Charles E. Carraher. Jr. Wright State University Dayton. OH 45435
Rudolph D. Deanin Plastics Engineering - Dept. . ~
Lowell University Lowell. MA 01854
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Core Curriculum in Introductory Courses of Polymer Chemistry
In 1978 the American Chemical ~ociety'sExaminations Committee published the initial examination in Polymer Chemistry for use in introductory courses in Polymer chemistry. Extensive background information was gathered in preparation for the generation of this examination including a major survey whose results are reported here and are still being widely utilized by education committees interested in polymer education. The importance of this survey is increased in light of the pronouncement contained in the most recent publication "Undergraduate Professional Education in Chemistry: Criteria and Evaluation Procedures" (by the ACS Committee on Professional Training) that In view of the current imoortance of inoreanic chemistrv. hiochemin the& areas are istry, and polymer chemistry, advanced especially recommended and students should be strongly encouraged t o take one or mare of them. Furthermore, the basic aspects of these three important areas should he included a t some place in the core material.
courses
In preparing for the construction of the standardized examination of polymer chemistry, we desired to answer a number of critical questions many of which were centered around what areas could he covered in the examination and to what extent. An important corollnrv involved whether in fact there existed a "core" of tooics ~ omation - , in whnt we believed to hen quite divergent setting for introductory courses in polymer chemistry. lntrndurtory ~ ~ O U F ~were Q S k i n g offered in Departments of Chemistry. Materials Science. Materials Engineering, Macromolecular Science, etc. We prepared a survey toassist us in resolvingthese questions. Three hundred and thirty questionnaires were sent t o 110 US. colleges and universities; the mailing list was departments named in the Salamone-Youne-Deanin-Pearce (J. CHEM EDUC...50.768(1973)) survev . n with 127 replies from 97 srhmk. Theque+liunnaire ernt/received ratio mas not good (3.1°0). but the schuol* sentlrerewed ratio was good (86%). While generation of topies could have been accomplished through any number of mechanisms, they were taken from Billmeyer's text "Textbook of Polymer Science," Second Edition, since most of these topies are included to one degree or another in course outlines for most introduetow oolvmer courses that we were familiar with and are covered texts. The orofessors were encouraeed .. . .. in most ... rerent ~. nolvmer ~,~~ to add additional uqnies and these are marked hy an asterisk in the rable. The rerpondrnts were asked to rank the hvicson a three point scale (+, 0, or -) as to whether they believed the particular topic should he included within an introductory course. The results (see tahle, arranged in decreasing order of preference) showed for the first time that there indeed existed a core of topics that was generally agreed upon within the academic units teaching introductory courses in polymer science. Ten topics received scores of about 80% (far instance, 83 plus points1127 responses for the tenth listed topic in the tahle and above. Consideration of the extent and depth of coverage of each topic was not measured, but from discussions within a number of polymer education committees it appears that these ten topics would occupy about 6&75%, for a year's course, and 70-85%, for a semester course, of the lecture time. The results given in the tahle also illustrate the variety of content in existing courses. Many of us feel that this "variety" is important to permit the
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real breadth of applicatim of polymer concepts and principles to he rcmtinued. Consistent with this, therommitteeoon poiym~reducation typically are aiming in their recommendations la have ah,ut 759 cure material with the remaining 25% representing regional, school, etc. variations. The Standardized E m i n a t i o n in Polymer Chemistry also y s composed with this in mind. The results of this survey were used in the construction of the fmt Standardized Examination in Polymer Chemistry to indicate proportion of questions t o he associated with each topic area. The results were also used (1) in a survey made by Charles Gehelein, Ken Edwards, and Shalahy Shalahy (not published) of presidents and chairmen of hoards of leading US. industries which have some components related to chemistry; (2) in generatingtopicsto be included in several workshops dealing with courses in introductory polymer science: and (31 tonics t o he covered in several uo. . in determining ~. coming texthooksofintn~ducu~ry p d p e r chemistry. The reculta are also being used in the generation ofmlrlel ~yllnhrhy a sulromm~ttee chaired by Raymond Seymour. Thus the results of this survey are acting solidify core topics for the "academidy rapidly expanding" area of polymer chemistry. This is of increased importance when it is considered that about 50%of all chemists are directly or indirectly associated with polymer science.
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436 / Journal of Chemical Education
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Results 01 Oueltlonnalre In Descendlrm Preference
Meaauremem ol Molecular Weight and Size Polymer Structure and Physlcai Pmperties StapReaaion (Condensation)Polymerization Radical Chain (Addition)Polymerization Molecular Fwces and Chemical Bonding in Polymes Copolymerization Morphology and Order in Crystalline Polymers Polymer Solutions Rheoiogy and Mechanical Roperties of Polymers ionic and Coordination Chain (Addition)Polymerization Polymerization Conditionsand Polymer Reactions Analysis and Testing of Polymers Commercial Polymers: Hydmcarh Plastics (L Elastor Other Carbon-Chain Polvmers Thermwetting Resins Hetermhain Thermoplastics Blopolymers' Plastics Technology Fiber Technology Coatings' Elaslomsr Technology Processing' AMitives .Adhesives'. Applications'. Stability'. Toxicny'. Environment'. Flammabiilty' Polymer Reactions and Reagents History of Polymer Chemisby ~~
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