College Chemistry for Business Students Using the Issues-Directed Approach David L. Adams Babson College. Babson Park. MA 02157-0901 Undergraduate science education for nonscience majors is a widespread and expressed concern of many national organizations. Several recent reports (1-5) and a review (6)emphasize scientific literacy for all citizens and new approaches t o introductory or entry-level science courses for accomplishing this. A recent Journal of Chemical Education editorial, "Entry Level Courses: The Weak Link", stresses the fundamental importance of strengthened entry-level courses in improving science education (7). Educational Policies for National Survival, an American Chemical Society (ACS) report, states: "Colleges and universities must be encouraged to design introductory courses that effectively convey to non-scientists the nature and impact of the chemical sciences and technology" (I). The ACS is also providing leadership in developing this kind of introductory chemistry course. One such ACS-sponsored course, Chemistry in the Community, or ChemCom (8),uses the issues-directed approach. An analogous ACS college-level course, Chemistry in Context, also using the issues-directed approach, is under development (9). At Babson College in Wellesley, MA, an introductory chemistry course, "Chemical Technologies in the Manufacturing System" has been developed and taught. This course, like the ChemCom course, is issues-directed. I t is designed around issues of interest to future business managers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, pedagogy, content, and design of this course.
applicable to any scientific discipline. Energy, waste management, and materials science are important issues in the business world. They are critical to todav's manufacturine-svstem environment, a topic business . students study in general management. " ~ h e m i c aTechnoll oeies in the Manufacturine System" is therefore based primarily on these issues: thenature of materials used in modern manufacturing, the use of energy in their transformation to products, and the management of wastesproduced during manufacturing processes. A fourth issue, the chemical industry, is included to highlight a specific industry most related to the course content and to provide added opportunity to explore descriptive chemistry. These four issues are intimately interconnected within the manufacturing system, thus providing a unified course. They also have sufficient scope of application to allow for the development of the chemical fundamentals normally covered in introductory chemistry. Finally, the four course issues are of interest to business students since they directly relate to their careers and contribute to a better understanding of the world around them. Each unit or issue opens with a presentation of some emereine or introductory technologies. This approach generallyraises student interest and !generates queitions whose answers require an understanding of related basic chemical concepts. &r example, consider materials science. This issue is initially presented by examining some of the properties ~~-~ and characteristics of new materials used in manufacturing today-superalloys, composites, high technology ceramics..and oolvmers. Hrieflv introduced at this time are the emerging technologies of conducting polymers, ceramic auto engines, aerospace composites, and superconductors. Ensuing discussion leads to the fundamental principle of modern chemistry: microscopic or molecular structure determines observable or hulk properties. In order for students to understand how polyacetylene conducts electricity, why some ceramics have melting points above 3000 'C, and why polymers such as polyethylene exhibit varying properties from food wrap to laundry detergent bottles, i t is necessary to understand the structure of and bonding in these materials. Thus, the chemical fundamentals of atomic and molecular strucutre, chemical honding, and intermolecular forces are introduced on a "need-to-know" basis in the materials science unit. Chemical principles are raised only in response to the examination or analysis of the issue under review. Having fostered a desire to understand real-world phenomena and technologies, the issues-directed approach leads to a natural consideration of chemical principles. Repeating, however. it is essential to choose issues for which all the major chemical fundamentals "need-to-be-known". The four course issues, and the introductory technologies and chemical fundamentals treated under each, are shown in Tahle 1. I t is important to reinforce the issue under examination continually. This is accomplished using a focused case study approach. In the materials science segment the focused case study is polyethylene. Examination of polyethylene begins ~~~~~~
Course DevelopmenVConient
The importance of chemisrry and chemical technologies to students. in this case business students, is undisputed (10). ~ i s t o r i c h lbusiness ~ majors took chemistry iourses desiened nrimarilv for science majors. As a result, business students generaily learned little,aere uninterested, and developed no sense of the value and importance of chemistry and science to their future. Worse, many acquired a negative attitude toward chemistry and science in general. Recently, the effectiveness of the issues-directed approach to courses for nonmajors has been rediscovered (11, 12).Issues-directed courses begin with issues of interest to students (e.g., energy, air pollution) and subsequently introduce chemical fundamentals within the framework of the issues, and then only on a "need-to-know" hasis. This differs from the traditional disciplinary approach that presents concepts dogmatically with little or no context or application or need-to-know. The choice of the "correct" issues in such a course is crucial for three reasons. First, the issues must interest students to encourage their motivation for and involvement in the disciplinary c h s e content. Second, the issuesmust allow coverage of the full spectrum of fundamental chemical principles. Third, all the issues must be interconnected, creating a unified course experience. While this paper dealk specifically with the application of the issuesdirected approach to introductory chemistry, i t is generally Presented at the 1 lth Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in Atlanta, Georgia. August 5-9, 1990.
