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2 YC3 joule/
ELLENand vincennes vincennes. JAYBARDOLE university IN 47519
Basic Skills for Chemistry A Pre-Chemistry Course Ralph R. Kreiser Community College of Rhode Island. Warwick, RI 02886 When it had become apparent that the enterinn students a t Rhode Island .Junior C%ilege were less than weliprepared for their first chemistry course, the instructors of the course decided to design a pre-course which would attempt to attack this pmhlem. It was decided that this pre-course should not he a watered-down chemistry caurse. It appeared to us that many students did not have as much difficulty with the cuncepts introduced in the chemistry rourse as they had with poor math preparations, poor work hahits, etc. Our pre-course was designed to introduce many basic scientific concepts which "all students should know" upon entering a college-level chemistry course. The Toledo Chemistry Examination was given to all prosuective General Chemistrv I students. The score used for the cut-off was that indicated on the national norms provided by the examinations committee. The results of the exams were given to the students and enrollment in either the BasicSkills or General Chemistry I was recommended. The content of the Basic Skills course was determined by a careful examination of the skills and techniques required in General Chemistry I and 11. The metric system was-thoroughly investigated hy measuring length and area in several introductory activities. The precision and accuracy of instruments and measurements were introduced and used in these activities. Also scientific notation and significant figures were presented and their use was required in the laboratory and in homework sets. Dimensional Analysis was used in all examples worked fur the classes. Mass and weight were presented along with exercises in the use of the analytical balance and the hi- and lo- furm balances. Direct weighings and weighing hy difference were discussed and samples were prepared by hoth methods. A rather large amount of class time and homework was spent on graphing and slope determination. Density was intruduced as bath a direct determination and as determined from the slope of a line. Basic terms used in descrihine matter were introduced. Phvsical and chemical changes were discussed and uhservations were made on systems and conclusions were drawn from these. Basic chemical symhols were introduced and used in activities examining the crmservation of matter, suluhility, pure substances, and mixtures. A section on energy was included so that astudent who moved rapidly throuph the course could devote any extra time near theend of thesemester to an examinationof the terms and measurement of energy. An attempt was made to improve work hahits and organization of time hy the assignment of large quantities of homework. The completion of this was monitored by any method the instructor selected. Also, a common series of 10 lahuratory practicals was set each semester which were required for all Presented to the Sixty-Ninth.Two-Year College Chemistry Conference. Community College of Rhode Island. Warwick. Rhode Island. November 5, 1980. ' A table of contents and additional information is available by writing lo the author.
636
Journal of Chemical Education
students enrolled in the course. These were set so that they utilized lahuratory techniques currently studied, required some data collection and manipulation. and also required the use of scientific notation and significant figures in the reporting of the answer. For example, the laboratory practical on density required the student to pertixm fr~urdeterminations of mass and volume and determine the slope (the densitvl of the line. Frequent auizzes and unknown s a m ~ l e were s also given in order to check the student's progress. No texthook could he found which included such avarietv of topics, so one was assembled in-house. It was set in a lahoratory workbaok format with larne portions of discussion mateLial included between the activities. Large numbers of prohlems were included a t the end of each maior topic.' Only general time guidelines were set for the completion of the major topics. As long as a student finished all required work by the deadlines assigned, he or she could proceed at his or her own pace. This permitted the instructor to start each topic with a class discussion and then to give a great deal of individual help throughout the completion of the activities. Of course, this required that the size of the classes be kept quite smallLl5 students was a good size, but 20 or even 24 students could he handled if the class was a cooperative one. At the same time that the instructor was checking the academic progress of each student, he could also give a fair amount of counseline to the student. Manv students had no idea that there were several levels of chemistry offered at the Communitv Colleee of Rhode Island, let alone what reauirements were set for various majors a t uther institutions. All instructors in the course were encouraged to ask each student why he or she was enrolled in the course and to offer information concerning the transfer requirements to other programs. The success of this course can be seen in that there seems to he a good correlation between the performance in this course and that in subsequent courses. Students who did well in this course generally continued to perform well in suhsequent courses. Students, who performed poorly or who dropped the course but still enrolled in subsequent courses, continued to show poor results. With the body of accumulated data now available to us, a more meaningful statistical evaluation will he attempted. 2YC. Joules is a column to keeo oersons concerned with teachina papers from Regional 2YCs meetings. Ellen Bardole has an Associate Degree from
Vincennes University and a BS andan MS fromPurdue University. She taught chemistry four years in high school andtwo years at Vincennes University. For the past seven years she and Jay have been co-editorsof Chemistry h the Two Year Colleoe.
tor three years
