atk'&w06 CHEMICAL EDUCATION A - W S A Report on the Committee for the Public Understanding of Chemistry T h e Challenge from t h e International Conference o n Education in Chemistrv a t S n o w m a s s - a t - A s ~ e n .Colorado. July 20-24, 1970 (1) Four years ago the Panel on "Chemistry for Citizens" at the Internationl Conference made the following recommendations for improving chemical education: 1) In the elementary schools emphasis should he placed on stimulating curiosity and discovery, the participatory "funand-rnmes" sanect of science. 2) Srirnre courses included in the training of elementary school teachers should emphasize both the methods and the marerials appropriate to the 'discovery" or "mquiry" approach these teachers will use in the classroom. 3) Other media, especially television, should he investigated as a means of teaching science to young people. 4) For secondary schools, a program for producing materials for the study of chemistry from a humanistic point of view should be developed. 5) In colleges and universities, experimentation should he enmurazed "~ toward the develooment of humanistic in-deoth srienw courses much lpss rornmnted ro complete coverage of chen.:itry than has been the rase in the pait. br developed that deal with the philosuphifi) Courses cal and ethical implications of science. 7) The American Chemical Society should make special provisions to increase significantly the contact between college and university teachers of chemistry and all teachers of chemistry in the lower schools. 8) Television programs should he developed that show in simole terms how science solves and creates nroblems in our world. 9) Case histories of applied chemistry should he prepared by groups of appropriate experts, in the farm of well-documented, almost scholarly positionpapers. The report of this panel concluded with the following statement: "We wish that the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society will take the responsibility far soon constituting an effective panel to implement and further develop our recommendations. Until such a group is operational, we of this committee assume that our responsibilities are not ended." ~~~~
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R e s o o n s e s bv t h e Division
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Chemical Education t o t h e
Some Objectives for t h e Commitlee 1) To promote the learning of chemistry by all people who are not chemists. We might consider ourselves as a committee on chemistry for nonchemists. 2) To improve the learning of chemistry by students who need it a s a part of their preparation far careers in science related areas. We will cooperate with the Curriculum Committee in any way we can. We might consider such special coursesas: a) Organic and biochemistry for biologists, psychologists,. premeds, agriculturalists, nurses, medical technicians, food scientists. foresters. ecoloeists. - . etc. h) Inorganic chemistry for geolgists, environmentalists, engineers, metallurgists, etc. c) Analytical chemistry for food scientists, soil scientists, metallurgists, geologists, environmentalists, etc. d) Physical chemistry for physicists, engineers, medically related professionals. 3) To promote the learning of chemistry by students who ate not science-oriented hut who will occupy positions of leadership in tomorrow's society. We will cooperate with the Curriculum Committee in any way we can. a) General chemistry for lawyers, sociologists, social workers, business men, preachers-priests-rabbis, economists, legislators, executives in government and industry, teachers in disciplines other than chemistry, etc. b) More advanced and topical courses in chemistry such as Chemistry and Nutrition, Chemistry and the Energy Problem, Chemistry and Industry, Chemistry and Agriculture, Chemistry and the Economy, Chemistry and Environmental Pollution, History of Chemical Concepts, etc. 4) To improve the learning of chemistry by students who are not science oriented hut who will become white-collar workers essential to the efficient operation of the institutions functioning in a complicated technological society. a ) General chemistry for secretaries, bookkeepers, government administrators, sales people, small businessmen. 5 ) To improve the learning of chemistry by the populace at large-all adult voters and other citizens. a ) Assist in the circulation of existing radio and television program materidls. b) Promote the preparation of new materials for radio and
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c) Assist in the development of museums of science and in-
To stimulate activities along the lines reeommended by the Snowmass pan+ on "Chemistry for Citizens" an Implementing Committee was appointed a t the fall of 1970 meeting of the Division with William B. Cook as Chairman (21. This committee convened a National Conference on Public Understanding of Chemistry at Colorado State University in December of 1970 with Calvin A. Vander Werf as Conference Coordinator (31. The report of this conference reeommended that the Division of Chemical Education continue its efforts on behalf of public understanding of chemisttr -....~ ~~, The 1):vision sponsored a Conference on Chsmrval Educalinn at hlounr tlolyokr Cnlle@? under r h chairmanship ~ of Henry H ~ n in t August of 1972 11, Participants in this uonfprence dnrerted tllrir attention to the teaching of chemistry to prospective chemists, other scientists, and nonscientists. At the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education in Chicago in August of 1973, the ChairmanElect, Samuel P. Massie, was requested to appoint a chairman for a new Committee on Public Understanding of Chemistry. Dr. Massie appointed the author to this position. The purpose of this report is to outline some of the activities which the new committee may undertake. ~
332 / Journal of Chemical Education
dustry. P r o c e d u r e s Proposed for Meeting T h e s e Objectives 1 ) Find chemists who are willing and able to serve on the Committee on Public Understanding of Chemistry. 2) -. Find chemists who are willine and able to serve as Chairman ot o Subromm~tterto conrentraw on one of objectives 2. 3. 1,or i u r a pan r,f one of ihese. 31 Help Suhcmmittcr Charrrnen 11, find workers for thelr groups. 4) Establish the Committee on Public Understanding of Chemistry as a clearing house for information on what the various Suhcommittees are doing. a) Subcommittees to submit reports to the parent commit-, tee for collation and dissemination to the Executive Committee of the Division and to members of the Division. b) Parent committee to continue recruiting efforts to get large numbers of chemists participating in the work of the Subcommittees. We need at least 100 committee members working hard at various tasks if we are to im~
prove the public's understanding of chemistry in the next decade.
Membership of the Committee and Subcommittees The Committee and Subcommittees should he mission oriented. Committee members should he sought from universities with graduate programs, teachers colleges, four-year undergraduate colleges, two-year colleges, high schools, industry, foundations, the Manufacturing Chemists Association, etc. Membership should extend beyond the Division but the Division should run the show. Each Suhwmmittee should be directed by a member of the Division and the majority of its members should he in the Division. Each Subcommittee should seek participants whether or not they are memhers of the Division if they can make special eontrihntions to the PTOUD. Subcommittee Chairmen should he encouraged to recruit workers hut all appointments should he made by the Chairman of the Division. ~
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Summary As noted by Harold Cassidy (5), science is not in a state of gwd health and "the forces of antiscience and nihilism are gathering among our scientifically illiterate brethren." There is great
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need for strengthening support for chemical education and chemical research in the next decade. This support will he forthcoming only if large segments of the population have a better understanding of chemistry and chemists than they have now. The ACS Division of Chemical Education should take the lead in promoting this objective. At the Third Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at Pennsylvania State University, July SO-August 3, 1974, there was considerable interest in courses especially designed to widen the public understanding of chemistry. Anyone who would like to j ~ e in l ~this enterprise is reouested to mite the author descrihine
Uterature Cited 1Li h l i m i n a w Report, lnternatianal Conferanec on Education m Chemistry, J. CHEM.EDUC.,48, 3 119711. Cook,W.B.,J.CHEM. EDUC.. 49,316119121. 13) VenderWerf. C. A,. J. CHEM.EDUC.,48.91.119111. 141 a p o r t ofiheMt. Holyoke Conference, J. CHEM. EDUC.. 50,3, 119131. 15) Cassidy, H. G., J. CHEM. EDUC., 50.818. 119731. (2)
Edward C. Fuller Chairman of the Committeeon the Public ~nderstnndingof Chemistry Beloit College Beloit, Wisconsin 53511
Velum 52, Number 5, May 1975 / 333
