A Method for Stimulating Interest
in Service Chemistry Courses Ellen L. Spoiz Bunyan University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC 20008 Assienine written reoorts on substances familiar to students can improve retention rate and performance in chemistry service courses. Our tests and lectures mav he overflowi n g a i t h well-taken "relevant" chemistry examples, yet we hear mature students exclaim that they have worked for years as embalmers, or as printers, without needing to know any chemistry. The relevance of chemistry to allied health and industry is second nature t o the chemist, but it must be demonstrated to many students of these technologies. Student retention rate in a one-semester terminal course in the fundamentals of chemistry for applied sciences has been improved by asking students to look to their majors, jobs, daily chores, and hobbies to find familiar chemical substances that will serve as the subjects of reports on (1) a mixture, (2) an inorganic compound, and (3) an organic compound. The need to develop meaningful ways to use writing in chemistry courses has been emphasized by Lagowski (1). Ledbetter (3, citing a lack of students' knowledge of science-related societal concerns as documented by National Assessment tests, has suggested the introduction of more topics relating chemistry and the daily lives of students. Ausuhel's Subsumption theory ( 3 , 4 ) ,applied by Novak (5) to the technique of concept mapping, states that the basis on which the student learns is the knowledge that he or she already has learned. The method presented here reminds the student of knowledge already held through the process of selecting his or her topic. "How is this substance related to vour maior. . ..iob.. or diily life?" is the question which must bdanswered in every report. The individual starts with a challenge to relate the presentations of the classroom and text to information already known. So far, every student has revealed that he has had some interaction with chemistry. "A Mixture", assignedduring the first week, is to be a brief report. Our aim is to help students think about the classes of matter and to become aware of the variety of units used todav. I t also helos to make students more comfortable with unit conversions:~ro~ortionsmust be stated, and these may be in anv units. Some nroducts that orovide comoosition on their labels are cereals, vitamins, canned tomatoes, and eyedrops. A fireman gave the composition of the firework, "Green Star", for example. "An Inorganic Compound" can be assigned to combine exercises in-nomencla~nre,formulas, formka weight, bond type, class of compound with descriptions of preparation, purification, properties, and uses. Describing uses shows
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Journal of Chemical Education
students a practical side of chemistry more effectively if the students find their own information. "An Organic Comoonnd" can be initiated a t the time the cornparis& of organic with inorganic compounds is explained. Choosing this compound tests the student's understanding of the distinctions between organic and inorganic compounds. I t is desirable to give consultations on choices before time is invested by students in collecting information. Requirements for the organic assignment can be condensed structural formulas. functional aouns. occurrences in nature, purification, preparation, uses, and toxicity. If uses can be related to functional arouos. level of learnine is " & .a hieher " achieved. Reports include references, which may be a person, a book, a periodical, or a combination of sources. This is an effective wav to utilize the Kev Chemicals feature of C&E News. perhaps the finest outcome of this method is that the teacher is able to become better acouainted with the students through their topics and references. For example, one woman was s e c r e h v to the director of a nuclear medicine group; another was licensed practical nurse aware of the use of radioactive gallium citrate. A nurse's aid wrote of putting sponges soaked in vinegar in the soiled linen hampers at a nursing home where she was employed. Foreign students selected substances like rubber and ethylene, which are important to the economy of their homelands. Such information enables the teacher to write comments which reinforce interest. Problems arisine with this method are students eiectine a topic outside of t
