the existing material was irrelevant. These meetings were followed by visitations by small groups of the faculty armed with still and movie cameras and tape recorders to various hospitals in the northern New Jersey area to see what nurses, medical technologists, and thera- pists were doing and to see what examples of chemistry they encounter that were not obvious to them. The faculty moun then nreoared a course outline based on intemated - A . . " units of study rather than traditional chemical topics. More extensive outlines were prepared for four of the units that most extensively crossed topical lines. From the hospital visits, a set of transparencies and a movie illus- trating aspects of chemistry in health care were prepared to accompany the course.

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 25

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The course outline roughly agreed upon was: I. Intro- duction and Review of General Principles; 11. Radiochem- istry; ID. Water and Solutions; IV. Acids, Bases, and Salts; V. Water, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Balance; VI. Introduction t o Organic Chemistry; VII. Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids and their Metabolism; VID. Hormones, Vitamins and Nucleic Acids.

This course has now been tried in a t least three colleges during the past academic year and has been successful both in its student acceptance and ability t o teach the es- sential chemistry, as shown by performance on national exams.

The key t o success in teaching chemistry t o this group of students is to take time t o examine their future careers and t o identify for them the elements of chemistry which they will encounter in their careers. The principal barrier is the psychological one of researching the subject in other than a tex t , lihriry, or lahoratory.

Comments

Noel Simmons, Buffalo State University. I applaud Professor Druding's interest in his students to the extent that he's willing to meet his students on their home ground. But these remarks could easily be addressed to all those who would and do teach "relevant" and "specialized" chemistry.(to nurses, dieticians, physical education majors, industrial arts students, engineers and the rest). Is this really chemistry? Is it not better to give a solid, fundamental course without applications, and then turn over our student to the person in his field who is best prepared by experience, temperament, and interest to discuss practical applications. What history department would seriously offer "History of Chemistry", what art department "Chemical Art", what English department "Poetry for the Chemist"? And why don't they? Possibly because they recognize that interactions of students with a wide variety of interests is beneficial to all stu- dents. I have found that what often passes far "reference" ma- terial is hardly chemistry at all. Let us give a substantial course and leave the relevance to those (the professional engi- neer, nurses, veterinarian, etc.) who know relevance.

Rohert L. Wolke, Uniniuersity of Pittsburgh. I'd like to commend Leonard Druding and his colleagues for devising this course, for having the humility to go out and ask the health professionals what they need instead of insisting that we knoa best. This is an important kind of individualization, which should be done more often, whether for nurses, engineers, or nonscience majors.

Robert H. Thomas, Miami University. The outline of your course lists the first unit as Introduction and Review of General Prin- ciples. A double-barrelled question: What is Reuiewed? and about how much time is spent on this unit? Your response that these students have had a relatively good high school course (or are required to take a "refresher") indicates you have different situation than many other schools have.

Miriam Stimson, Keuka College. The National League of Nurs- ing requires that freshman chemistry not be a special course for nurses. How do you meet this requirment and still provide the s~ecial career-directed exam~les and laboratorv ~roiects for . . . your students? You indicated that you have a course open to all but which is nursing goal-oriented.

A New Chemistry Course for Nursing Majors

Norbert Isenberg, The University of Wisconsin-'Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53140

A course for nursing majors was designed in cooperation with staff members from other departments, including area hospitals. Special care was taken t o include topics which can be applied directly t o the health field. The one-year course sequence is flexible t o accommodate students in the three-year nursing school program, in the two-year associate degree program, and in the four-year B.S. degree program. The first semester emphasizes general chemistry including a brief introduction to organic chemistry. In the second semester the students have a choice of either a course in introductory organic chemistry combined with biochemistry

(for the B.S. degree candidates mostly) or a course in intro- ductory physiological chemistry and nutrition. The new course seeks t o remedy situations where nurses are either given no special course directly applicable to their field or are given short terminal courses.

Chemistry in a Diploma School of Nursing: It's "Gotta" be Fun-Relevant-and More Than Just Chemistry H. L. Rectcofsky, Shadyside Hospital School of Nursing,

Pittsburgh

Some knowledge of inorganic, organic, and biological chemistry, especially as it applies t o life processes and the care of the sick, is a necessary prerequisite to the intelli- gent practice of nursing. At Shadyside Hospital, we at- tempt t o make the students' brief, hu t only, formal course in chemistry as "palatable" as possible by making most of i t (unfortunately not all of it!) fun, relevant, and more than just chemistry. These three descriptions apply not only to many of the formal lecture-discussion sessions, hu t also t o several lahoratory and examination sessions. Among the topics with which we have me t greatest suc- cess in terms of student interest are (1) the Miss Metric Experiment and "touch", (2) the chemistry of boredom, (3) molecular models, puppy dogs, and isomerism, (4) the genius of Bohr as compared t o tha t of Beethoven, (5) rain- bows, poetry, and clinical analysis, (6) radiaoctivity and "time" (the patient's time!), and (7) even a brief lesson in racial prejudice.

Comments

Malcolm Renfrew, University of Idaho. Wouldn't your nurses learn the safety message better if they were asked to wear eye protection in laboratory and not to do mouth pipetting? (I serve on the ACS Safety Committee, and I'm sensitive to laboratory "shots" in which students are shown with eyes unguarded! We need to enlist such an effective speaker in ourcampaign.)

Estelle K. Meislich, Bergen Community College. I feel that Dr. Rectcofsky's course is a most welcome step in the right direc- tion. The "anxiety" of nursing students is especially evident in the laboratory. (Evidenced by 3 or mare students attempting to work together, with only one touching equipment, measuring, working, the others copying data.) Much mare effort should be placed on installing confidence in the student by emphasizing experience in the laboratory, by using equipment which need not be entirely "hlack boxes" and by stressing data-taking and evaluation.

General Comments

Clifford Venier, Texm Christian Uniniuersity. Isn't it possible that the various professional societies require chemistry and other outside-of-the-profession courses because of their intrinsic value. For example, our awn profession would require physics, biology, etc. For myself, I do not want those courses to be chemical physics, biochemistry, etc. We can teach those subjects ourselves. Likewise, nurses can teach chemo-nursing. I believe that you are shortchanging the student and his prafes- sor by orienting chemistry courses too much toward the other profession.

William Halpern, Uniuersity of West Florida. Drs. Lagowski, Tanaka, and Howell have three different, mutually exclusive, solutions to the problem of teaching the non-chemistry major. Chemists have attempted both separate courses for each little specialty and the "please everyone" single course. Is it not about time that we revamp our thinking and try a modularized system which can better meet the needs of the individual stu- dent, whoever he may be.

R. Scott Pyron, Furman Uniuersity. Specific courses far specific professional needs may be desirable if a school is large enough. However, most smaller schools cannot afford this "cafeteria" approach. We, at Furman, believe that the approach of one generally useful course is a valid and useful alternative if it is well designed.

26 /Journal of Chemical Education

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Summary

The papers were presented in two sets. The first set of four papers, stressing chemistry for engineers and biologi- cally-oriented students, was introduced by J. J. Lagowski. Dr. Lagowski, basing his comments on previously present- ed conterce papers, envisioned new techniques for teach- ing professionals in the 1980's.

Following a discussion of the first set of papers, a sec- ond set of three papers on chemistry for the health sci- ences and nursing was presented. A discussion of these

Session 111 -8: Special Curricula

Moderator: John T. Yoke, Oregon State University Scribes: lrvin M. Gottlieb, Widener College

Marion Whittaker, Delta College

Introduction

This session deals with a variety of special programs, both for the major and non-major, both in lecture and in lahoratory the first two papers are multiple presentations, representing a combination of contributions from the re- spective schools. Here, and in the other sessions of this conference, we can see the falsehood of the oft-repeated claim that chemistry departments are full of stand-pat curricular moss-hack professors. Our colleagues are ready and willing for curricular changes, and it is up to us to make sure that the new developments are valid.

The Georgia State University Laboratory Sequence Harry P. Hopkins, Jr., Curtis T. Sears, and Conrad L.

Stanitski, Georgia State University, Atlanta

Since the professional chemist is constantly relied upon to solve physical and chemical problems of all types, the undergraduate curriculum should incorporate ample op- portunities for the student to gain experience in the en- deavors of his trade. The Georgia State lahoratory se- quence is founded on the precept that laboratory experi- ence must challenge the student to evaluate observations and arrive a t a conclusion from the available data. In three years of controlled exposure to chemical problem- solving via modern techniques, the student is guided in develo~ine skills and attitudes crucial to the success of the inbependent senior research project. Both chemistry maiors and other science-orientated students are enrolled. ~ f c e r four full years of experience in operating this type of approach to laboratory training in the main sequence, the effects of the success of the program are influencing the advanced biochemistry course, the nursing chemistry labs, and the course for the nonscience majors.

Can a chemistry lahoratory teach chemical principles and possess recognizable relevance to nursing? A positive answer to this question would provide better training and increase the student nurse's interest in her chemical stud- ies. A problem-oriented laboratory has been instituted in which elementary techniques are used to enable a student to separate and analyze biologically significant materials. Specifically, the student applies these techniques to the qualitative and quantitative determination of the compo- nents of urine and blood serum. At the end of the quarter, the results of the individual students are averaged and urine/serum ratios calculated and discussed with respect

provoked formation of an afternoon special session on chemistry for nursing students.

The preceding papers all show a trend toward a more flexible system in the teaching of chemistry in order to at- tract and adequately prepare the student who needs chemistry in his or her profession hut who will not become a chemist. Both those speaking and those commenting on papers presented expressed differences of opinion con- cerning whether the chemistry taught to the non-chemist should be a specially designed course or a regular chemis- try course with a stress on applications relevant to the in- dividual.

to acid/hase balance, renal reabsorption, and variation of values among normal individuals. Students learn the im- portance of sampling techniques, preservation of the sam- . . ple, sources of errors in quantitative determination and the difficulties in making interpretations.

The second auarter hf the two-nuarter lahoratorv se- quence continues the theme of qualitative and quantita- tive investigations b e a n in the first auarter. Substances used in the-second q&er are of orga~ic/biochemical in- terest and these are the features sought in the analytical schemes. Experiments include: synthesis, purification and characterization of aspirin; structures, composition, and reactions of carbohydrates; lipid synthesis and characteri- zation; amino acids and proteins; analysis of selected or- ganic components of urine: quantitative analysis of a se- lected organic component of urine (optional); analysis of blood serum components (optional). Elementary tech- niques of separation, analysis, and reaction studies are initially done on isolated biologically significant materi- als. These techniques are then applied further in the later analysis of a biological fluid.

Comments

Dawn Francis, Drake Institute of Sciences. It may he of interest to know that at the July 1972 meeting of the American Medical Technologists in Philadelphia, it was requested that the Chem- istry Laboratory training of paraprofessionals, particularly the 2-year medical Laboratory technician, be completely revised to give the trainee direct experience with the determinations he or she could encounter in today's hospital laboratory. Your pro- gram for nursing students very closely meets these yequire- ments so strongly requested.

The Furman University Curriculum R. Scott Pyron, Furman University, Greenuille, South

Carolina

In 1967-68 the Chemistry Department of Furman Uni- versity radically revamped its program concurrent with a university-wide reorganization of calender and curricu- lum. The resulting program fits a three-term academic year of twelve, eight and twelve weeks, easily provides a three-year major and four-year ACS-accredited degree, and provides solid preparation for advanced work in chemistry and related fields.

The program is characterized by a single core curricu- lum for all chemistry majors. This core also fills well the

Volume 50, Number 1. January 1973 / 27

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Page 25: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

by required work in research participation and senior seminar.

The chemistry major is expected to take a minimum of six Upper Division courses, hut no specific courses are re- quired. Each sub-discipline usually has one basic course and one advanced course. The student may do individual work in the senior year, in as broad or narrow a problem as he wishes. The remainder of his oroaam. as well as the ~~- -~~ ~ ~ ~

cognate fields, is therefore a matter of individual choice denendine on the alternatives selected hv the student. A variety of sample programs, for major students with dif- ferent interests in further studies and professional careers, are illustrated. The flexibility of the i a j o r program is fur- ther manifested in that up to three Upper Division courses from related areas may be substituted for chemistry courses with approval of the advisor.

