EDUCATION
Chemical Education Institute Plans Major Expansion The Institute for Chemical Education (ICE) is growing fast. Last summer ICE was host to some 75 chemistry teachers at its center on the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin (C&EN, April 9, 1984, page 28). Now ICE is preparing to accommodate as many as 670 teacher-students this summer at Madison and at three new regional centers. A "chemistry camp" program for middle school students also will be expanded. W. Thomas Lippincott, director of ICE, notes that current plans call for field centers at the universities of Arizona, Maryland, and California, Berkeley. Complete realization of the expansion project hinges on the availability of funds, but he is "reasonably optimistic" that funding from the National Science Foundation, state and local governments, and private sources will be sufficient. ICE's overall aim is to "improve and maintain the vitality of chemistry teaching at all levels." So far, it has concentrated on the precollege
level, where the need seems to be greatest. ICE's most visible activity has been its summer workshops. This year it will offer revised versions of the two courses it presented last year: • Chemistry Update. A six-week course for high school chemistry teachers, designed to improve subject mastery. To be given at all four centers, June 24-Aug. 2; maximum enrollment, 50 at each center. • Chemistry Demonstrations for Pre-High School Classes. A twoweek workshop for middle school through college teachers, preparing them to use demonstrations and interactive methods and also to teach the techniques to other teachers. Two sessions (July 1-12 and July 22-Aug. 2) at each center; maximum enrollment, 30 per session. Three new courses will be offered: • Descriptive Chemistry in Teacher Training. A two-week course, similar in structure to the Chemistry Demonstrations workshop but tailored to the needs of college faculty
Chemistry teachers Christina Borgford (left) ofBeaverton, Ore., and Catherine Hamilton of Little Rock, Ark., try out new experiments at Institute for Chemical Education's 1984 summer workshop 38
March 25, 1985 C&EN
in science and science education. One session (July 22-Aug. 2) at Madison only; maximum enrollment, 30. • Experiment Development. A two-week course for experienced high school chemistry teachers, prehigh school teachers with chemistry backgrounds, and college teachers. The purpose is to put more emphasis on laboratory activities in precollege chemistry curricula. The specific goal will be to develop a set of chemistry experiments to tie in with popular high school chemistry texts or middle school physical science texts. This workshop will be presented July 1-12 at all four centers, but each center will focus on a different single topic in chemistry; maximum enrollment, 20 at each center. • Chemical Instrumentation Update. A two-week course for college a n d w e l l - p r e p a r e d h i g h school chemistry teachers, covering principles and uses of modern scientific instruments, with lots of lab. As part of the workshop, participants will prepare a short course for inservice training of teachers in their own communities. One session (July 8-19) at each center; maximum enrollment, 30 at each center. In addition, each center will offer four week-long afternoon "chemistry camps" for local middle school students. The camps will run concurrently with the workshops, and workshop participants will provide most of the supervision for the camps—thus getting a chance to practice in the afternoons what they've learned in the mornings. College credit will be offered through the host schools, on the basis of one credit per course-week. Participants will receive reimbursement for travel, room and board in university facilities, and a stipend of up to $200 a week. Each participant must agree, as a condition of acceptance, to conduct an outreach program in his or her home area during the 1985-86 school year. More information on the 1985 •summer workshop program can be obtained by writing the Director, Institute for Chemical Education, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 53706. Ward Worthy, Chicago