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Table 1.
Courae Issues, Introductory Technologies, and Chemlcal Fundamentals
ISSUE I-MATERIALS SCIENCE A. lnboductory technologies 1. Conducting polymers 2. Aerospace CompoSiteS 3. High-technology ceramics 4. Superconductors 8. Chemical fundamentals 1. Chemistry. matter 2. Physical and chemical properties and changes 3. Atoms. Isotopes, electronic structure. periodic table 4. Kinetic-molecular theory 5. Chemical bonding, intermolecular forces 6. Polymers, polymrl~ation ISSUE 2-ENERGY w A. I n b o d ~ ~ t oteehnoimiss 1 Renewable solar technologies 2. inherently safe fission reactors 3. Clean air fuels-alcohols 8. Chemical fundamentals 1. Chemical reactions. stoichiometry 2. Hydrocarbon combustion, thermachemistry 3. Energy, laws of thermodynamics 4. Acid-Base chemism, pH 5. Oxidation-reduction 6. Electrolytes ISSUE 3-WASTE MANAGEMENT A. introductory technologies 1. Waste management hierarchy or "industrial emsystem" 2. Hazardous waste incineration 3. Chewon program SMART El. C h e m i ~fundamentals ~l 1. Aqueous precipitatonreactions 2. Oxidation-reduction 3. Incineration,pyrolysis ISSUE 4-THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY A. lnboductory technologies 1. MIT Repan ( 14) 2. Petroleum refining B. Chemical fundamentals 1. Catalysis 2. Kinetics, equilibrium 3. Descriptive chemisby 0
Table 2.
Focused Case Studles
ISSUE I-Materials Science Polyethylene ISSUE 2-Energy Clean Air Act of 1990 iSSUE 3-Waste Management SMART Program (Chevron. Inc.) ISSUE 4-The Chemical indushy MIT Repon "Made in America" (14)
als and events. Conies of related conmessional bills are distributed and diskssed, and s t u d e k are encouraged to brine in ao~rooriate items for discussion. Spot videos of -- . course related television news items are regularly shown in class. All these emuhasize chemistrv as a current. useful. living science as opposed to a science of quantitative formulas and abstractions seemingly unrelated to the real world.
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Course Grading -
Students are evaluated using examinations, a research proiect, and a mini-research paper. The three hour exams, final examination, and research project are valued a t 100 points each. The mini-research paper is valued at 25 bonus points. The examinations contain two question types-recalland synthesislprojection. Therecall questions are either true/false or multiple choice. Examples are "Determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in a Ne-22 atom", and "During electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride what is produced a t the cathode?" The svnthesis/~roiectioncluestions reauire essav answers where students a;e asked to synthesize p~eviouslydiscussed material and use it to proiect resoonses to hitherto unaddressed situations. ~ h e s questions e also accomplish the important goal of requiring students to think critically and logically and apply their skills in scientific problem solving. For example: "Acetylene can be polymerized to yield polyacetylene. Predict the structure of polyacetylene. Polyacetylene is an electrically conducting polymer; can you explain how it conducts a flow of electrons?" This question is given during the materials science unit, after polyethylene is discussed hut before oolvacetvlene is mentioned. T o answer this successfully, st;d&ts must extrapolate their knowledge a t the atomic and molecular level. ~roeressiueto b o n d i n ~ of the mechanism of polymerization and conversion of ethylpatterns, production from mono&r ethylene, high- an2 ene to polyethylene. Another example: "Consider the toxin low-density varieties, aned finally to its newest elongated DDT (structure provided). When i t is incinerated a t 2000 O C super-high-strength form. Throughout this examination in the presence of oxygen i t decomposes to yield Cop, HzO, concepts such as electronic structure, chemical bonding, inand HCI. Using the kinetic-molecular theory, explain what termoiecular forces, and the kinetic-molecular theory are is happening to the DDT molecule as it is heated and eventudeveloped to explain various aspects and ropert ties of polvally incinerated. Write a balanced chemical equation for the ethylene, as wdl as other materials. Although the issueis process." materials science, the specific thread throughout this unit is The research project mirrors the course issues in that it polyethylene. Polyethylene ties this unit together, hut