A Non-Traditional Science Laboratory for the Nonscience Major
Dominick A. Labianca' Brooklyn College of The City University of New York Brooklyn. NY 11210
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An interdisciplinary experience in the reality of science
Tvoical colleee science courses for nonscience maiorsw h i l i include &e diluted version of the science course for science majors, the traditional interdisciplinary course based on a blend of a few sciences, and the course concerned with contemporary scientific prohlems-often are not relevant to most ofthe students' co&ses outside science. If the required science course is to make a significant contributibn to the education of the nonscience major, he or she must he given the opportunity to experience science in the context of other courses-which, then, become hislher laboratory. Program Structure Brooklyn College's New School of Liberal Arts (NSLA) offers a program that is a basis for implementing this type of laboratory experience. Each semester, for a maximum of four, students-usually freshmen and sophomore nonscience majors-take four courses (The Arts, Literature, Science, and Social Institutions, Ideas, and Philosophy) in one of five historical time periods (Ancient World, Medieval World, Early Modern World, Age of Revolutions, and Twentieth Century). The other requirements for the baccalaureate degree are satisfied in one of the other schools of the College. If this structure is modified by removing the time period constraint, greater flexihility is afforded in the selection of topics that the four courses could effectively interrelate, and an ideal situation for a truly non-traditional interdisciplinary endeavor is created. A one-semester science curriculum utilizing this revised format would involve a science course that would concentrate on the twentieth century. T h e student would he provided with current information with which to analvze the corresuondina.topics to be dealt with in his ac. companying courses, none of which would have a time period limitation. Curriculum Organization My training is in chemistry; therefore, the proposed curricultun is chemistrv-oriented. The central theme of the four courses is pollution-of the human body and its surroundings. Three major topics are considered: environmental pollution, pharmacology, and toxicology. In a typical fifteen-week semester a t NSLA, with one week reserved for mid-term examinations and another for final examinations, five weeks would be spent on the first topic, four on the second, and four on the thiid. ~~
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198 1 Journal of Chemical Education
Topics Environmental Pullutiun Air and water pollution would be covered in the science course. Literature would examine the effects of environmental pollution through the study of Charles Dickens' "Hard Times" or "Our Mutual Friend" and William Blake's poem, "London." The London chimney sweep-a victim of occupational carcinogenesis as a consequence of his exposure to coal combustion by-products-can also be studied, in the context of Dickens' "Oliver Twist" and Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper" poems. Social Institutions, Ideas, and Philosophy would consider the history of environmental pollution and would focus on the living conditions of chimney sweeps as well as of the general uouulation of London of the eiehteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Arts would conce&rate on the devastating effects of pollution on works of art. includine the destruction wreaked-on Venice's priceless marble s&lpture. Pharmacolopv ... Science would focus on cocaine, a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, on such CNS depressants as alcohol. morphine and heroin, and on the phenomenon of drug interaction. 1.iteratuw wt.~~ld inulyn! aork* inwrlving drug usnLn, such as Sir .\rrhur C'un:~nl)t,yle'i "A Scandal In 1hhem1:1"-ah1~h, 1111likc the Inter Shrrhrk Hulmrs itories, i d s to distinyllish heru,een I ik.nine and lhcopiates- and Kicnol,~i\!P).Q~'< I!K4 Iwsf~eller."The Seven-Ptd'ent S t h t i m , " ahi,.h umncct; h h d o r k H d n ~ t t .ind i Sicmund Freud "throurh " t h v all-importaut link of cocaine" ( I ) . Social Institutions, Ideas, and Philosophy would cover all or portions of Sigmund Freud's "Cocaine Papers" and Richard Ashley's two historical books, "Cocaine" and "Heroin." The Arts would conclude the t o ~ i c of pharmacology by analyzing films and music that incorporate cocaine or heroin themes, including some of the rock music of the late sixties and early seventies, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda's 1969 film, "Easy Rider," the 1971 film, "The French Connection," and the 197fi film, "The SevenPer-Cent Solution." ~
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This paper is a condensed version of a paper that won the 1979 Gustav Ohaus-National Science Teachers Association Award of $500 for Innovations in College Science Teaching.
