Ell M. Pearce' Carl E. Wright and Blnoy K. Bordolol Polytechnic Institute of New York Brooklyn. NY 11201
Competency Based Modular Experiments in Polymer Science and Technology
More chemists are involved directly or indirectly with the polymer industry than are involved in any other aspect of the chemical industry. The polymer industry has now surpassed the metals industry in actual volume of material produced. There have been only a few surveys made on polymer education in the United States (1-3). These surveys have concentrated on types of degrees offered, total credits in polymers a t various universities, and the level of enrollment in the polymer program a t various universities. Information concerning polymer science and engineering programs at various universities has been available in a survey published by the Plastics Institute of America (4). It is generally recognized that a deficiency exists in the education of chemists and chemical engineers regarding polymer science. The reasons for this educational deficiency as related to polymer science are partly historical 6 6 ) .The fact that macromolecules impinge upon every aspect of our lives indicates that accelerated academic involvement is required now, and this should be accomplished for this multidisciplinary area by renewed, sustained, and imaginative multisector (i.e., academic, government, industry) involvement. Undergraduates must be acquainted with polymers rather early during their chemical education-if they enter industrial employment, the synthesis and production of polymers dominate chemical industry; those going on to graduate and post-graduate education should he able to chwse future career directions on an informed basis. The difficulties in teaching polymers in the undergraduate curriculum have been enhanced by the lack of suitable teaching materials. At this time only a limited number of textbooks are available for use in polymer science laboratory education. There are currently no modular hased laboratory polymer science and technology materials available. The textbooks availahle at present do not meet the criteria and needs for modular instruction. There has also been a need to introduce novel, economical approaches to education so as to complement the established need for the training of scientists and engineers with experience and background in polymer science and technology. The above factors not only led to but also added extra emphasis to the necessity for developing the modular experimental approach. We undertook the preparation of competency hased modular experiments in polymer science and technology to help alleviate one aspect of this problem of instruction. This particular project dealt with the development of a competency based modular laboratory experimental course with emphasis on the synthesis and characterization of polymers. This course itself was directed toward senior undergraduate and/or first year graduate students in science and engineering and also could serve as an extension course for those who have terminated their education a t the hachelor's degree level. It was expected that as a by-product of this program, a number of experiments could also easily he incorporated into organic chemistry and physical chemistry courses a t the undergraduate or graduate level. Results: The Modules Fifteen modular experiments have been developed. Each modular experiment was developed so as to be autonomous, containing the necessary information for the student to understand the purpose, theory, methodology, and experimentation. The choice of experiments were hased on a survey of
12 academic and 6 industrial chemists actively involved with ~ .o l.v m e r sand the ex~erimentsdemonstratine one or more important scientific principles. The questionnaire designed for the 18 polymer scientists in the survey was preceded by a short introduction explaining the objectives and need for competency hased modular experiments in polymer science and technology2. The results of the questionnaire indicated the following: (1) educators found that the eomoetencv . . Most of the oolvmer , hsscd mc,dularappronch u.aiaurprahlr in that they would mnsider rrcummending rhr w e of these marerials in currerar or new polymer Inhornttrry cuursrs, as well s- italn,duct