In the chemistrv curriculum there are no special Courses for special groups of students, such as organic chemistry for biology or nursing majors. The regular chemistry courses are designed and conducted with flexibility to ac- commodate students of diverse hackaound, interest and motivation.

Along with other departments in natural sciences and mathematics, the Department of Chemistry has just ini- tiated development of individualized self-paced instruc- tion under a substantial COSIP grant from the National Science Foundation. The two-year project is being under- taken as a possible model program for the California State University and College System.

The Integrated Science Course Ligia Pahon de Majid, University of Puerto Rico, San

Juan

The Natural Sciences Department a t the University College of the University of Puerto Rico a t Cayey offers a course for nonscience oriented students called the Inte- grated Science Course. The program for this course has been desiened and organized hv the members of the staff of the department with the principal aim of introducing a relevant. meanindul. more interesting and realistic way of science teaching f;rr the nonscientist. -

The course was started in August, 1971 with a student enrollment of five hundred. For the first three semesters of the course the professors are divided in teams, each consisting of a physicist, a chemist, and a biologist. The fourth semester is a joint offering of the humanities and natural science departments.

Integrated Science is a four semester course with each semester worth three units of credit. The basic subjects of the course are: Matter, Energy, Man and His Environ- ment, the Universe, Physical and Biological Evolution of the Earth, and the History and Philosophy of Science. The topics under these central subjects are discussed in an integrated manner. The three professors of each team take turns in giving the lectures to their respective sec- tions in accordance with their specialization, hut attend each others'lectures.

During the first three semesters of the course the stu- dent is taught those scientific principles and facts which play a role in the daily or normal life of the individual, the family and the society; in the fourth semester his knowledge is strengthened by historical and philosophical explanations. Through this knowledge the student can re- alize how the application of such scientific principles and facts can he used for the improvement of private and so- cial life, as well as for the solution of many current social and moral problems.

With reference to the didactic aspect of the course, demonstrations and audiovisual aids are frequently utiliz- ed; the examinations are mostly of the objective type, but term papers on relevant and current subjects are also as-

signed. Due to the nature of the course the staff has had the task of writing their lectures, and then copies of these are distributed to the students. In addition, annotated bibliographies are given a t the end of each conference to encourage useful supplementary reading.

A preliminary inquiry made during the 1971 academic year showed that over 90% of the students prefer this type of course to the traditional science courses, about 50% would like more student participation and discussions in the classes, and around 10% would prefer one professor for the course rather than the team of three that is in charge a t present.

Comments

Noel Simmons, Buffalo State Uniuersity. I am very impressed that Professor de Majid and her colleagues at Puerto Rico are spending the fourth semester of their integrated course on the philosophy of science and its interactions with society. Too few people, chemists included, "understand" science and fewer still are aware of the personal, human element involved in the prac- tice of science. This approach has a great deal of merit.

Lelia Coyne, Princeton Uniuersity. A course such as yours by its lecture material brings together the expertise of members of many disciplines would be an ideal vehicle for a similar type of laboratory offering. In such a lab program the students would work as a team rather than as individuals to elucidate such a problem as chemical evolution. For example, those with an in- terest in geology could be in charge of preparation of rock sam- ples, those in chemistry could supervise extraction and analysis of certain chemical constituents, those in biology could perform classifications of those molecular species of biogenic as opposed to mineralogical origin or conduct simple experiments an chem- ical evolution of molecules of biological importance. Astronomy and other disciplines are also naturally introduced in such a setting. Such an effort clearly demands some interdisciplinary cooperation of faculty. The students might choose to emphasize certain aspects of the work according to their individual baek- ground and interest rather than perform all of the manipula- t ions~ . . . . . . .

Clifford Matthews, Unioersity of Illinois. For interdisciplinary courses for nonseienee majors, films can be particularly helpful. However, our experience previewing a large number of films suggests that there are only a few-perhaps a dozen or so-that are imaginative enough to be truly effective.

John R. Wilson, Shippemburg State College. How do you achieve the necessary coordination for the integrated course de- scribed, and what compromises to individual teaching have been required? I have found too often that the intentions that go into the planning of integrated courses dissolve when the team teaching begins, sometimes because of demands an faeul- ty time and sometimes because of administrative failure to give adequate credit toward the teaching load.

Robert Rouse, Manmouth College, New Jersey. For the kind of student you are reaching, please do not add a laboratory course to your course unless you define clearly what intellectual goals you wish the students to achieve. From my experienee in a physics-chemistry course based on "energy," the laboratory ex- perience is not needed, and, for the time spent, is not produc- tive.

Leslie Forster, University of Arizona. The importance of labora- tory work in professional science courses is seldom debated. However, it is sometimes argued that the cost of the laboratory is not justified for nonscientists. Our experience with this class of student indicates that the laboratory is, for many, the most valuable part of the course.

A Core Interdisciplinary Science Program for Science Majors Stephen V. Filseth, York University, Ontario, Canada

The Fsculty of Science a t York University offers both ordinary and honors B.Sc. degrees in biology, chemistry and physics. The former normally requires three years to complete while four years is usual for the latter.

First year science students a t York can choose from two different degree programs. For students who are interested

Volume 50, Number I , January 1973 / 29

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in science but who do not propose to practice science as a career, the Liberal Science Program leads to an ordinary B.Sc. demee without special emphasis in any single area of science. Courses in this program are characterized by appreciable environmental, historical and societal empha- &ki th a diminished quantitative science content.

For students who seek careers in science, the other de- gree program leads to ordinary and honors BSc. degrees with specialization in one or more areas. The first two years are called the Interdisciplinary Scienre Program and consist of a core of seven compulsory courses for all stu- dents. The courses all emphasize in their presentation the essential unity of science and are to varying degrees indi- vidually interdisciplinary.

The principal rationale for the program is the convic- tion of the faculty that a student who is educated initially along broad interdisciplinary lines will be more useful to society and himself as he confronts increasingly multi-dis- ciplinary problems, than one who is not. A subsidiary ra- tionale is the belief that a hroad interdisciplinary set of courses better serves the interests of the many students who leave either the Faculty of Science or the University after one or two years. One of the characteristics of the Program is that it preserves through two full yeiirs the freedom of choice of major.

The courses in the Promam include two interdisci~li- nary courses in physical science, one in biological science, three in mathematical methods leading from elementary calculus to elementary differential equations and a single course in the applications of thermodynamic principals to problems in physics, chemistry and biology. The courses are assembled during the summers by course committees consisting of representatives from the different disciplines and taught by teams of from two to four different faculty on a rotating basis of two or three years. The program has operated in this approximate fashion for several years. De- tails of the program and course outlines are available from the Director of the Interdisciplinary Science Program, York University, Downsview, Ontario.

William L. Marshall, Oak Ridge Laboratory. You and associates seem to have decided wisely not to compel science majors to choose a specialty until their junior year. I would hope that high school students in general might be able to delay their choices between science and other fields, but be sufficiently prepared (or intrigued) with bnsie science and its philosophy for motivation toward science or for appreciation of rational thought in all their endeavors.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum in Physical Science I w i n M. Gottlieb, Francisco J. Navarro, and Angus Neaves, Widener College, Chester, Pennsyluania

An interdisciplinary curriculum in physical science has been developed which integrates hroad concepts from chemistry and physics through mathematics, utilizing for its base a study of molecular phenomena for the elucida- tion of the architecture, structure, and transformations of matter. This first objective was interdisciplinarily con- ceived from several of the separate disciplines which com- prise the physical sciences. Several traditional undergrad- uate science studies were rearranged and recast into a unified structure of new design, content, teaching and

learning procedures, and approach. Mathematics was in- temated into the Dromam as it found areas of relevance of - . - application to various concepts, as a unifying and general- izine factor and not for its own sake. The educational ob- - jective was to evolve and achieve a simple, stimulating and comprehensive view of the structure of matter in many of its aspects and manifestations.

A concurrent second objective was the evaluation and judgement of science and technology in social, ethical, economic, and humanistic terms so that the student he- comes coenizant of the i m ~ a c t of science and technolow on society. The student would then have acquired an un- derstanding of science and a serious and responsible inter- est in the ways and means by which scientific knowledge is used in the complex civilization of which he must con- sider himself an integral part.

The curriculum is contemporary and problem-centered and at the same time permits the student to rediscover the roots of belief in humanity. There is a greater avail- abilitv and varietv of learning ex~eriences in place of rigid - . . conventional patterns of instruction.

The three ohiectives of the promam are: first, to provide a hroad, comp;ehensive education in physical science by breaking down the artificial barrier separating the disci- plines; second, to stimulate student interest in physical science and its applications, thus increasing the ability of the college to attract capable science students; third, to make more efficient use of the college's resources since the maintenance of separate faculties and facilities in each discipline is becoming prohibitive costwise for a small col- lege.

This interdisciplinary program could be considered as the first step in the long-range program for the improve- ment of science instruction in liberal arts colleges. The second step could be the integration of the biological sci- ences with chemistry, physics and mathematics. Within 5-10 years it i s anticipated that all science instruction could be integrated into a single program, once this cru- cial experiment for the education of the scientific elite can be undertaken and evaluated.

Summary The main thrust of Session III-B was the development

of special courses and curricula. Several of the papers fo- cused on the integrated core or concepts laboratory. A few papers ventured to suggest curricula which cut across the disciplines of chemistry and physics, and mathematics to achieve a unity of concept. The development of special- ized curricula is necessary to keep chemistry teaching in consort with the exponential increase in knowledge. These new curricula may, ~hilosophically. t o from the extremes of the most generalized (e:g., integrated science) to the most specialized (e.g., nursing, student laboratory).

The following problems must be evaluated: (1) How does one handle transfers from the 2-year college into spe- cialized curricula? (2) Advanced placement testing; and (3) Problems of "team teaching."

Advantages of these changes in curricula are: (1) The student experiences interrelatedness; and (2) The repeat- ed emphasis on flexibility. Many feel it appropriate that further development of special curricula be encouraged to provide for the need of the "special"student.

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IV: Relevance and Significance

Special Session: The Relevancy of Irrelevance

Speaker: Hubert Alyea, Princeton University

The youth of today insists that he be taught only that which is "relevant" to his life. But who knows what is rele- vant? One thing we can he sure of: what seem trivia today become importantly relevant tomorrow. The stories which follow hear this out.

Year 1783 Because Madame Lavoisier was a social climber: modern chemistry

was born.

Year 1810 Because of the British Blockade: you can thank Napoleon for

Chemical Industry.

Year 1860 Because an architect dreamed of a snake swallowing its tail: mod-

ern organic chemistry was born.

Years l88&1923 Because nitro-cellulose was . . . spilled: we have explosives and plastics . . . pulled: we have rayon . . . smashed: we have safety-glass . . . sprayed: we have modem lacquers.

Year 1894 Because she was neither his mother, sister, wife, nor mistress: she

catapulted Lord Rutherford ta fame. "Never underestimate the power of a woman."

Year 1920 Because a bacteria fought two wars: a nation was born.

Year 1929 Because he learned to swim when he was a boy: some of you in this

roam are alive today. Year 1932 Because a scientist ran out of research money: he achieved trans-

mutation, and the atom bomb was born. Intermission: Dust Explosion: itself a useful irrelevancy

Year 1934 Because a pre-medical student refused to write a medical thesis:

he made an interesting medical discovery.

Year 1935 Because he could not find a job: he became a millionaire. Not being

able to spell helped too

Year 1939 Because he had a prepared mind when the lucky accident occurred:

2 lbs. of stuff weigh 25,O(M,WO lbs today. Year 1964 Because he was a spectroscopist: he improved his guitar by feeding

it into his computer.

Year 1968 Because of the space program: our complex civilization may be

saved by computers. Year 1976 The Church that Ducks built.

And Finally: same episodes in the life of your speaker, in which irrelevancy became terribly relevant.

Session IV-A: Individualized Instruction in Large Courses

Moderator: H. A. Neidig, Lebanon Valley College Scribes: Merriam A. Jones, Northern Virginia Community College

John R. Wilson, Shippensburg State College, Pa.

The prohlem of individualizing instruction in large classes has become more acute because of the academic expansion experienced during the last decade. Larger lec- ture sections have heen the role. This session presented responses of four institutions to this problem.

