Implementation of the Thai High School Chemistry Curriculum Nida Sapianchai and Thongchai Chewprecha Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) 924 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Thailand, with a population of 48 million, is one of the oldest countries in Southeast Asia. Before 1963, Thailand required four years of compulsory education. In 1978 the Thai eovernment vromuleated a new, 6-3-3 educational system (six ;ears of elekentaryievel, three years of lower secondary level, and three years of upper secondary level) with six years of compulsory education required for all children. Educational administration in Thailand is a centralized system: all schools throughout the country must use the same curriculum authorized by the Ministry of Education. Since secondary education is not c~,mpulsory.studyat that levcl depends on the parents' financial status and the student's own rihilitv. In 1975. about 319 of the 1.i-16-vear-old rrour) was enrollid in the lower secondary level and about 12%Lfthk 17-19-year-old group was enrolled in the upper secondary level. The number of students desiring to enroll in the public school exceeds space available; therefore, an entrance examination is required. Private schools can enroll some of the unadmitted students, but this still is not sufficient to accommodate all who desire secondary education. Education after the secondary level leads to one of two programs: the four-year bachelor degree program or the one-to-three year diploma program. There are 40 institutions which now offer the bachelor's degree, including 17 small teachers' colleges, 10 private colleees. 12 public universities, and 1 open university. ~ n t r a n ctu i any-public university is very competitive; onlv about 20-30°iof the applicants can he accepced. In 193% for kxample, the institutioii of higher learning accepted only 12,502 applicants. An entrance examination is the main procedure used to select applicants. Private colleges also admit some students t o limited areas of study but their enrollment is small since these institutions are expensive. The one-to-three year programs of study, including training of technicians and skilled workers, are offered in over 100 technical institutions. These programs are, however, much less popular than the four-year bachelor degree programs. Graduate programs are offered only in a few universities in limited areas. The enrollment of the graduate programs is small due to the limitations of subject specialists and facilities. Science Teachlng in the Secondary Schools The three years in the lower secondary education program, M.l, M.2, and M.3 are roughly equivalent to grades I , $ , and 9 in the US. Science is studied in each of these grades, four periods a week. An integrated science program is presented rather than separate disciplines such as chemistry, biology, or vhvsics. ~ t " d e n t sat the upper secondary level who plan to further their education in science or sriimce-related fields would he guided to take up to 60 semester credits in specific scientific courses such as chemistry, biology, and physics. They are also allowed to choose several elective courses. Nonscience students and those who plan to terminate their study upon graduation would be required to take only 12 semester credits of science. A new modular physical science course is recommended for this purpose. 44
Journal of Chemical Education
he lnstltute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology The nationwide chemistry curriculum a t the upper secondary school level prior to 1976 in Thailand had been very traditional in comvarison to manv other countries. Theoretical chemistry and laboratory chemistry were taught sq~arately ~ ' i t little h relationshiv between them. Lahoratorv was not a required part of the eourse. Some topics were out of date; others, such as calculations and descriptive chemistry, were presented in too much detail. On the other hand, many important chemistry topics, such as bonding, rate of reaction, and equilibrium, were ignored. Teaching strategies, emphasizing memorization, were based entirely upon a teacher's teaching rather than a student's learning. Teachers were not familiar with investigative or inquiry teaching techniques. High level questions were seldom asked. Students were not encouraged to ask questions, think, present ideas, or participate in a class discussion. For along time, this approach to chemistry had been criticized by many science teachers and science educators in Thailand. They agreed that new chemistry courses was needed for the upper secondary school. However, no attempt was made to do this until 1972, when the Institute for the Promotion of Teachine Science and Technolorn (IPST) was estahlished through ;operative action of t h ~ ~ o yThai a l Go\,ernment. the i'nitrd Nntiuns Develooment Proernm (L'NDI') and its executing agency, the united ~ a t i o n Educational i Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The main purpose of the Institute has been to develop modern science and mathematics curricula at every level below the university. Chemistry a t the upper secondary school level was one of the first of the curricula to be developed, and its the nationwide implementation began in 1976 after three years of trial teaching from 1973 to 1975. IPST Chemistry Curriculum
The 1l'ST chemistry curriculum is verydifferent from the earlier traditional chemistrv rurriculum. Throrv and lahoratory are integrated within the same course. Students are reauired to perform the experiments. observe, measure. eather data, orgaiize data, interpret, make predictions, anxdraw conclusions from their own data. Inauirv and investieative teaching approaches were introduced the teachers ana they were encouraged to use these approaches in their teaching. The unique characteristics of the IPST chemistry curriculum can be described as follows: I t is inquiry-oriented (expecting students to think and t o explain i,hy), investigati\,t (mow doing chemistry), student-centered rstimulating their interests, ability, and ultimate use of chemistry), reievant (meaningful to everyday living), and innovative (new experiments, new equipment, new style of teaching, and new scheme of evaluation). Experiments play a large part, and the curiosity of the student is aroused. The student is placed in the role of discoverer, and the exciting, creative implications of this adventure encourage the student to become involved in his (her) own learning. Learning by inquiry, however, does
lnstructvrj of the insenice program used the techniques end mrthudi uhirh they wanted the tenthers to use in 1ht4r classroom. Although fkw special lectures on content or methology were given, through this role-playing technique teachers were exposed simultaneously to both. Teachers also had an o ~ ~ o r t u n i t v(1) t o perform all experiments which they would have to sup&ise in the classroom, (2) observe and u& videotapes, audio slide-tapes, audio filmstrips, and programmed instruction booklets about the classroom management of experiments, laboratory safety, etc., and (3) discuss the IPST philosophy and objectives of chemistry teaching, and participate in its evaluation. Tn date. ~,over 90%of the chemistrv teachers have comoleted a t liast two 90-hr IPST training sessions. In addition, elahorate teacher euides have been wroduced bv the IPST to assist the trained cachers. In follow-up meetings, they report that these teacher guides have been of tremendous help.
