Academic Vitamins: The Development and Utility of Course Supplements Ways are continually sought to enrich the content of the traditional chemistry curriculum and to enhance the interest of those participating. Currently a tight economicsituation and a diversity of pmgram demands dominate innovation, the economy demanding efficiency, the diversity requiring flexibility. During the past five years course supplements directed towards specific audiences have been presented a t this University. This has been done with minimal time and resource investment, and unforeseen benefits have accrued. The first supplementary project developed was a 1 credit hour, one semester course entitled, "Introduction to the Interpretation of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra: A Course Supplement t o Organic Chemistry." This course, initially designed for chemistry majors, was taught once a week for 15 weeks concurrently with the second semester of organic chemistry. The catalog description stated, "Through problem solving and the examination of spectra, the basic skills required for rapid and routine interpretation of nmr spectra are acquired." The elements critical to success . seemed to he the problem-salving orientation, the single topic, the elective nature, and a faculty member teaching in an area of his research. The particular subject matterseemed the least important element. Topics such as steroid synthesis, interpretation of mass spectra, flavor ehemistry, and/or organic dyes seem equally appropriate as long as the faculty member has unique training and interest in the subject. Our experience showed that many students begin related research projects in the following semester. Given the success of the first eourse supplement, a second type of a "popular" nature was initiated. Initially designed as a supplement t o the first-year chemistry course, it was intended to provide, to those students who desired it, .. thk opportunity t o observe chemistry interacting with societv. Our intention was to pmvide this exposure without increasing faculty load, without placing excessive burdens on student time, and without adding another self-contained, all-encompassing environmental problems course to an already long list of overlapping courses in other departments. The result was a n elective two semester sequence far a single credit hour; one hour lectures were given in alternate weeks culminating in a single air or water monitoring experiment done near the end of each semester. Lecture responsibility was shared by six faculty members, who presented appmpriate background material, and additional outside lecturers from g o v e t b e n t , industry, and the general public who presented perspectives and data on specific issues. This spectrum included envimnmental lobbyists, power company public relations experts, industrial chemists, regulatory agency chemists, and environmental research chemists, The course title was changed from "Chemical Problems in the Environment" to "Chemical Perspectives in a Changing Society" in order to accommodate energy and other emerging issues. The measures of the success were a tripling of enrollment between the first and second years, attraction of langugage, fine arts, and business majors as well as preprofessional science students, evidence of expanded student perspective, and good information transference into the supplemented course. Faculty benefits were unforeseen. Diverse faculty opinion led, a t times, t o scholarly scientific debate, and, a t other times, to inflamed exchange. The freshman students were provided a rare opportunity to observe scientific minds freely interplaying. The faculty members were called upon to deliver one or two general lectures per year, which was mare a n opportunity to expand horizons than a burdensome task. The healthy exchanges between faculty peers served to sharpen critical faculties; the lectures by others served to increase the knowledge store. Thus, the popular eourse supplement served both faculty and students without burdening either. The need for flexibility in dealing with groups possessing diverse professional goals coupled with the current economic climate dictates careful examination of current practices. The use of course supplements has proven efficient and yielded fine dividends for students and faculty here. The widespread application of this flexible, efficient appraaEh could increase productivity a t other institutions as well. PTesented in part a t the 1st Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting, ACS, Fort Collins. Colorado, June, 1972, and National Science Foundation Matriculation Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, December, 1972.
Drake University Des Moines, Iowa 50311
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Journal of Chemical Education
James G. Lindberg