Elizabeth P. Rogers and Gilbert P. Haight (Uniuersi- ty of Illinois, Urbana), in a paper presented by Dr. Rogers, descrihed chemistry instruction for about 1,000 freshmen who are placed on lower and upper tracks on the basis of entry-level tests.

D. A. Humphreys, A. C. Blizzerd, and F. R. S. Clark (McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario) in a paper de- livered by Dr. Humphreys, dealt with the effectiveness of individualized instruction in freshman chemistry a t McMaster. An integrated program of audio-visual and computer assisted instructional methods in a learning re- source system was evaluated. Students are sorted accord- ing to high school backgrounds in mathematics and science and are presented various novel individualized

audio-tapelmini-text programs. The authors assessed the economic and educational factors involved in the applica- tion of learning-center approaches to undergraduate teaching, where students choose from a variety of individ- ual programs. The development of self-teaching kits was also descrihed. Cost effectiveness as well as learning effec- tiveness favors the programed mini-text package. The first-year course has also been given on a self-instructional basis. An average of four hours is spent going through the minitext-tape program with a spread of about two hours. Using the same examinations, i t was found that the num- her of "first class grades" was increased from 18% to 50% of the class. The mean mark went from 55% to 66% and the number of failures was cut from 17% to 9%.

Paula Brownlee (Rutgers, New Brunswcck), in a paper titled "General Chemistry-Reaching Students as Indi- viduals in the Large Course" discussed how one can "spice" a traditional curriculum so as to awaken dormant interest. A freshman library manned hy a teaching assis-

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tant is open to help students. Optional field trips are ar- raneed and no multi~le-choice questions are given on ex- - - aminations.

Bassim S. Shakashiri (University of Wisconsin, Madi- son) also addressed himself to associated with teaching the large class. The acceptance of the newer in- structional aids such as television and computers should enable teachers and students to participate in a meaning- ful way in the education process a t a variety of levels. At the Universitv of Wisconsin-Madison several promams have been la"nched tn improve the effectiven&s of the freshman chemistry program (2500 students, 10 faculty, 70 teaching assistants). The main approaches include: ( I ) effective utilization of audio-visual aids in laboratory and classroom instrurtion, (2) development of tutorials for in- dividualized instruction, and (9) training of teaching as- sistants to help enhance their role as i&ructors inquiz sections and laboratory sessions. The teaching assistant training program includes videotaping of TA's in class- rwms, TA surveys conducted three or four times a semes- ter, and a graduate course entitled "The Teaching of Chemistry".

After these formal comments were presented, the speakers were convened as a panel and the floor was opened to questions and comments.

Comments

Robert Davidsan, Yale. The experience at Yale differs somewhat from that at Rutgem. A special, limited enrollment (25) course is offered freshmen. Admission is based upon ETS achieve- ment, advanced placement tests, or successful completion of a second-year high school chemistry course. The course is con- ducted in a conventional manner, but the small class size and the articulate nature of the students are conducive to extensive interaction between teacher and students. There are monthly

special interest gmup seminars in which each student makes a presentation of interest to his group.

Neil Potter, Mohawk Trail Regional H.S. Should university credit he given to anyone far work done at the high school level? A "disadvantaged student may take several low level courses and receive credit for them. If this is so, he does not re- ceive the same education as his peers. It would be preferable to give him extra help and time, perhaps even a fifth year so that he can do the same quality and amount of work as anyone else.

Jeff Davis, Uniuersity of South Florida. TV instruction can he a valid, interesting, and motivating instructional format if the time segments are kept short.

Summary

The thought common to these presentations appears to be that there is no one universal solution to the dilemma of large classes. Yet this must not he construed to mean that solutions lie beyond the abilities of today's chemical educators. Rather, it means that of the variety of tech- niques available today, the choice and implementation lie with the faculty members themselves and the students they serve. The important precautions seem to be that neither comolacence with the traditional techniques nor warnings that class size made innovation impossible should he acce~ ted as credible reasons for inhibiting novel solutions to these problems.

.

The diversity of audio-visual aids housed in resource centers, the training of teaching assistants to he more ef- fective and personally involved, and the realistic place- ment of students in general chemistry courses according to their skills and needs have been suggested as means of individualizing college chemistry teaching.' These pro- cesses have been applied to both conventional courses and to courses specially designed for their inclusion. The state of the art is in its nascent phase at many institutions; the future will present a considerable expansion of both the art and the technology.

Session IV-6: Relevance: Chemistry for Pleasure

or for Profit

Moderator: Derek A. Davenport, Purdue University Scribes: Doris Kolb, Bradley University

George Splittgerber, Colorado State University

This part of the program was subtitled: "Relevance: Chemistry for Pleasure or for Profit" hut in a sense this was a phoney antithesis. It is true that the first four speakers who spoke were concerned with the more tradi- tional virtues of education via chemistry hut they did so in various ways. Harold Cassidy insisted eloquently on the eternal verities of precision in thought and word in his discussion of "Relevance." Margaret Farago argued the paradox "Specialized Courses for a Broad Education" at least as far as the new student population in Britain is concerned. Robert DeSieno articulated the "Mixed Emo- tions" of a young man pausing to look back on his first years of teaching and wondering whither and why. Leon Mandel spoke of "Things My Mother Told Me" and sug- gested that scientists must take up the torch of learning which so many of the humanists and sociologists have dropped now that they no longer need it to f i e students emotions. None of the humanists or sociologists in the au- dience was prepared to argue otherwise. The last four speakers, John Lundherg, Gerald Toogwd, Rohert Becker and David Russell, were concerned not so much with

"Profit" as with the opportunities which remain, even in these Nixonomic times, for suitably disposed and appro- priately educated chemists. In view of the general bearish feelings about employment prospects in chemistry which permeated the entire conference it was refreshing to find bullish sentiments well and authoritatively stated. Clearly chemistry departments must reconsider their present practice of turning out God-like replicas of themselves and give attention to the more pragmatic, hut equally challenging, task of preparingstudents for the real world.

Relevance Harold G. Cassidy, Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana,

(retired from Yale University)

STUDENT

SOCIETY

. , I t TEACHER The System

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Relevance is the quality of having a traceable and sig- nificant connection to something else. Because it is a rela- tionship i t takes on meaning only in relation to a frame of reference. In our particular area of concern the frame of reference is given in part by the diagram above. This frame implies that whatever is pertinent, or apposite, to any one factor inevitably affects all the others. The teach- er mediates the curriculum to the student; the society produces and to some extent conditions them, and i t em- ploys the teachers; the students will become that society and will bring the cultural and the technical insights that they have learned. The whole comprises a system: what is relevant to one part affects the others.

Most of the hopeful plans that we hear of are restricted to one or two of these factors: very seldom three; hardly ever four. The reason is, in part, that we have to com- municate in words and symbols, discursively-that is, strung out. We can't 'say' the diagram but must describe i t and discuss it discursively. This means that we have to break up the whole system into parts, and treat them so, relying upon our brains to grasp the whole thing. We can reason only with words and symbols; not with grunts and groans and existential moans-they have other functions. But alas. words and other svmhols-indeed nearly all means of communication, incl;ding scientific-do not by anv means guarantee the validity of what is communicat- ed: They enter our brain patt&s, hut in a context of memories. feelines and current states of being that surely give them different meanings, in part, for different people. Thus we have no guarantee a t all that each of us perceives and comprehend'the same thing as we look at this di- agram. Then, the frame is not the same for each of us. It is the function, perhaps, of much of the discussion in a Conference such as this, with all its repetition, etc., to bring our separate frames somewhat into congruence.

Another element in the picture I have drawn bears somewhat on this last point. Beautiful plans are present- ed. This is grand, and highly to be desired. Now to break away from conventional methods which, after all, have a certain evolutionary sanction, requires extraordinary devotion and effort even after the initial insight. We are required to discard an equity which may have cost us much trouble to acquire. To embody a new insight and make it operational requires, normally, powerful convic- tions that the Plan, or Proposal, is beautiful and effica- cious. Let us admit that it is: and that it is a powerful tool. Then the danger arises that it will, in Toynbee's phrase, become idolized. I t may finally be worshipped as an end in itself, so that the devotee teaches for the sake of the Plan, rather than the student.

John Buchan in one of his stories speaks of the diamond cutters who, refinkg their tools gradually become more concerned with the tools than with whether they are cut- ting diamond or glass-and then, don't care. Perhaps this is a parable that clarifies the complaints-mostly incho- ate--of many students when they call for relevance.

You can see that my unhappy task is to help you doubt yourselves.

Specialized Courses for a Broad Educatibn M. E. Farago. Bedford College, Regent's Park, London

NWI 4NS, England

Chemical courses in British Universities are very wide ranging. As each new discovery is made and each new field is opened up, i t is added to advanced undergraduate courses, so that the student leaving college with a BSc. degree may have up-to-the-minute knowledge. This mate- rial has been added without any significant dropping of topics. The large amount of material the student has to acquire is, to say the least, daunting. In the days when a

chemistry degree led to a good job, the possessor of a great deal of knowledge in the field was a t a premium. Today, many students, of necessity, take employment outside the field of chemistry and have no motivation to undertake a course of the magnitude of a chemistry degree. I t was sug- gested, paradoxically, that a more specialized course, could lead to a broader education. Such courses were sug- gested, and their likely value to a general education dis- cussed.

Mixed Emotions: A Prescription for Survival in the Small Chemistry Department Robert P. DeSieno, Westmlnster College, New Wil-

mington, Pennsyluania

Students and teachers of chemistry have staggered into a relatively grim era. Recent rumblings in the ACS and indeed conferences like this are symptoms of our troubled times. For students and teachers in small chemistry de- partments, the situation is intensified by diminishing en- rollments of major students, by reduced support from fed- eral and other granting agencies, and by a society that seems increasingly removed from the scientific perspec- tive.

In view of these developments, are nonuniversity stu- dents and faculty likely to achieve meaningful survival by teaching the standard chemistry curriculum, struggling with research projects that, tw often, consist of long in- terruptions, and by serving on committees concerned with matters such as the quality of the environment? The out- come of these activities is in doubt and at least some stu- dents and chemists must seek other ways of finding mean- ing in their day-to-day efforts.

In the past, chemistry has often been viewed as the bridge between the physical and the life sciences. Now can be the time when the chemist becomes the bridge be- tween thinking in the sciences and thinking in the humanities. To accomplish this end, it is time to reintro- duce some purpose for our programs besides mere profes- sional competence. At many of our liberal arts colleges faculty in chemistry should lead the effort to integrate ideas and perspectives from chemistry with those in the humanities.

Two inderdisciplinary courses were discussed as models of activity that can help students to justify further the ex- istence of chemistry professors.

Things My Mother Told Me Leon Mandell, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Education is defined as the creative and imaginative use of knowledge. Thus we, as educators, are obliged to lead students to knowledge and then demand of them cre- ativity.

The sciences, with their ability to objectively evaluate the extent to which a student's creativity is manifest with success are eminently suited as agents to bring about the educational experience.

The adage given to me by my mother was a good one. She said "Get an education for it is something they can't take from you." By this she was saying, get an education for i t will help develop circumstances where, maybe, something good can happen to you. By stating the reason for education this way she was not limiting me by whatev- er might have been her limitations.

We should do the same for our students. Let us promise them nothing and by this make possible everything.

Cooperative Applied Chemistry Gerald E. Toogood, Uniuersity of Waterloo, Ontario Can-

ada

Since 1966 the Chemistry Department a t the University of Waterloo has been operating a program in Applied

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Chemistry which requires students to alternate between "on-campus" and "on-the-job" terms while studying for an Honors Degree. The program takes 4 years, 8 months, including six "off-campus" sessions, to graduation with BSc (Hans). Each term is of twelve wCeks duration allow- ing approximately 30 lecture hours per term in each course, together with varying amounts of university labo- ratory work. During the "off-campus" terms a student works in industrial plants, research laboratories and Gov- ernment concerns anywhere in Canada depending on de- mand and his (or her) interests. Generally the student will not work more than two terms with any one company al- though sometimes an early mutual affinity results in a successful "marriage" which is maintained beyond gradu- ation.