Toxicology Four of the heavy metal poisons-arsenic, lead, mercury, and thallium-would he studied in Science. Appropriate works for analysis in Literature would include "Alice's Adventure in Wonderland," whose Mad Hatter exhibited symptoms typical of nineteenth century hatmakers, who used mercury to treat felts for making hats; Agatha Christie's "The Pale Horse," a novel whose plot centers around the thallium-induced deaths of several victims of a carefully disguised and verv well-organized murder-for-hire scheme; and two news articles (2, 5) that relate this novel to authentic situations. Social Institutions, Ideas, and Philosophy would explore toxicology in an historical context, and among the suitable readings would be a recent historical treatment of the mercury problem (4). The Arts would incorporate the topic of toxicolorv into a consideration of the early artistic uses-and, thus, O I I I C C S (~t'poi~onin::of nrsmic, lead, and mercug., with r);irticuli~r(,mph.is~i m ntliridual i l p p l ~ o i t ~ m ins pigments, coatings, or objects of various designs (4-9).Moreover, numerous poignant ~hotographsthat convey with masterly realism the twentieth century tragedy of mercury poisoning would he available for detailed analysis ( 9 , I O ) . Evaluation If the curriculum described in this paper is to be successful in making science a meaningful discipline to which nonmajors can relate, the evaluation of the curriculum and the students is of considerahle importance. One approach to evaluating the students is based on a system consisting of five parts-periodic quizzes, term paper or interdisciplinary research project, class participation, mid-term and final examinations, with equal weight assigned to each part. Quizzes and examinations must consist nrimarilv of essav questions so that ability in written communication as well as masterv of material can he tested. Term papers should not For the science exceed"ten typed (double-spaced) course.. the . paver . must interrelate chemistrv with a suhikct outside science not concerned with any o f t h e three other courses of the curriculum. For each of these three courses, the paper must interrelate chemistry with a subject relevant to the course. If special interdisciplinary research projects are undertaken, they can include creation of montages, films, reawlings, or taped interviews. And class participation must not only involve responses to questions asked by the teacher hut also one oral report-approximately 20 min in length-in
each course on a pertinent topic that lends itself to chemical analysis in an interdisciplinary context. Faculty-student conferences must be held on a regular basis to afford students the opportunity to discuss difficulties they may have or to express opinions on various aspects of the curriculum. The teachers must also meet on a weeklv basis. Such meetings are essential because although the science teacher is responsible for selecting the theme and topics of the curriculum, there must he a constant sharing of ideas among the teachers if the curriculum is to be successfully implemented. In addition, these meetings must also focus on the necessity of class visitation. That is, the science teacher would visit certain classes when a team-teaching approach would he necessary to eliminate problems encountered hv the students. Written student evaluations of the curriculum are also essential. These can he anonymous if the students prefer. Although the evaluations must he submitted by the students a t the end of the semester, students should he encouraged to provide written input a t any time during the semester. Conclusion The interdisciplinary curriculum proposed here could certainly he altered to satisfy the interests of teachers who would consider adoutine . - it or to facilitate its extension hevond one semester. For example, the theme and accompanying topics could he replaced by other suitable themes and topics, the science course could focus on an area of science other than chemistry, and substitutions could be made for anv of the "outside" courses used in conjunction with the science
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'l'hua, the c u r r i c u l ~ ~iannot ~ limited by specific h ~ n d a r i e ~ .
I t can function in srvernl ways without dcstrqi~l,:the. nc.n-
rraditiund lahwatur\. rotwept that s w w s as its Insis. Literature Cited p 252.
121 Doily Neu:s !New Yorkl. June 24. 1977, p. 4. (91 T i m e . July 17. 1972. p:ii. ( 6 ) D'ltri, P. A.. and U'ltri. F. M.."Mercury Csnfsmination: A Human Tm~edy:'.Lln Wiley & Simr. I n ? . NewYerk. 1977. 151 S c h n d e r , H. A., "The Pciimnr Around Or." Indiana ilniversity Prei. R l h m i n ~ t ~ m ,
Volume 57, Number3, March 1980 1 199
