The Journal lives up to its nickname, “ The Living Textbook”, again. Maybe I should have known this, but do you know why we use symbols Z and A for atomic number and mass number? Jensen informs us that they come from the German, Zahl (number) and Atomgewichte (atomic weight). This is not the first time that I’ve used the Journal to update my lecture notes. In fact this notion is such a popular idea that we’re introducing JCE LivTexts: Living Textbooks for Chemistry. Because we can deliver text material online, it is possible to have “textbooks” that can easily grow and change with new knowledge as it occurs and enhance the “living” part by adding animations and interactivity that many of our students have come to enjoy and expect as part of their learning experience. Think about the Behrman and Gopalan article and how they have documented the number of current biochemistry textbooks that treat the existence of cholesterol in plants in a misleading way. With our ability to allow experts in the field to comment and correct misconceptions in a timely manner, we greatly improve our dissemination of knowledge through the use of our new nontraditional textbooks.Nonlinear Curriculum Innovations
Have you heard that chemistry is an “unattractive
and difficult subject”?
Have you tried to answer the question of what makes a course good? I’m
sure we all have. Several of the articles in this issue present possibilities
as potential answers to this age-old question. Suggestions include:
- Bringing chemistry concepts to the students in a real and meaningful way (article Pelter and McQuade, Booth, et al.)
- Implementing an interdisciplinary approach to teaching (Almeida
and Liotta, Herman, et al.)
- Asking more leading questions, some of them generated by students (Almeida and Liotta)
- Giving students the tools to open their understanding the major principles
of chemistry (Séquin, Hoag)
- Associating closely lecture and laboratory topics (Séquin)
- Adding practical field trips (Séquin)
- Giving students the opportunity to play a more active role in the class (Almeida and Liotta)
- Adding molecular visualization to your course and teaching the students how
to use the programs (Báez-Galib, et al., Booth, et al., Herman, et al.)
- Limiting the size of classes or establishing small learning communities within
your course or a block of courses (Séquin, Almeida
and Liotta)
More and more we are encouraged to create appropriate learning environments
within our classrooms that promote collaborative learning
or social interaction situations simulating the activity that occurs in the real world of
most science research labs. The Báez-Galib research
team advocates a very effective way to establish many of the suggestions
listed above by employing peer tutor–mentor students. I’ve employed
this innovation in my classroom and it has been very successful. The ability
of peers to relate to each other and in turn gain valuable teaching experience
has many benefits including improved grades and enjoyment of the course that
is passed from one “generation” of students to the next. Additional
ideas can be gained from attending national education events.
Upcoming EventsThe 2006 National Science Teacher Association national meeting will be held in Anaheim, CA, April 6–9. Searching events by the subject “chem” yielded 88 hits evenly spread over the four days of the meeting. Don’t forget to come visit the JCE booth in the exhibit hall. Another major spring meeting is the American
Chemical Society national meeting and exposition that will be held in Atlanta, GA, March 26–30. Make plans for the Division of Chemical Education dinner on Saturday, March 25, and High School Day on Sunday, March 26.
Purdue University will host this summer’s 19th
Biennial Conference on Chemical Education: The Bridge Between Teaching and Learning. Deadlines still open include December 15 for workshops and demos; the paper and posters deadline is February 1, 2006. For more information and registration see the conference Web site. A few of the keynote presenters include ACS President Bill Carroll, Peter Atkins, Diane Bunce, Bob Becker, and many more. The High School Program features The George R. Hague, Jr. AP Chemistry Symposium organized by Harvey Gendreau that will highlight a series of five symposia designed to help high school teachers understand and present lessons that meet the national standards, which will also include college instructors. The standards that will be addressed include science and inquiry, content, technology, personal and social perspective, and the history and nature of science.
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