The Applied Program, run on the Cooperative plan as outlined above, has proved very successful in placing stu- dents in jobs in difficult times-our first graduates emerged in 1971 and all were offered suitable jobs a t that time, which is more than could be said of our Regular Honors Chemistry Program graduates (or indeed those of other Universities). A similar record of placement was achieved this year. There are now some 50 graduates of this program of whom 40 are working in industry. (The remainder are in graduate schools or high school teacher training courses.) It is also worth pointing out that the undergraduates in this program are essentially assured of a job during "off-campus" periods! Also, these periods do not always occur in the summer season (only twice out of the six "off" terms) which helps solve the student summer unemployment problem.

Some Opportunities in Applied Chemistry John L. Lundherg, School of Textile Engineering, Geor-

gia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Education in chemistn, should not be merelv a trade school type of training in cbemical technology. everth he- less. a formal cbemical education should include some practical knowledge as to how chemistry is actually being used by employed chemists.

Employment opportunities for chemists often lie in fields other than "pure" chemistry. Textile and polymer chemists, for example, are among the most numerous and best paid of industrial chemists. Analytical chemistry and the whole area of separations engineering are also fields in which demand tends to exceed supply. Electrochemistry, es~eciallv a t interfaces in ~olvmeric svstems. is another fiild of opportunity that might be mentioned.

The need for chemists in such fringe areas of chemistry suggests that chemistry departments should establish some cross-links with other departments so that chemistry majors can enjoy some of the-fun and opportunities that the diversity of chemistry affords.

The lndustrial Internship: Acadernic- Industrial Cooperation Robert H. Becker, Gannon College, Erie, Pennsyluania

The Gannon College Industrial Internship Program is designed to allow junior and senior science majors an op- portunity to spend the Intersession working with and ob- serving professionals in their fields. This program provides on-the-job training for students and provides both the stu- dents and the cooperating departments a better insight into the problems and needs of industry. The students are able to apply the knowledge and background they have received in the classroom and laboratory to the problems of industry and will acquire new knowledge and learn new techniques as a result of their experiences. The industrial supervisors, in turn, have a chance to observe and evalu- ate today's student in an on-the-job situation and are able

to comment on the academic training of the students. This mutual encounter and evaluation of students and in- dustry will lead to better and more meaningful academic- industrial cooperation and will facilitate the eventual transition of the students from the academic to the indus- trial community.

The Chemist of the 70's-An Industrial Point of View H. David Russell, Dow Chemical U.S.A., Midland,

Michigan

In the 1970's, a principal need in the chemical industry is to convert to useful products and services the results of research conducted over the last twenty years. There will not he a substantial investment in "basic research as we have known it. In fact, management prefers not to differ- entiate between basic and applied research, thinking more in terms of long-range goals with the willingness to supply the research necessary to reach these goals. Some of it will be basic and much of i t will be applied. What kinds of chemists will be needed to fill the industrial research po- sitions of the 1970's? As the hiring picture begins to brighten a little, it continues to he evident that need for PhD's will remain relatively low. Not zero, but not very laree either. The chemist with a bachelor's demee or a master's degree will be the one meeting the preiominant need of industn,. At the Dow Chemical Comnanv. re- . .. search is one of two entry points for new employees into the company. Marketing is the other. It is expected that the majority of people starting in research will not spend their entire career in that function but will move out into production, development, technical services, marketing, and other areas needing experienced persons with scientif- ic backgrounds. Desirable traits will include the ability to work effectively with others, good communication skills, a broad interest and technical background, and a realiza- tion that continuing education is part of the way of life.

Comments The discussants of Session IV-B then convened as a

panel and the floor was opened to questions and observa- tions.

Malcolm ReAew, Uniuersity of Idaho. Industry in years past valued the PhD not because of the "useful training" which it had provided the degree holder but because it identified job candidates with higher intelligence and greater potential pro- ductivity.

(1) Does your statement that Dow will now be hiring more BS and MS people than PhD's mean that the PhD no longer is a measure of basic quality? (2) Or does it mean that current PhD training is making potentially good employees less useful to you. (3) Or does your current preference for BS people sim- ply reflect the economic truth that BS .people expect a lower starting salary? (The salary difference really isn't that big is :*7, ' L . ,

Dr. Russell. The statement that Dow will he hiring more MS and BS people means a number of things.

Entry level jobs on the technical side at Dow are entirely in research now. This is with the awareness that the majority of these people will not continue a career in research all of their lives. People starting in research will allow their interests in products and processes into other areas of technical service, de- velopment, manufacturing and even marketing. The PhD is often too narrowlv trained or interested to make these transfor- mations. It has been well-documented in this economic down- turn that the narrowly trained and interested researcher often does not survive realignment of research organizations.

Too much of the current PhD training has produced "crank turners" and society does not need that kind of a person with that level of education. The PhD needs to he truly outstanding in both intelleetural canacitv and the abilitv to solve nrohlems. ~ ~ ~.~ . The recommendation, i n the Krpnn of thr Commitrrr on I'ro- fes4onal Training of rhr American Chemical Swiery are exrcl- lent in this regard wee Sessmn I-C uf rhls Report,.

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The economic problem cannot he ignored and it is one that industry created for itself. In the 1960'8, the PhD degree eom- manded a premium in salary. With the recent change in needs, industry has not found a way to avoid paying a premium when the situation does not really warrant it (except hy not hiring the PM). This premium places a newly hired PhD in a place on the salary scale that requires him to he super-successful in order to maintain what could be considered an orderly salary progression. For the less-than-exceptional person, this can he a serious problem. The person with a BS or MS degree, starting at a lower salary, has more time to prove himself and the value of his contributions to thecampany.

Dean Parks, Mississippi College (to John Lundherg). After hav- ing just participated in one of the ACS Operation Interface pro- grams between industry and academia, I have heard the stan- dard complaints of industry that the current chemistry major is too narrow in his understanding of chemistry. However as Dr. DeSieno pointed out, the help wanted ads all ask for special- ists. I would like to ask Dr. Lundherg how a student can he prepared for the very specialized fields that he says are "eom- ers" without the addition of more "narrow" courses.

Lucy Pryde, San Diego Mesa College (to M. E. Farago). By ad- vocating deep study of one particular topic, aren't you leading your students into narrower horizons rather than broadening their education? Overspecialization is one cause of ohsoles- cenee, we have heard from several speakers.

Unfortunately the lateness of the hour did not allow time for questions or discussion following the panel pre- sentation, and the foregoing problems and comments were submitted in writing.

Lori Weiner, St. Barbara H. S., Chicago (to Robert Becker). I see the industrial internship as a worthwhile part of a student's

training in chemistry. As a past student participant in a simi- lar oromam. I would like to note the fallowine advantaees: (1) . .. . - -~ . ability tu panierpare in a research prqerr, inrluding the writ- ing of the repon. (2, espwure to how industrial lab3 operate their organization, how projects originate, work pace; and (3) use of equipment not available in our undergraduate lab, in- cluding computers.

Lori Weiner, St. Barbara H. S., Chicago (to Robert DeSieno). I wholeheartedly agree with DeSieno's thoughts that we need to stress the humanistic side of chemistry in our teaching. Per- haps never before have chemists been in such positions to con- trol the quality of life as they are today in our technological society. It is important that students realize the social and moral implications their work will have.

A. Truman Sehwartz, Macalester College (toRobert DeSieno). Professor DeSiena's perceptive paper has raised one of the

mmt important points of the conference-the need to humanize chemistry. It is a need which is equally compelling for students who will hecame the professional chemists of the future and nonmajors enrolled in terminal courses. As teachers, we would he well-advised to demonstrate and transmit to our students the insight of Jacob Bronowski's little hook, "Science and Human Values." By thus integrating chemistry into the totali- ty of man's intellectual environment we can do much to abolish what a student of mine once called "The antiseptic arrogance of science." Through my personal pedagogical participation in a now-defunct required general education course with a strong science component, an inter-disciplinary seminar involving stu- dents and faculty from the departments of English, history, philosophy, and chemistry, a January term offering in alchemy, and courses for nanscienee majors, I can testify that such ef- forts are a stimulating as they are demanding.

V: Environmental Chemistry and Chemistry for Chemical Technicians, Citizens, and Poets

Session V-A: Environmental Chemistry

Moderators: William R. Moomaw, Williams College Scribes: John Moore, Eastern Michigan University

William Davies, Eastern Michigan University

There seems to he a general feeling that chemistry is unusually well-suited as a basic discipline with which to explore environmental problems. Conversely environmen- tal prohlems are also seen as a useful framework in which to teach traditional chemistry especially a t the introduc- tory level or to the nonscience major. Although only two general papers appear in this section, other environmental chemistry examples appear in session V-C, and descrip- tions of courses provided by participants are included in the comments.

Eco-Chem-Humane Chemistry J. A. Campbell, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont Col-

lege, California 91711 The fact that only two conference papers out of 75 men-

tion the environment and ecology is revealing. It means either that new chemists are insensitive to current student interests, or they are anticipating the inevitable swing away f r o m t h e current hottest topic. But ecology is not new to chemistry, nor will it go away in the future. It used to be called household chemistry, but now has been trans- lated into Greek, (eco-house). It is the house which has changed, not the chemistry. We are now aware that the house is a t least as large as the world.

Since everything in the world is chemical, chemists should have something to say about the world house. They must keep this chemical house in touch with the larger dwelling. So I suggest two precepts for the chemical house: (1) a house should have windows, (2) a house should have doors.

In general, we have been calm, listened well, profited from this conference. But three times you were excited, in- volved and actively learning: when Alyea did his experi- ment and when nursing and audiovisual use were dis- cussed. They had in common not dynamic lectures, not good jokes, not original ideas (though all had their share of each). They had in common visual presentations which transcended the linear code of speech and writing. You learned more, and more rapidly (and enjoyed it more) be- cause more than your ears, especially your eyes, were ac- tively involved. Perhaps the greatest experiment of this conference can be carried back to your class in the form of lecture experiments and effective use of visuals transcend- ing the linear code of spoken and written words. Houses need windows.

Lecture experiments are easy to do. Example: CaC03 is in every classroom. When you use i t you are experi- menting with chemical bonding. Bonds break and form in

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writing with CaCOa on the chalkboard, when you erase, and when you wash the board. Why not discuss this so the student will think of chemistry whenever he sees chalk used? Even in his poetry class.

Houses need doors. Chemistry is nice hut isn't it the old-fashioned heaven where the doors swing "inward ever, outward never." Chemical doors must open outward and encourage the student to use chemistry and its molecular approach in many fields. The Eco-Chem page in the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION gives monthly suggestions. Two examples outside "traditional" chemis- try: (1) How many atomic layers are lost per revolution of an auto tire on an average? (2) Given the sequence of events in the birth of an individual, when (from a cbemi- cal point of view) does life begin? Chemistry is essential in understanding hoth the simpler events and the more complicated problems of human existence. Why not chemistry in life-long learning?

Lecture experiments can provide windows and teaching for transfer can provide doors, so that the house of chem- istry is bright, pleasant, interesting, useful, even exciting.

Eco-Chem in Associate Degree Education Sevin E. Greninper. Jr., Center for Air Environment

Srudir.,, Penns~/t.ania Store llnil.erslr), Univer.$iry Park, Pennsylvania

A recently initiated two-year program a t the Berks and University Park Campuses in Air Pollution Control Engi- neering Technology (APCET) was briefly characterized. The credits for graduation are as follows: Communications 9, Applied Mathematics 10, Chemistry 11, Electricity and Electronics 13, Environmental Engineering and Science 13, General Engineering and Applied Physics 11, and Sociology and Humanities 6. The role of chemistry in the environmental program was defined. The use of equip- ment, facilities, and personnel from the Center for Air Environment Studies, an interdisciplinary research cen- ter, was descrihed. Instructional methods demonstrating the relevance of chemistry in courses on air monitoring methods were briefly descrihed. A brief discussion was given of sources of Federal information on standard meth- ods for analysis of pollutants promulgated through the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1971. The chief source is the Federal Regis- ter. The program descrihed is funded by Public Health Service Contract AP000-26 with contract administration by the Office of Air Programs, Environmental Protection Agency.

