What does an education in science bring to the table for our students? In a nutshell—beyond the intended science literacy—there is critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork (1). I recently overheard some of my colleagues talking about ‘convergent learning environments.’ I continued to listen and realized that they were talking about using technology in the classroom. My question was, isn’t it broader than just the marriage between technology and traditional classroom learning? Giving further thought to the term, I agreed that it included the use of technology, but that it also included the merging of different subjects, the applications of science in industry, the involvement of the community, student inclusions in classroom events and probably many other learning environments. So where does this leave chemistry educators? Not just to strut our stuff, but don’t most of us already do this? Isn’t the study of chemistry the ultimate convergence of learning? Just peruse any issue of the Journal… you will find articles incorporating laboratories (many with industrial applications) and using technology, suggestions regarding the involvement of the community, articles reminding us about our history, and, as always, there are articles about the integration of chemistry with other disciplines.

In this issue of the Journal, one article that does an excellent job of describing converging learning environments is “Teaching Chemistry Using From the Earth to the Moon” by Goll and Mundinger. Reading about this teaching program will provide you with ideas of how to incorporate teaching chemistry content using the backdrop of many incidents that have happened over the years in the space program. In the paper by Saint-Antonin examples are given on how to incorporate teaching basic concepts by using experiments that help students to visualize concepts. If you teach students with physical disabilities you must read the paper by Pence, Workman, and Riecke. After experiencing teaching two disabled students in subsequent semesters, these professors were able to develop some concrete guidelines regarding preparing your laboratory and pairing students with the appropriate teaching assistants. Many issues on appropriate accommodations, safety, and planning a course are addressed. You should also read a fascinating article about the incredible career of Professor Clifford R. Haymaker, a congenitally blind organic chemistry teacher who did not let his disability interfere with his calling to teach and guide hundreds of students at Marquette University. In another article, Chebolu and Storandt combine the use of technology with laboratory chemistry to give a new twist to the classic zinc and hydrochloric acid reaction by incorporating the use of PASCO pressure sensors and software to determine the stoichiometry.

ACS Option in Chemistry Education

Nalley (2, p 50) reported on one of the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on K–12 Education that is to provide teachers “the content background necessary to be truly effective in the classroom” (p 50). One of the many recommendations is to revise the current ACS-approved degree in chemistry education to make it more attractive to educators. Other reported ACS news includes the formation of a task force to plan a Society Committee on Education (SOCED) invitational conference to focus on the design of undergraduate and graduate-level degrees in chemistry education (3). The Committee on Professional Training (CPT) has published their proposal for the Chemistry Education undergraduate degree (see below). SOCED and CPT will also be collaborating with NSTA on the “development of new standards for the preparation of high school chemistry teachers” (3, p 48).

CPT’s Education Option, certified bachelor’s degree (4):

1. Chemistry Teaching Methods, a three-semester credit hour course: includes laboratory experiment design and preparation, acquisition and storage of chemicals and laboratory apparatus, safety, disposal of chemical waste, teaching assistant experience, and the literature of chemical education
2. Core and/or advanced chemistry courses totaling 33 semester credit hours
3. A total of 270 laboratory contact hours
4. The same first two-years’ curriculum that certified chemistry majors take in introductory and organic chemistry coursework, but only one semester of organic chemistry laboratory
5. Exposure to biochemistry, analytical, inorganic, and physical chemistry equivalent to a one-semester course in each area and one additional course that builds upon this foundation
6. Courses in education needed to satisfy state requirements (which will be used to complete the laboratory contact hours missing from the traditional degree)

Literature Cited

1. Wilkinson, S. Chem. Eng. News 2002, 80 (21), 15.
2. Nalley, E. A. Chem. Eng. News 2002, 80 (20), 50.
3. Busch, D. H. Chem. Eng. News 2002, 80 (22), 48.
4. CPT Newsletter, III, 5, Fall 2002, 2.

See Letter re: this article.