other involves a detailed written and oral analysis of a business or materials are also discussed. industry regarding raw materials used, energy requirements, The Clean Air Act of 1990, under debate in the U.S. Senand waste management practices. Thus, students directly ate in the spring 1990 semester, is the focused case study for apply course content to a particular business or industry of the enerev unit. The focused case studv for waste manaeeinterest, hopefully one that is relevant to their future capiement is the Save Money and Reduce ~ i x i c (SMART) s reers. Some students investigate general industries such as gram developed by Chevron, Inc. (13).In each instance, the steel, rubber, or photography. Others examine specific husifocused case study imparts currency and relevancy to the nesses such as the Grignard Company in New Jersey and issue and chemistry being discussed. This reinforces one of Clean Harbors. Inc.. in Massachusetts. In all cases students the main goals of the course-to instill in students an awaredevelop research skills in a technical topic and make recomness of the widespread usefulness of chemistry in their permendations for increased profitabilitv. more efficient operasonal lives, professional careers, and futures: The focised tions, and more e n v i r o n ~ e n t aaw&e l ~ ~ managerial case study for each unit is shown in Table 2. for the use of emerging chemical technologies. Course Materials In addition to the research project described above, students are able to voluntarily complete a mini-research paThereauired text is Chemistry and Society by Jones et al. per. Mini-research paper topics must come from class dis(1.5). ~ h a p r e readings r and selecied problemfi are assigned to support the iwues; 1 6 of the 24 (67%) chapters are r o v ~ r ~ d . cussions. The topics evolve from questions raised in class for which answers are not readily available. The purpose of The tent is supplemented by handouts from current newspathese papers is to encourage students to use available repers and periodicals. A bulletin board is maintained outside sources to gain experience in investigating and answering the classroom with daily clippings on course related materi-
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Journal of Chemical Educatioll
technical questions generated from peer group discussions, a situation they will encounter later in their careers. Miniresearch paper topics included cryogenics and mixed plastics recycling. Student Evaiuatlon of Course
Most of the junior- and senior-level students enrolled during the spring 1990 semester had poor high school science experiences and had not taken previous science courses a t the college level. At the end of the semester the students completed a narrative course evaluation questionnaire. The most significant observation noted in student comments was that the students enjoyed the course and were motivated to learn chemistry. They also indicated that this interest and motivation was because the chemistry was presented in the framework of issues that they perceived as useful to their lives and careers. Illustrative comments are: "This course was an excellent balance of traditional science principles as applied to modern technology and modern problems-waste and the environment", "Inspired me to learn chemistry-a class I have repeatedly done poorly in", "Applied to reality-best course in last two years I've taken ", and " This course was extremely relevant to my future". The level of interest generated in science appears to he having effects beyond the course. Several students have enrolled in other science electives-almost unheard of in a business school. One student commented on the written evaluation form: "Great learning experience, probably will change my career decision". I t seems clear from the experiences of this course that the issues directed approach to science education is motivational and rewarding for the nonscience major. Future Course Ideas
"Chemical Technologies in the Manufacturing System" has been taught once and will he taught regularly in the future. Although the guiding concepts and ideas are in place, more development work is needed. The major weakness is the lack of a laboratory segment, and omission stemming from curricular constraints at Babson. The course is incomplete without a laboratory component, and one will he introduced when the course becomes a regular part of the curriculum. The goal is to develop predominantly microscale laboratories that closely supplement lecture material, relate to business and industrial applications, and provide useful ex-