Comment

Lucy Pryde, San Diego Mesa College. We are also teaching i n enviranmentally-oriented chemistry course far nonscience stu- dents (people wanting specifics should contact me at the given address). From our experience it, seems to me that one impor- tant strength of this type of course has not been stressed in the session. This is the high leuel a t learning made possihle because of the strong motivation provided by the students interest in the environmental topics. Far an introductory course, intended not to recruit majors but to help students deal with under- standing their surroundings, a great deal more honest ehemis-

try can be presented than is the ease in typical survey courses given to non-majors.

Question. I would be interested to know what you feel is the long-range outlook for the inclusion of environmental chemistry courses in the chemistry curriculum.

Dr. ~;eninger: I strongly suspect that environmental chemistry ' courses will be added to chemistry curriculums as electives. New textbooks will include some facets of environmental science as authors strive to make the subject of their texts more relevant. However, a most difficult problem in education arises when something new is added-something has to go.

Since environmental issues are tied to economic growth, pop- ulation growth, etc., each passing day reinforces the need to in- clude environmental material in educational programs.

Sister Mary Charles Wesehler. Mercyhurst College. I' have taught a course entitled "Environmental Problems I" twice in the past year. It is a laboratory course for non-majors. Basic texts have been "Cleaning Our Environment," the "ACS re- port," and "The Biosphere," a Scientific American reprint. Laboratory work has included preparation and properties of air pollutants, composition of air, water-testing with a Hach-kit, use of micropore filters. Other features: guest lecturers from control agencies and industry; science projects in laboratory and library with reports graded by their peers.

This course is part of a 5-course sequence which allows an endorsement for environmental education, K-12, to be added to a Pennsylvania teaching certificate. Approval of this program by Pa. Dept. of Education was obtained in July, 1972.

I have also been part of a team teaching "Man and Surviv- al," an interdisciplinary course involving urhan sociology, eco- nomics, theology, and chemistry.

Summary I t is unfortunate that there was not a larger number of

papers that descrihed the different environmental chemis- try courses and programs that have been introduced. From informal discussions, it is clear that it would he fruitful for those who have developed and those who are planning such courses to share their experiences and re- source materials. Much duplication of effort could be avoided in this way, and we hope that another session will be arranged for a future conference.

Environmental topics are presently incorporated in the following ways

(1) Environmental examples (usually dealing with pollution) are being increasingly used in existing courses.

(2) Courses far nonscience majors have been canstrueted based upon the environment as a vehicle for teaching chemical concepts. Two such courses are descrihed in participant comments.

(3) Training courses for technicians and other technical and managerial people are increasing in number.

(4) There are special topics courses involving such topics as air, water. and oesticides. which are available to chemistrv ma- prs and orhers having the necessary prerequirites.

( A ) Chemists have a h participated in n~ultidisciplinary cours- es rnwhing not only other icirntiits, hut alau faculty mem- bers from the soeial sciences and humanities.

We hope that "Eco-Chem" will he incorporated in a va- riety of ways in chemical education. I t provides hoth use- ful examples to illustrate chemical principles, and makes us aware that in many cases our surroundings are suffi- ciently important that the chemical system must be ex- panded to encompass them.

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Session V-6: Chemistry for Chemical Technicians

Moderator: Oliver Seeley, Jr., California State College, Dominguez Hills

Scribes: Lucy T. Pryde, San Diego Mesa College Clifford G. Venier, Texas Christian University

One aspect of chemical education which is often ne- glected in our considerations is the training of chemical technicians. Possible remedies for the neglect shown to this area of education are suggested in the first paper. Some of the specific practical problems involved in one-, two-, three-, and four-year chemical technology programs are presented in the second paper. The third paper deals with the training of air pollution control engineering tech- nicians. The last paper discusses chemistry for the non- college bound high school student.

Merging Student Desires and Society's Needs- The Technical Side Kenneth Chapman, Vice President, Computer Based In-

structional Systems, Inc., San Antonio, Texas 78205

In 1982, two widely divergent situations could exist a t Superfluous Chemical Company: 1) it may have succeed- ed in getting all its employees the required PhD degrees, or 2) it may have achieved the goal of a 2 technician:l professional ratio. The first situation leaves Superfluous without a production force, maintenance crew, or even technicians to operate efficiently the complex instruments that require skill as well as knowledge. As impractical as this first situation appears, hoth chemical educators and chemical employers make status evaluations that promote it. The second situation would require a 10 year produc- tion of about 41,000 chemical technicians per year-an unlikely event.

Instructors have an insatiable desire to reproduce them- selves through any student that shows some potential in working with chemistry. We then accord him second class status if he proves to be principally interested in laborato- ry work and shows little interest in the abstractions of chemistry. Even in chemical technology education, suc- cess is frequently measured by the number of chemists produced, not by the number of successful chemical tech- nicians.

Employers have generally failed to provide advance- ment patterns other than those that force technicians to become chemists, even though this value to the company decreases as a result of the change.

As chemical educators, we have been discipline-oriented rather than person oriented. We must take much more in- terest in determining the type of activity preferred by the student-laboratory work or mental manipulating of chemical knowledges. Society has need for hoth types of individuals. Forcing a student into the wrong direction produces a high degree of dissatisfaction and inefficiency for the employer.

Greater cooperation between employers and educators is required to determine the priorities chemical education should set for itself. As it is, industry is frequently unable to determine its own needs because it thinks in terms of what kinds of chemically trained personnel it has used in the past. Instead, it must more effectively determine its future needs.

The potential we have for applying instructional aids (overhead projectors to computer assisted instruction) to chemical education should result in much greater flexihil- ity in a given chemistry "course." If we have clear possi-

ble goals in mind, we may he able to show students alter- native ways of working in chemistry and better satisfy hoth student desires and preferences while better meeting society's needs. Comments Dwaine Eubanks, Oklahoma State Uniuersity. I believe the ap-

proach we-as an organized diseipline-are taking toward training chemical technicians is largely missing the mark. We seem to assume that there are students who are sufficiently motivated toward chemistry to be recruited into Chem Tech programs, but not so highly motivated that they wish to be- come professional chemists. I think there are very few people with this characteristic.

Dr. Chapman. While I favor separate Chem Tech programs for students who make such decisions, I believe that the general chemical community must recognize and respond to the oh- vious need for laboratory oriented ("bench") workers and the obvious desire of many persons to do "bench" chemistry whether their degrees say "Technician" or "Chemist." For a number of years, individual success far chemical specialists has been measured more by their managerial competence than by their actual laboratory expertise. Both academe and industry need to respond, or we will continue to produce much unneees- say and destructive dissatisfaction as we force individuals into roles which they do not want and for which they are not prop- erly suited.

Chsmical and Chemical Engineering Technicians: Characterization of Major Problems and Associated Solution Constraints

Nevin B. Greninger, Jr., Pennsyluania State Uniuersity, Uniuersity Park, Pennsyluania, 16802, and Ruth G. Botdorf, Berks Campus, Pennsylvania State Uniuersity, Reading, Pa. 19608

A classification of different educational programs cur- rently <,'ered in the associate and technology areas relat- ing to :!.:' chemical process industries is given. Common and di'"pi.ent problem areas involved in one., two-, three., and f~!:rvear oromams are delineated. These areas in- clude rec&tm&'texthook, equipment, teacher training, choice of aonronriate zoals and minimal accentable stan- .. . dards, placement, and continuing education.-~uestion is posed on what combination of general education and ca- reer education is desirable for two-year programs. For two-year programs with parallel emphasis on educating hoth the chemical technician and the chemical engineer- ing technician, the question on choice of level of academic standards is posed. Merits of a one-year program with "on the job training" are discussed. For two-year programs the senarate ontion annroach for chemical technicians and . . chemical engineering technicians is evaluated. Solution constraints and cost-effective factors are identified for co- operative ventures between two academic institutions. An examole from the allied field of environmental technolorn -. of a cooperative effort between a two-year and a four-year campus is presented. This approach funded by the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency is considered as one way of coping with manpower, equipment, and relevancy proh- lems. Comments Marion Baker, Valeneia Community College. Chem Tech pro-

grams would be more attractive if their credits could be trans-

Volume 50, Number 1. January 1973 / 37

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ferred to a lour-year propam. This way a student could rackle a two-year prapam, get n wdl-paying job as a chem tech and look forward to cunrinuing his professional educnfion at a later date if the opportunity arises.

Dr. Botdort The problem of lack of transferable credits in Chemical Technology programs is disturbing to some educators and not to others. At the 5th MARM of ACS at the University of Delaware in 1970, my colleague, Nevin Greninger, presented a paper directly related to this problem. In his paper he sug- gested that educators fill a gap in associate degree program of- ferings. He proposed a quality program for associate degree stu- dents who meet baccalaureate entrance requirements. His pro- posal offered two features. First, it was directed at preparing technician graduates for immediate employment in fields of en- vimnmental research, analysis, and control. Second, it was aimed at satisfying approximately one-half of the requirements for a baccalaureate program in chemistry, biology, or applied mathematics without compromising the first feature.

Estelle K. Meislich, Bergen Community College. Industry should he closely consulted when an institution develops a two-year technology course. This can very well he done by establishing a consulting "Board of Directors" consisting of people from local chemical industries. Their function would he to meet regularly with instructors in the program, to advise about course content, needed skills and job markets.

Dr. Botdorf. Your suggestion of educators consulting with in- dustrialists is apropos to the development of quality two-year technology programs. Let us work together as an academic-in- dustrial team to advance the chemical educational cause in order to attain something of value for all concerned.

Chemistry for Non-College Bound Students Melanie Messer, 659 Chestnut Street, Waban, Massa-

chusetts 02168

Having spent my first years after graduation from col- lege in industry, I noticed a surprising lack of qualified laboratory assistants or lab techs.

Later when I entered the teaching profession, I found the reason why. There are, in general, no programs, a t the high school level, for the training of technicians.

Science teachers in general feel t ha t unless a student is going t o go t o college as a "science major," he will not go into science as a profession. Therefore, teach him esoteric theory or better yet, no science a t all.

This is obviously wrong! The time t o s tar t training lab techs is in high school. It should he explained t o these youngsters t ha t there is a place for them in laboratories. In the field of science, industry has many different types of lahoratories. Paper, paint, oil, medicine, water-to mention only a very very few.

High school teachers themselves have to he educated t o the fact tha t industry needs people i n the laboratory who do not hold a B.S. or B.A. Industry needs the two-year college student and even the lab techs who have a certain basic knowledge given in high school.

Comments Bernard Levenson. Floral Park Memorial Hich School. The

main problem in teaching chemistry to nonseience students in

high school is not a lack of interest in their students, but rather inadequate facilities and insufficient time for preparation.

What is the answer? Educate school administrators to the needs of the non-college bound students. Impress the adminis- trators with the value of laboratory tables equipped with gas, electrical, and water outlets. Let them see the time required to set up a lab and the time required to clean up at the end. Per- haps then they will be moved to allocate the funds and provide the staff necessary to make a meaningful chemistry course for non-college hound students a reality.

Herbert Meislieh, City College of CUNY The curriculum of high school chemistry courses for college bound youngsters is dictat- ed by College Board and Achievement tests. These are geared to Chem Study and more traditional courses which turn off mast youngsters. Because of this, high schools are reluctant to innovate. Should not we as college teachers supported by the ACS move to give high schools more freedom in their curricu- lum by removing the influence of the College Board Exams?

Dr. Messer. As long as colleges require and place undue empha- sis on College Board Exams, the high school curriculum must he geared to prepare a college bound youngster to do well. However, the course discussed in the abstract is not necessarily for the college bound student. There is need for a new curricu- lum to be developed in the secondary schools which will give a science education to the nonscience major.

Ronn Minne, Phillips Academy. The restrictive influence of the chemistry College Board Achievement test on the experimenta- tion in secondary school chemistry curricula was raised. This argument is an invalid one. The present achievement tests have enough items, and are general enough in nature so that a student who has done well in any good general course can score well. The only special preparation necessary is a careful reading of the question types as outlined in the Achievement Test De- scription Handbook.

Douglas Halsted, Euanston High School. One recognized prob- lem has been the reading level of high school chemistry texts. A number of recently developed texts are being written by active high school teachers. College teachers are involved as consul- tants.

