JCE Software, 5B2: BCTC for Windows

BCTC for Windows

David M. Whisnant
Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC 29304
James A. McCormick
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Note:
This issue is out of print. See .

BCTC is an environmental simulation that is modeled after the dioxin controversy (1). In the simulation, students are involved in the investigation of a suspected carcinogen called BCTC, which has been found in a river below a chemical plant and above the water supply of a nearby city. The students have the options of taking water samples, analyzing the water (for BCTC, oxygen, metals, and pesticides), determining LD50s in an animal lab, visiting a library, making economic analyses, and conferring with colleagues, all using the computer.
BCTC gives students experience with science in the context of a larger social and political problem. It can serve as the basis for a scientific report, class discussion, or a role-playing exercise (2). Because it requires no previous laboratory experience, this simulation can be used by students in middle and high school science classes, or in college courses for non-science majors. It also has been used in introductory chemistry courses for science majors.

Screen from BCTC showing location of the entry of the effluent in the river, the city, and the city water supply.
This version of BCTC has been rewritten to run under Windows 3.x using Microsoft Visual Basic, so that, along with being easier to use, the simulation is much improved visually. One of the intentions of BCTC is to involve students in an exercise (1) that closely approximates what scientists do. The realistic pictures in the new version, many of them captured with a video camera, create an atmosphere which furthers this goal. The revisions in this version also reflect the comments of teachers who have used the program (3) and recent developments in dioxin research (4).
Hardware and Software Requirements
BCTC for Windows requires a MS-DOS/IBM compatible computer with greater than 1M RAM, a hard disk drive, and any Windows 3.x compatible graphics. A mouse is highly recommended to take full advantage of the graphical interface. Windows 3.0 or greater is also required.
Acknowledgement
Support for this project was provided by NSF Grant USE-9151873 and by a BellSouth Foundation Grant.
Literature Cited

Whisnant, D. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1984, 61, 627 - 629.
Whisnant, D. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1992, 69 42.
a) Camille and Henry Dreyfus Institute on the Chemistry of Water, 1990
b) Institute for Chemical Education Summer Workshops, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991
a) Roberts, L. Science 1991, 251, 624 - 626.
b) Roberts, L. Science 1991, 254, 377.

First Published: December 1992
Citation: Whisnant, D. M.; McCormick, J. A. . BCTC for Windows J. Chem. Educ. Software 5B2
Keywords: Computer Room; Simulation; High School; General; General Science; Water chemistry; Environmental chemistry; Chemistry and society

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Last Updated: April 26, 2001
Created: December 4, 1996 Created by: J. L. Holmes
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© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.



BCTC for Windows
David M. Whisnant Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC 29304 James A. McCormick University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Note:	This issue is out of print. See .

BCTC is an environmental simulation that is modeled after the dioxin controversy (1). In the simulation, students are involved in the investigation of a suspected carcinogen called BCTC, which has been found in a river below a chemical plant and above the water supply of a nearby city. The students have the options of taking water samples, analyzing the water (for BCTC, oxygen, metals, and pesticides), determining LD50s in an animal lab, visiting a library, making economic analyses, and conferring with colleagues, all using the computer. BCTC gives students experience with science in the context of a larger social and political problem. It can serve as the basis for a scientific report, class discussion, or a role-playing exercise (2). Because it requires no previous laboratory experience, this simulation can be used by students in middle and high school science classes, or in college courses for non-science majors. It also has been used in introductory chemistry courses for science majors. Screen from BCTC showing location of the entry of the effluent in the river, the city, and the city water supply. This version of BCTC has been rewritten to run under Windows 3.x using Microsoft Visual Basic, so that, along with being easier to use, the simulation is much improved visually. One of the intentions of BCTC is to involve students in an exercise (1) that closely approximates what scientists do. The realistic pictures in the new version, many of them captured with a video camera, create an atmosphere which furthers this goal. The revisions in this version also reflect the comments of teachers who have used the program (3) and recent developments in dioxin research (4). Hardware and Software Requirements BCTC for Windows requires a MS-DOS/IBM compatible computer with greater than 1M RAM, a hard disk drive, and any Windows 3.x compatible graphics. A mouse is highly recommended to take full advantage of the graphical interface. Windows 3.0 or greater is also required. Acknowledgement Support for this project was provided by NSF Grant USE-9151873 and by a BellSouth Foundation Grant. Literature Cited Whisnant, D. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1984, 61, 627 - 629. Whisnant, D. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1992, 69 42. a) Camille and Henry Dreyfus Institute on the Chemistry of Water, 1990 b) Institute for Chemical Education Summer Workshops, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991 a) Roberts, L. Science 1991, 251, 624 - 626. b) Roberts, L. Science 1991, 254, 377.


News \| Issues \| CD-ROM / Video \| Find It! \| Technical Support \| For Authors
JCE Online \| Journal \| Software \| Internet \| Happenings \| About JCE \| Contact JCE

Last Updated: April 26, 2001 Created: December 4, 1996	Created by: J. L. Holmes Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.