periential lessons. For example, in the materials science unit, polymers having varying properties will be prepared so students get hands-on experience in polymerization, catalysis, thermosetting vs. thermoplastic polymers, and cross-linking. Lecture demonstrations must be increased: lack of development time kept them to a minimum. ~ u r t h e r valuable , expertise and relevance could he added by including outside speakers from business and government. Their insights on the importance of science and technology in the real world is a greater motivator in encouraging future business managers to appreciate the importance of science. Finally, field trips to recycling facilities, waste minimization centers, or other businesses and industries that emphasize the reality of the course content would be invaluable. Conclusions
Although i t is difficult to reach final conclusions based on asingle experience, the success of the course suggests that an issues-directed approach to chemistry works for nonmajors. As noted. this aooroach reauires further development and refinemeht. ~ i t k s u f f i c i e n t i i m efor developme&, however, it is oossible to structure learning experiences in chemistry thatLare both motivational and substantive. Work should continue on this educational approach to chemistry and other sciences for nonscience majors with specific emphasis on issues, case studies, laboratories, and their integration. Literature Cited I. AmericsnChemiralSociety. Educoliond Policisa far Notional Suruioal: Washington. DC. 198% p 8. 2. Hatfmann. R.Reportedin Chem. Eng. Neus 1990.23 April, 25-26. 3. Sigma X i . An Explomiionof the Nature and Quolily of Undergroduafe Eduralion in Science. Mothematics and Engineerin#: New Haven. CT.198% pp 9-11. 4. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Thc Libem! A l l of Srrence: Agrndo for Action: Washington. DC,1990. 5. National Science Teachem Associstian. N S T A Raporlr! 1990. MayiJune, 4 2 4 6 . 6. Krieger, J. Chsm.Eng.Nsws 1990.11 June. 2 7 4 3 . 7 . Lagowski,J.J. J. C h e m E d u c . 1990,67. 185. R. Ne1ron.G. L. Chem.Ene.News 1988.26Seotember.47. . . 9. Schwartx, A. T .Macalastor College, poisons1 eornmunieafiun. 1990. 10. Begley. 8.;Spiingen. K.: Hagcr. M.: Barretf,T.; Jmeph. N.Nsusurek 1990.9 April. 59-64 "-
11. Adarns, D. L. Bu1l.Sci. Tech. Soc. 1990.10. 125-129.
12. P w l , R. Science 1990.248, 157-158. 18. Chevron, Inc. S o w Money ond Reduce Tories: San Francisco. C A , 1989. 14. Dertouzos. M. L.: Lester. R . K.; Solow. R. M. Mode in Amcrico-Regaining the Praducliue Edpe: MIT: Cambridge, 1989. 15. Jones,M.M.;NetUruille,J.J.;Johnatone,O.O.:Wood,J.L.;Joerbn,M.D.Chamirir~ and Society, 5th ed.. Saunders: Philadelphia. 1989.
Redex: A New Videodisc from Project SERAPHIM "Redex" a video disc showing 57 oxidation-reduction reactions, is now available through Project SERAPHIM. This 12-in.,CAV-type,two-sided laser videodisc was produced by Helen Brooks and David Brooks, University of Nebraska, and includes the 57 oxidation-reduction reactions on both sides of the videodisc. These reactions are not usually available for hands-on experimentation in a modern safety-orientedhigh school chemistrylaboratory. It includes printed directions far using the dise with just a videodisc player and a hand-held remate-control keypad, by entering the frame number listed in the (printed) documentation included (level 1).However, it is more convenient to use the Macintosh HyperCard"program (level3)for computer control ofthe videodisc player; the Hypercard program is included.Teachers may use the videodisc to: Step through the action ofa nitrogen triodide explosion at 1130th afa second intervals, display classic demonstrations with minimal preparation time, observe a thermite reaction from a position too close for comfort, show reactions that are prohibited by safety laws in some states, and avoid disposal expenses and disposal problems with hazardous wastes. Thetwo-sidedvideadiscmay be purchased far $150 ($165,foreign and Canada)from: Project SERAPHIM,Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706,6081263-2837:60812620381 (FAX) Rush shipping is available at 515larder. Note: This dise complies with NTSC standards and thus is
incompatible with the PAL standard used on the uideodiscplayers in many European countries.
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