Sister Mary Charles Weschler, Mercyhurst College. Elementary education majors at Mercyhurst College are taking a three- term sequence in Science Concepts, team-taught by a chemist, biologist, geologist. physicist. Lab work is done with simple types of inexpensive materials available to elementary schools with small budgets. Evaluation of the course indicated a change in attitude of the students from indifference or dislike to genuine interest.

Summary

The above papers and comments largely speak for themselves. The papers dealing with chemical technician training generated disappointingly l i t t l e discussion from the floor. However, the last paper introduced the topic of high school chemistry. This evoked considerable interest in the whole area of pre-college chemical education. Ap- parently there is more concern about primary and secon- dary science education than was evident from the number of presentations a t the conference dealing with these top- ics.

Aphorisms Expressed

Teaching aids, in the order in which they appeared, include the verbal dialogue, the printed page, and the blackboard and chalk. All teaching aids (if effective) function a s aids to independent study.

In science a student learns that he cannot impose his preconceptions an noture.

Chemistry feachers a re salesmen whose ware is intellectwl curiosity.

The principal goal of education is to develop the creative and imaginative use of learning.

Promise nothing, and therefore make everything possible.

Noted by Robert I. Walter University of Illinois, Chicago Circle

38 / Journal of Chemical Education

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Session V-C: Chemistry for Nonscientists

Moderators: Rudolph Gerlach, Muskingum College Robert H. Thomas, Hamilton, Ohio

Scribes: Ronald Collins, Eastern ~ ichigan University Sister Agnes Green, Immaculate Heart College E. S. Hanrahan, Huntington, West Virginia Eleanor Samworth, Skidmore College

One important problem addressed by the conference was that of implementing the responsibility which rests heavily on chemical educators to reach the nonscience majors. The following papers descrihe efforts t o develop courses for these students in various types of institutions. These represent an effort which may well hear fruit in the future in reducing the separation between "the two cul- tures."

Chemistry for Changing Times: A New Course for Nonscience Students John W. Hill, Uniuersity of Wisconsin, RiuerFalk, 54022

In the decade of the 1960's, beginning college chemistry courses moved ever nearer to physical chemistry and to physics. Course content became more rigorous and more abstract. Chemistry students reached the sophomore year better prepared, although fewer in number. The trend toward abstractness extended even into courses for non- science students. Concomitant with these trends was a decline in enrollment in chemistry classes and a rise of "antiscience" among students of the humanities and so- cial sciences. While these developments have not been simple cause and effect, the author believes that they are not unrelated. Attempts have been made by a number of teachers in the last year or so to increase interest in chemistry by inserting bits of relevant material. This au- thor believes that for the nonscience student a totally dif- ferent course is needed-ne with emphasis on relevant topics with a minimum of atomic structure. bondine. weight relationships, gas laws, etc. Just enough of the; principles should be developed to lav a foundation for an Intelligent, chemically oriented disc;ssion of environmen- tal problems, drug addiction, and other human concerns. Such a course has been developed here. It includes units on plastics, pesticides, pollutants, food additives, deter- gents, and drugs. Laboratory work is directed towards get- ting students out into the real world to find out things for themselves. The success of the course has been demon- strated in a number of ways, including a doubling of the enrollment in two years.

Comments

Leon Mandell, Emory Uniuersity. How do you test the extent to which the nonscience major appreciates the coneeptua~izdtion of chemistry without making him learn the chemistry? I believe this is our purpose in these courses.

J. W. Hill. As our colleagues in music and the arts know so well, one cannot really test appreciation. The real "testing" will came in future years in the decisions these people make as leaders in government and society.

I personally believe that chemistry courses for students of the humanities and social sciences should not be graded. Since uni- versities (and society generally) expect that grades he awarded, I have tried a variety ?f evaluation techniques, none of which are totally satisfactory. These are described in detail in the "Instructor's Guide" to "Chemistry for Changing Times."

Chemistry Appreciation: Introductory Chemistry for Nonscience Majors

Margot K. Schumm, Montgomery Community College, Roekuille, Maryland

1) A chemistry course for nonscience majors must have different objectives from those of the majors course.

(a) To give the student an appreciation of the subject rather than a predetermined bodv of knowledge. Syllabus is "men - . ended".

(h) To free the student to ask questions and to "wonder". As- sienments mav reauire that a student hand in three or four - . . questions about a particular topic rather than answer ques- tlans on that suhiect.

(c) Calculations &;made, hut the object here is to illustrate how many questions can he answered by these methods.

2 ) The laboratory is a very important part of the course. An excerpt from the introduction to the first unit on chemical reactions follows.

We hope that the following laboratory exercises will take you on a perhaps unexpected, but nevertheless, exciting adventure. The talents necessary to experience thisadventure are ones which all of you possess. . . .

Some of these qualifications are. the ability to observe hy the use of all your senses, the ability to record your observations ac- curately, the curiosity to search for explanations for the abserva- tions you have made, and the will and sense of responsibility to yourselves to persevere even when the going gets a bit tough. There is no feeling like the feeling you get when you have done something you thought you could not do.

This first exercise is one which you will be working on, in one way ar another for most of the semester. Your first task is to per- form a number of experiments and to observe what happens in as much detail as possible. You will record these observations in your laboratory notebwk along with all the questions which come to mind. . . .

You will have most of the semester to find explanations for the observations you have mad6 and the answers to most of the ques- tions you have asked. You may be surprised to learn that there are still quite a few unanswered questions in chemistry even in this latter third of the 20th century.

3) Classroom work is related to "life" by monthly semi- nars on "current events". Periodicals assigned are Chem- istry and Chemical and Engineering News. Students are usually pleasantlv sur~r ised a t their interestine contents. Also students hecome-aware of how much they are learn- ing by their increasing ability to undehtand more and more of the material in the publications.

4) Students are required to read one popular non-fiction . . hook and one science fiction book. 5) Results have been generally gratifying. Students ex-

press surprise a t how much they have learned and how much they-haveenjoyed the course. Ahout 5% of the stu- dents taking this course have become interested in science and successfully continued on with the majors course and beyond.

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 39

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Comments

Ralph Burns, East Central Junior College, Union, Missouri. Your emphasis on current literature by using C & E News and Chemistry is important. One method to facilitate student use of such materials is for the instructor to copy these for distribu- tion to students. They then serve as reference sources for small group discussions concerning the seience-society interface.

Dr. Schumm. An excellent suggestion. However, it is still impor- tant that each student have an opportunity to look through one or more issues of each publication just to get their "flavor".

Stanley Bernstein, Antioeh College. When a relevant course touches upon a socially significant aspect of chemistry (e.g., a chemist invented napalm, or biochemists are working on genet- ic engineering), how should we deal with questions of values that students raise and about which they feel very strongly?

Dr. Sehumm. Just discuss them openly and as thoroughly as possible. Give equal time to all viewpoints.

How Much Chemistry? How Much Relevance? J. Edmund White, Southern Illinois University, Edwards-

uille, Illinois

The comments are directed toward courses and texts for nonscience majors, namely those students who do not need chemistry in their major programs. Frequently such courses are developed for a particular student body, espe- cially a t small colleges, and are not easily adaptable to university mass-lecture situations.

My observations are based on eight years experience teaching a course for nonscientists once or twice a year a t a large urban university. Several recent textbooks, aimed a t this type of course, seem to miss the mark by having either too much or too little chemistry and too much rele- vance. Students become confused and discouraged when confronted with much material that they are not expected to master. One example of such a text has an adequate coverage of chemical principles and information but also has too many chapters on applications involving very complex chemistry and complicated names and formulas. Another text begins like a low-level physical chemistry book and also has complicated and lengthy material on drugs, diseases, and metallurgy. A third example skims the basic information too rapidly, providing no foundation for understanding the extensive amounts of "relative" material.

Books for nonscientists should be prepared with careful attention to the characteristics of the audience. Illustra- tions should be clever and related toeveryday experience. The style should be more literary than scientific. "Rele- vant" material must be understandable on the basis of the chemical principles presented in the book. There should be a proper balance of chemistry and applications so that humanities majors can learn something of value about science and enjoy doing it.

Comments

Robert Landolt, Muskingum College. It is erroneous to assume that nonscience majors are qualitatively different people. They do bring different attitudes into the classrooms than scientists; however, it does both "types" of students a disservice to create or promote stereotypes. By the way, where does the science major put his own discipline into perspective? Perhaps we are doing a better job for nonscience majors.

Dr. White. I do not agree with the first statement. Scientisis are different from nonscientists not only in attitude but in apti- tude. College science majors normally are skillful in mathemat- ics, manipulation with the hands, and objective reasoning from facts. Majors in the arts are poor in math and mechanical abil- ity, but skillful in the use of language and subjective analysis. Separate courses for the two types are not intended to promote stereotypes, but to permit different approaches in teaching and different subject matter.

As to the question and comment about the science major, I believe we hove neglected this aspect of training a scientist.

Some history, philosophy, and perspective should be included in our "major" courses.

George Fleck, Smith College. Humanities majors seem to thrive in the midst of vast quantities of written material. The litera- ture major copes with the bookstore racks crammed with all sorts of paperbacks, and learns to browse and select. I feel that, when you urge a chemistry text pruned of supplementary, dis- cursive material, you miss one of the obvious strengths of the target audience.

Dr. White. I agree with this observation. I did not intend to suggest eliminating supplementary discursive material but rather presenting that material in proper balance with the basic chemical material. The "relevant" applications should be understandable in terms of the chemical information presented.

Contempory Chemistry for on science Majors Edward A. Walters, Uniuersity of New Mexico, Albu-

querque

In spite of the many pleas and efforts to the contrary we all too often spend our time searching for The Technique to pass on to our colleagues which will solve the problems of getting chemistry into the heads of our students. In doing so, however, we have managed to ask some of the right questions, most significantly: How do we play the words and music of chemistry for pre-med students, nurs- es, chemists, engineers, nonscientists, etc.? This paper describes an attempt to answer this question for the non- scientist.

The unique insight that chemistry has to offer is a world view which many other disciplines have found fit to adopt as their own, by virtue of its lemarkahle success. It consists of two parts: the atomic model of matter and the concept that change is physico-chemical in nature: Ap- proximately the first quarter of the one semester course we teach is dedicated to an elucidation of this insight. The techniques employed entail an emphasis on class par- ticipation in a modestly sized class (4&50 students) with familiar examples to illustrate the concepts wherever pos- sible. The remainder of the term consists of analyses of problems a t the science-society interface. These serve as vehicles for exploring the chemist's world view, so it makes little difference which ones are used or the order in which they are taken. The chief criterion for choice is stu- dent interest as determined by preferential hallotting from a list of about fifty possible topics. In this list were alternatives such as the energy crisis, photography, air nollution. household chemistw. semiconductors. chemical b io~o~ica i warfare, nuclear chGistry, southwest lawn and narden chemistw; oolvmers, etc. We have found the ener- & crisis to be-p&i&larly useful because of the wide range of interest groups which can be stimulated by this problem.

An assortment of laboratory approaches have been tried with varying degrees of success. Special interest features have also been used to stimulate discussions; some of these have been the selected use of guest lecturers, an eu- counter with a computer, and field trips to test local water supplies.

Contemporary Problems in Chemistry-An Approach to the Nonscience Major Lawrence B. Friedman, Wellesley College, Wellesley,

Mnssachusetts

Three years ago the Department of Chemistry at Wel- lesley College introduced two single-semester courses ti- tled "Contemporary Problems in Chemistry." These courses, taught with laboratory, and specifically designed for nonscience majors, have enjoyed substantial popularity among undergraduates, and have become a permanent part of department offerings. The courses have focused upon the subjects of water and water pollution, air and air pollution, and chemistry and the quality of life. The latter

40 /Journal of Chemical Education

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course, which has been taught two times, has enrolled a n average of 45 students. Topics considered in this course include atomic structure and chemical bonding, nuclear structure and nuclear reactions, chemical systems of hio- logical importance, and chemistry and the environment. The laboratory work has been a term project dealing with the preparation and properties of acetylsalicylic acid, and studies of commercial aspirin tablets.

Comments

William Marshal, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Perhaps with the high quality of Wellesley students, the content of your course is sound. However, I was overwhelmed by the sophisti- cation and extent of yaur subject matter and might even con- clude that normal nonscience students would require some good science courses as prerequisites.

Dr. Frledman. Around 80% of the students in my course have studied chemistry in high school. Consequently I am able to develop with them topics which would not be appropriate for a first-exposure group of students.

However, I think that careful planning on the part of the in- structor (e.g., development of chemical vocabulary) coupled with an attempt to show the relationship between a chemical topic and a topic of personal concern, will encourage students to dig into reasonably sophisticated material, often with much delight on their part.

Anna Harrison, Mount Holyoke College Lawrence Friedman has i a d e the point that students not only can but will read with pleasure rather remarkable material-if they want to know and how the time to read. This, I am worried, is the key to what is commonly called "public understanding of science". Unless students gain a relaxed attitude toward reading at face value scientific material in the public media their education in science ends the day they escape required courses.

Dr. Frledman. One of my most gratifying experiences in teaching nonscience majors has been their clear recognition of the science that surrounds them. New sections of the daily newspa- per and the weekly newsmagazine have become of interest to them, and they often take great pride in bringing me clippings related to a recent class lecture or discussion. Development of the ability to read critically scientific material in the public media is a very difficult job, and those of us involved in teach- ing these students must pay more attention to this task.

Noel Simmons, Buffalo State Univemity. I firmly believe, with you, that the only way to teach chemistry-whether to science majors, nonscience majors, earthworms, or whatever-is to teach chemistry-its principles, its philosophy, its facts. To water it down, to "teach it for idiots," is really cheating college students.

But who among the panelists, in his course treats science as tumbling, abstract, illogical, empirical, artistic and tenta- tive, which it really is in the hands of human beings, (i.e., sci- entists)?

Dr. Frledman. I have found that tumbling, abstract, empirical, etc., aspects of chemistry are illustrated nicely by tracing through the history of theories of chemical bonding. It is a long way fram hooks and eyes, and even fram octets, to molecular orbitals, and a paint can be made of all of the tumbling, false- starts and incorrect theories in between.

Cartoon illustrations of Common Misconceptions Glen E. Rodgers, Muskingum College, New Concord,

Ohio

The talk described a method t h a t the author uses t o "break the ice" in Muskingum's junior-level, nonscience major chemistry course, the "Nature of Matter." Most students, in their high school and early college years, build u p misconceptions about science and scientists. Many of these misconceptions are based on one or more frustrating encounters with meaningless memorization, unfathomable math, stinky labs, and in general, thick fogs of confusion. The resulting misconceptions often in- volve distorted ideas such as: just who a scientist/profes- sor is (perhaps a bespectacled, white-haired, pencil-in-ear guy wearing a white lab coat and carrying a very thick

hook under his arm); how he determines his nonscience major course content (perhaps by flipping a coin between adiabatic demagnetization and spin-orbit, Russell-Saun- ders, coupling!); how he thinks (perhaps in mathematical and symbolical terms only!); and how he goes about his laboratory work (perhaps very coldly and determinedly and with a devious twinkle in his eve!). . .

As a result of these misconceptions, nonscience majors are a hit on edee. a hit s k e ~ t i c a l of a colleee chemistrv course. Add toVt'his situation the fact tha t laborator; science courses are required a t Muskingum and a t many other institutions and you have a hostile, or a t least an unresponsive audience sitting before you. The cartoons il- lustrated in this talk showed one wav to h e l ~ "break the ice," t o get students laughing a t tkemselvks and their concerns. As a n extra attraction. "misconce~tions" of how the scientist/professor views hi; students were also illus- trated.

Chemistry and Civilization-A Review of One Approach to Chemistry for the Nonscience Student Kenneth E. Kolb and Max A. Taylor, Bradley Universi-

ty, Peoria, Illinois

Chemistry and Civilization, a one-semester chemistry course for nonscience majors, utilizes several teaching methods which seem t o have heen effective and might have applicability in other similar courses. (1) The use of a simultaneous team teaching concept has helped main- tain a proper level of presentation and fresh approaches to subjects. (2) The routine use of several daily squibs from the popular press has contributed t o giving the course an up-to-date quality and keeping i t focused on the impor- tance of chemistry in our world. (3) The use of rather self- contained "packages" (e.g., the petroleum story or deter- gents) permits ease of restructuring the course each se- mester. (4) The occasional use of guest lectures on areas of chemistry which involve key problems concerning civi- lization (e.g., steroidal control of conception) adds variety and scope. (5) The limited use of audio tapes is an inex- pensive means of bringing current information and addi- tional scientists t o the classroom (e.g., Selikoff on Ashes- tos).

Comment

Robert Goldsmith, St. Mary's College of Maryland. This presen- tation was indicative of what I thought was an appropriate way of teaching most nonscientists. Elementary teachers would profit from the material but they also need exposure to areas that are indicated in modern curricular programs in elementary schools. The course described in Dr. Kolb's presentation, if supplemented by an integrated science course presented on a conceptual base, such as described in Dr. Paul Brandwein's short presentation, "Substance, Structure and Style in the Teaching of Science" would be really great for future teachers. All of us should be interested in the overall program of teacher education and sit down with our colleagues in education to work out program details.

Dr. Kalb. Yes, we must be interested in reaching the future lle- mentary teachers. They will play a key role in establishing atti- tudes cancerningseience in the young.

William Marshal, Oak Ridge Natural Laboratory. I was greatly pleased to observe that the business majors cornp~ise an in- creasingly large percentage of yaur students. Perhaps your course is sufficiently inspiring that you, and hopefully others, can succeed in attracting the lawyers, political scientists, who are perhaps, our future leaders. And, of course, we should aim these courses toward our high school students.

Dr. Kolb. We are delighted having so many business majors in our course. These students will be the accountants, controllers, and business executives, as well as voters, who will he making vital decisions on the fate of science and technology.

Volume 50, Number 1, January 1973 / 41

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An Unsuccessful Course and Laboratory for Nonscience Majors William C. Herndon, Texas Tech University; present ad-

dress, Uniuers~ty of Texas a t El Paso

A general chemistry course for nonscience majors with several unusual aspects was developed and taught for three years. Some features of the course were (1) two se- mesters, laboratory both semesters; (2) unified theme- structure, properties, and uses of chemicals; (3) team taught-four instructors; areas covered-history of chem- istry, inorganic-nuclear, organic and biochemistry; and (4) laboratory and lecture closely coordinated; suggestions of students incorporated into the experiments; research-type notebook.

Each area of chemistry was taught by an instructor who was an expert in that area. It is our belief, for example, that only a well-trained biochemist (formal or informal training) should present biochemistry a t the elementary level. The final topic covered in the course was the chemi- cal basis of heredity, and a great deal of structural chem- istry was a prerequisite to studying this subject.

The course was unsuccessful an the sense that enroll- ment pressures in other courses and lack of available manpower led to its cancellation. Texas Tech University is a medlum-sized State University (20,000) with a small Chemistry faculty (18). Undergraduate and graduate-level teaching loads are not low, and expenditure of the time of four instructors on a single course is highly uneconomical.

Comment

Leon Gortler, Brooklyn College. I was impressed by your high ex- pectations for your nonscience majors, and your apparently fine results from this high level course. Hopefully, some manpower compromise could have been worked out to allow you to can- tinue a course for the nonscienee majors and not throw these students back to the wolves, (i.e., the standard freshman chemistry course).

Dr. Herndan. A nonscience majors course that includes hiochem- istrv is certainly out of the question in an institution faced by the economic pressures at the present time, since so much ef- fort must be devoted to supplying hackground to the student. I believe that courses with a different approach that can be taught by a single person have amuch better chance of success.

Project Oriented Nonscience Laboratory John M. Daly, Bellarmine College, Loukuille, Kentucky

Student interest in our nonscience major lahoratory course had degenerated from tolerance to outright dislike in the recent past. In the past several years we have radi- cally changed the nonmajor course. The course is much less structured than the previous course and is carried out by dividing students into groups and assigning projects rather than normal laboratory experiments. Some of the projects are outlined below

(1) Phosphate analysis of Beargrass Creek which is the main drainagestream to the Ohio River.

(2) Air analysis+rude determination of organic contaminants in air by thin layer chromatography.

(3) Student produced super 8 mm sound films of air and solid waste pollution in the area.

(4) Preparation of cosmetics, household products. A large num- her d formularies exist where simple formulation of these p-oducts are available. Students select their own prepara- tion.

(5) Phosphate analysis and pH determination of household de- tergents and comparison of PO& VersuspH.

(6) Polymer synthesis, Nylon, Bakelite, etc.. are synthesized. A prize is given for longest nylon rope.

(7) Analyls of commercial gasolines and comparison of major components by glc.

(8 ) Comparison of suntan lotions based on ultraviolet and in- frared spectra.

(9) Investigation of the efficiency of can, bottle, and paper recycling efforts in the Louisville area. Studies have shown that lower economic groups are main participants in alumi- num recycling which is financially compensated. Glass and paper recycling is very poor, hut can he effective when it is made convenient for the consumer.

Well written reports are demanded on the completion of a project. Where possible, large graphic displays of the data are encouraged.

The main drawback in this type of unstructured ap- proach in a large class is that about 10-15% of the stu- dents take advantage of the situation and do not contrih- ute much to their group's work.

Student interest has been high in the course. The course is accompanied by a 2-hr a week lecture period covering standard topics a t the freshman level. Perform- ance in the lecture section has improved since the revi- sion of the lahoratory.

This approach may be criticized for its "trendy" nature. In some instances this may he valid. In the long run, how- ever, it would seem better to have students leaving a course knowing something of what chemists do than leav- ing the course with a monumental amount of distaste for the profession and its practitioners.

Science for Non-Majors-A Modular Approach Sr. Suzanne Fleming, Marygroue College, Detroit, Mich-

igan

A modular calendar introduced in 1970-71 in which fif- teen-week semesters, ten-week quarters, and five-week minimodules are run concurrently provided the impetus a t Marygrove College for revision of course offerings for nonscience majors.

The traditional four-semester credit hour offerings (three lecture, one lahoratory) have been broken into four one-credit hour modules. The lecture material is handled in minimodules of five weeks duration and one credit hour each while the lahoratory spans a fifteen week module for one credit hour. Enrollment of nonscience majors in science courses has greatly increased since introduction of this nlan which is now in effect for both the natural and physical sciences. Modules are catalogued as Natural Science 133 a.b,c, etc. while the laboratorv (1331) provides experience in physical, chemical, and biologicai areas. Among the modular topics offered are: The Nature of Energy, The Interaction of Light with Matter, Genes and Heredity, and P-ohlems of Environment.

A Self-paced Open Laboratory Course for Nonscientists Leslie S. Forster, University of Arizona, Tucson

All prospective elementary school teachers a t the Uni- versity of Arizona are required to take four one-semester courses in science (chemistry, physics, biology, and geolo- gy). The enrollment in the chemistry course is in the 200-300 range. In order to encompass the wide variation in motivation and ability in the student population, we have developed a modular lab-centered one-semester course. Initially, each student takes,a pretest to indicate her mastery of basic skills and knowledge. Successful per- formance of any item on the pretest obviates the repeti- tion of this material in the course. A highly structured manual has been prepared, and the student proceeds a t her own pace. The laboratory is open 35-55 hr a week, de- pending upon the enrollment. All experiments are avail- able a t all times. At the completion of a unit (there are 20 units total), the student takes a competency measure. In most cases this is administered in the laboratory, upon re- quest, by a teaching assistant. The items on the compe- tency measures range from straight-forward skill or knowledge testing, e.g., the measurement of the pH of an

42 / Journaioi Chemical Education

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unknown, to more subtle concepts, e.g., explain the "loss" in weight observed when COz evaporates in a balloon. The real instruction takes place on a one-to-one hasis during the administration of the competency measures. The suc- cessful solution of the logistic problem now frees the TA to spend the hulk of his time administering the competen- cy measures. The grade in the course is dependent upon the number of completed units. No grades below "C" are awarded. If a "C" is not earned, an incomplete is record- ed.

The format of the course is effective in reducine the av- prehension that many students feel when science cours& are required. The TA's enioy teaching the course and re- ceive genuine training in teaching. Student reaction has been good; the self-paced feature is most favorably re- ceived. The course has now been offered four times, and we are convinced that this approach is well-suited to an elementary course for nonscientists, where the student population is extremely heterogeuous.

Comment

George Kriz, Western Washington State College. At Western Washington State College we are understaffed with very few TA's. The use of open lab has been mentioned quite frequently here. How does one operate such open labs without encoun- tering difficulties such as insurance coverage and maintenance of snfetv standards? ,

Dr. Forster. We have favored experiments with minimal safety hazards. The open lab does present safety problems when more hazardous experiments are included.

Ithamar E. Pollak, Quinnipioe College. Your self-paced open laboratory course for nonscientists relies heavily an TA's who are graduate students. But with the contraction in the number of graduate students enrolled (a trend which will he more ap- parent as time goes an) where will you get your TA's and still keeo cost low?

Dr. ~ors ter . The TA stipends can he used to support temporary post-doctoral teaching appointments or permanent instructors.

General Comments

Sr. Agnes Ann Green, Immaculate. Some of the speakers have presented designs for courses for "onscience majors which have very large enrollments. Are these voluntary enrollers; are the students fulfilling requirements?

I wonder if the science faculties would get a better assess- ment of their courses if the science requirements for graduation were completely removed.

Dr. Hill. Students at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls must take three of six science courses: biology, chemistry, math, earth science, astronomy, physics. Chemistry used to be thelast (or neat to last) choice.

Science requirements are just as valid as any course re- quirements. How is that for evasion?

Dr. Sehumm. Unfortunately mast students taking chemistry still do so only because it is required. It is for this reason we have such a big responsibility and also an opportunity to show them

the importance of and hopefully the rewards in learning some- thine about chemistrv. - ~ ~

Dr. White. In my raic, rhey are fulfilling a requiremenr and haw a rhmcr herueen a physics-chemlirry sequence and an earth science sequence.

If the requirement were removed, few students would take the course. This would not he an accurate assessment of the course, hut an indication of a fear of science learned elsewhere.

I think we must keep the requirement if we want our gradu- ates to have had any exposure to science.

Dr. Kolb. Certainly, science course requirements do contribute to class enrollment. Hawker. we should take advantam of beine exposed to these mdent; and offer them as ureful, mean.nflul. and exciting c o u w a, we can. The itudent. ioun he rnllrd u p n to help derrde the future of saence as 40 aell irstrd hg Professor Gerlach in his remarks.

Dr. Daly. I still view science as one of the liberal arts and cannot quite imagine someone calling himself educated without some background in science.

Dr. Fleming. Science courses at Marygrove are recommended, not required. Thus enrollment of a student in one or mare of the modules is a true indication of the desire of the students to he in that particular course.

Dr. Forster. At the University of Arizona all students in the Col- lege of Liberal Arts are required to complete one year of a labo- ratory science as a prerequisite for graduation. If this require- ment were removed, at least 90% of the current enrollment would be lost. This might he a good thing, but in the absence of an educational revolution, it is likely that some distribution re- quirements will be retained by most colleges.

Summary

A variety of approaches to the teaching of chemistry for nonscience majors were presented here. I t appears clear that the content and sophistication of such courses is markedly dependent on the size and nature of the institu- tions. The courses as described did share, however, the common goal of being oriented toward contemporary ap- plication of chemical principles. Reliance upon one text also appears difficult, and outside reading assignments seem to he both necessary and effective in these courses. Laboratory experiments related to environmental topics were also discussed and seem to be very effective for the nonscience majors.

Most of these courses have been developed in recogni- tion of the need for increased scientific literacy on the part of the general public. Many are using a topical, mod- ular approach where detailed discussions and consider- ation of specific topics is used as the basis for developing chemical concepts and for applying these concepts towards a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between man and the natural world.

A common characteristic of all presentations was the enthusiasm generated in the chemist(s) who participated in these courses. In developing new approaches designed to stimulate students we have expanded our own ideas about what chemistry is and have made i t more inter- esting for all of us.

The Student's Dilemma Succinctly Stated

If you do not learn this material, your teeth will fall out, your hreoth will smell bod, and you will spend the rest of your life pumping gas.

Volume 50, Number 7, January 1973 / 43

Page 40: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Conference Participants

C o p , Lelia. Princeton, N. J. Craig, John C.. David Lipwomb College Craig, Norman. Oherlin College craven, Marion. Mount Holyoke College Crawford. victor. Rockford College Cunninghsm, AlieeJ., Apes Scott College Cunningham, Clarence M.. Oklahomastste U. Currie. Allan. Ryenon Polyteeh. lnrt. D'A~tonio. Doris. Mount Holyake College Ddy, Jack. BellarmincColloge Danforth. Joneph D., Grinnell College Davenport, Derek. Purdue tiniversity Davidaan. John, Richmond. KY. DWidpo", Robert. YaleUnivenify Dav., Fred. Lynchburg. va. Davia..lr.,Jeff. C.. U a f SoulhFla. Day, JesseH.,Afhens. Ohio Decker. Frederick. Norwak Conn Dede, Christopher, So. D~erfiold. Ma=. Dehns. Thoman. SUNY at Binghamton Deltor.. Mar/. Mount Holyoke College Dennipon, C a I and Ruth, Brwkfield. Conn. Dmnerlein. Donald, West Chicago. Ill. Denney, Donald. Clinton. K. Y. Desieno, Robert, Wetminster College DeTuma, Frank, Mount Holyokc College Dewar. Phylhs. Murfreesbaro. N. C. Dim". WilliamB., Oneonfa. N. Y. Dobash. Paul. Mount HolyokeCollepe Doyle. Richard andJudy. Granville, Ohio Dmding, Leonard, Rutgeis U. at Newark Drysdale. Beth, Mount Holyoke College Dunhsr. Phyllis. HiehlandPsrk. N.J. Eddy, Robert D.. Winchester. Mass. Egsn, Frank, Menden, N. H. Eggle~fon. Linda. Madison. wise. Eichler, Frank. New HydePark, L.1,N.Y. Enagonio. Barbara, Germantom. Md. Epsfoin, Lawrence. U. of Pittsburgh Ericsan. A l h d Emporia. Kan. Eubank. Dwaine, Oklahoma state U. Fsckler, John P.. Cane Western ReseweU. Fshrenholti Sursn, Blmmfield. N. J. Fan. Joyce, Houston Baptvt College Fanale. James. Clifton, N. J . Fang, FahisnT.. California s t a te College Farago, Peter and Marga~ef, Chemical Soeiety, Iandon Fichfo, Peter. Springvale. Maine Filsefh, Stephen, Colgsn. Ontario, Canada Fine. Leonard. Norwdk. Conn. Flock, George, Williamnhur~. Mass. Fleminq, Suzanne, Dotmi,. Mich. F m w John. Austin Pew State Univenily Faster. Leslie. U, of ~r lrona Frank. Forretat. Normal. Ill. Fraeer. Donald. Milltown, N. J. Friedman. Lawonce B.. Wellesley College h i s . James A,. Aherdeen. S. D. Furrow, Stanley. Pennrylvanis StateU. Gall, John F.. Phila. Coll. of Ter f i l s and Science Gardner. Beth Ann, Mount Holyoke College Garland, John K.. Wsshingfon State U. Gardner. Hohert. Univemitv. Ala. Carrity, Evelyn, Jackson, Miss. Gary. Julia. A p e s Scott College Gehrke. Henry, SoufhD&otaStateU. Genslor. Walter, Badton Univeniiy Gerlaeh. E. Rudolph. Murkingum College Gilea. Elizabeth, Ypsilanti. Mich. Gilman, Roben E.. Roeherter Ins t ofTechnology Glargnw. Jerry, Somerville. N. J . Goldsmith. Robert. Loonardtown. Md. Gard. Mary LSUat New Orloans Goodstein. Madeline. Wmdhridpe. C a m Gamsn . Colleen. Penn Yan. New York Garler. Leo". Brwklyn. N. Y. G"t,lieb,IlvinM., Widenercollsge Grandey. Robert. Urb& Ill. Grwn, Sister Agne Ann, lmmaeulate Heart College Grirwald, Norman, Nebrarka Wesleyan U. Gulhmann, Welter S., Highland Park. Ill. Gufhrie. FrsnkA.,Terr~Haufe, 1"d. Haipht. Gilbert, U. of Illinois Hall. George, South Hadlw. Mars. Halpern, Evelyn. Pennsylvania State U. Hslpern, William P.. University01 Wnf Florida Halsfeed, Douglas, Evanrfon, Ill. Hambly, Gordon, Beseonsfield. Quebec. Cansds Hankins, Warren, U. of Evansville Hamahan. E. S., Huniinpwn. w . v a . Hanson, Allen. Northfield, Mi"". Hsrris. Hildegerde. Wayland, Mass. Harris. Murray. Wesf Patenan, N. J. Harrison.AnneJ.. Mount HolyokeCollege Harrison. William B.. Doraville, Ga.

Page 41: Session IV-A: individualized instruction in large courses

Henry Bent, Chairman Leon Mandell

: Buffalo

:anade

allm man. ~ e n n i s , ~ o r t h ~ a k o t a Stare U. Tanaka. John. U. of Conncsticut Tar,. B&. Tanance, Calif. Thomas, I sms . l . . RakyRidge. Md. Thomas. Robert H.. Hamilton. Ohio Thornsen. George C., s an ta Barbara, Cdif. Toogood. Gerald. U. of Waterloo Torop, William. Broomsll. Ps. Travaglini. Catherine. Champaign. 8. Trindle. Carl, U, of Virglnia Trytten. Roland, U. of Winconsin Tschudin. Pamela, U.ofMiehigan Upham, Roy. St. Anselmh College Vandarrlice. J aeph . U. ofMaryland Varimbi. .Joseph and Suzanne, Bryn Maw2 Pa. Varnerin. Robert, Manufacturing Chemirts Assa. Van Orden. HsnisO., Logan, Utah Vanselow. C. H.. U. of Nonh Carolina-Greensborn Vonie.. Clifford. Texas Christian U. vennor. Mary. Phoonir, Md. Vornon. Janet, Stauffer ChmL Co. Mkhau.. Camlyn. Rochnfer. N. Y. Walker, Donald E., Kirksnlle, Mo. Walker. Ruth A.. Manhassot. N. Y. Wallace, William J . , Newcancord, Ohio Walling, Chews. U. af Utah wake,. Roben, U, oflllinois Waken. Edward. U. af Now Mexico Weaver, Edwin, Mount Holyoke College Websler. Victor. South Dalrda State U. Weiner Lori, Chicago. 1. Weizenhoffer, Elizabeth, Stamford, Conn. Welch, Graema. John A b h t t CollegeiCanads) Werth, Richard. Concordia College Wschler. Sister M a w Charles. Merevhursf Colleee Willeford, Bennett. Eiucknoll univer;ity Williams. Ardis. Landonberg. Pa. Williamn. Hsnief. Delaware State College Williamson. Ken. Mount Holyoke College Willit% Charles. ChenvHlil. N. J . Wilmn. JohnR.. ~ h i ~ p ~ ~ ~ b ~ ~ ~ S f s f e C o l l e g e Wdsoo. LelandL., U. of Northern lows Wilron. Thomar L.. Blmminedala. N.1. - . Wie, Edward. ~ u e & , Aiiz. Wheeler, J a m s , Rockhurst College m i d d e n , HelcnL.. Randolph-MseonWoman'sCollege While. B e m k lowsStsteU. White. J . Edmund. Southern Illinois U. Whittake.. Marion, Delta College Wodeteki. Msrearet. Jachon. Miss.

Yoke, John. Oregon StateU. You"& David. Maryville Collew Young. Jay, Auburn University Zimmerman, Isaak. Braoklyn. N. Y. Zuehlka. Richard. University of Bridgeport

Conference Committee

Program

Arrangements and Publicity

Stanley Kirschner, Chairman Anna Harrison

Reports and Action

W. T. Lippincott, Chairman Peter Farago William Halpern

Robert C. Plumb Joseph Vanderslice

J. A. Young

Leo Schubert John Yoke

Volume 50, Number 1. January 1973 / 45