nut nrressarilv mean that a whole curriculum will consist of experiments and prnhlems. Currirulum drwloprri in I P f l acience suhirct> have attempud t u ubtain a halatse hetween factual content and inquiry activity. The criteria for selection of contents include the following: Content selected should 1) lead up to modern science and reflect the hasic ideas and structures of the most recently accepted advances. 2) show continuity and follow a logical conceptual scheme. 3) have a capacity for unifying and explaining the widest variety of phenomena and data. 4) be teachable within the time allocated and he suitable for the students' intellectual maturity and interests. 5 ) be within the capability and experiencesof the teachersand the adequacy of resources. 6) contain examples of important applications to technology, agriculture, medicine, industry, and social science in Thailand. 7) bring out the relationships to other fields of study, especially to the natural science and mathematics. 8) contribute to the growth and development of the individual as well as society and stimulate the proper utilization of natural resources and the preservation of the environment.
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The IPST chemistry contents can be summarized as shown in Figure 1. The IPST lnservlce Training Program The teachers who would teach I P S T chemistrv were the same teachers who formerly had taught traditionaichemistry. Thev were familiar with traditional chemistrv t o ~ i c sand traditional teaching styles. This created the most-difficult problem in implementing the new curriculum a t IPST. Curriculum developers a t IPST realized that the success of their work depended upon how well they could train these teachers. Thus an IPST inservice training program was developed with three main purposes: (1) to ensure that teachers have a sympathetic atGtude to the new teaching approach; (2) to ensure that teachers understand the subiect matter; (3) to ensure that teachers know how to use the new materials including the visual aids and new laboratory equipment.
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Equipment and Chemicals In addition to the need to train teachers in new techniques, school budgets for equipment and chemicals, teaching road, and class size Dose other Droblems to the implementation of IPST. At the present timeahout 600 schools,54,000students, and 750 teachers are learning or teaching chemistry a t the upper secondary school level. The average number of students in a class is 45. The average teaching load is 20 periods per week. Students study 3 periods of chemistry per week. Because no laboratory assistants are available, teachers have to prepare all their own teaching aids needed for student experiments. Most schools do not have enough laboratory rooms; very often students have to do experiments in a regular classroom in which electricity and water are not installed. Students often have to carry a bowl of water and equipment from room to room. IPST has had to design experiments and equipment so that they can be used in such circumstances. Altogether, students have to perform about 90 experiments within 6 semesters; some representative examples of the experiments performed as listed below.
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Environment
Organic / ~Cornpounds. Matter
Gas Reactions-Conservation of Mass
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I
Gas Laws
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Law of chemical Combination
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Kinetic Theory
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Equilibrium
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A ,
Compounds, Solutions
Stoichiometry
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Avogadro's Law
Periodicity
Structure of atoms, molecules, and crystals
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of &action
Golnslon rneory
Properties of Solution Mole Concept
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Changes of Matte1
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Chemistry and Industry
Activation Energy
ElectricalPeriodic Table \ Nature of Matter
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\ Ionization Potential Electron Affinity Electronegativity
Atomic Theories
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\Latest concept of atom /
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Figure 1. Conceptual scheme of the IPST chemistry course (six-semestercourse, three periods a week).
Volume 61
Number 1 January 1984
45
Matter and Changes: boiling of solutions and substances solvent extraction steam distillation extraction separation by chromatography energy and solubility energy and chemical reaction Stoichiometry ( I ) : the study of mass in the system reactions between copper and sulphur mass ratio of elements in lead (11) iodide gas evolved from the reaction between oxygen .. and nitrogen monoxide anoroximation of molecular size of oleic acid preparation of solutions heat energy of chemical reactmn All the equipment used in chemistry courses a t the upper secondary level except some glassware and balances has been designed by IPST and produced by local industries. Only some sophisticated equipment parts are imported; these are then assembled within the country. It is the IPST's goal to design low-cost equipment using local materials, thus encouraging
development of local chemical and science equipment industries. Up to this point IPST equipment is lower in cost when compared with imported materials, and almost all equipment uses local material. Several privately-owned, small-scale factories for the production of equipment, and one science eauiament nlant has been oreanized hv a commercial enterprik the ~ e a c h e r ' s~ s s o c i a ~ o n . T h e IPST eouioment is classified into four erouas: (1) the student's kit, kits for special student experiknis, (3) kits for teacher demonstration. (4) for teacher oreoa. eauiament . . . . ration. The student's kit is shown on Figure 2, and selected m a m o k s uf the eauioment develuoed locallv are illustrated . . in Figures 3-4.
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(5)
1) The student's kit. This contains all the basic laboratory eauioment needed bv the student and should be all that he or she . . rrquirps for at lrast :Srnofrhr rxprrimrnri in rhr cwrsr.Therearc tu~difirrrntkindioist,rage: rl~cn~oodrn kit box and rhr o w n rnrsh lati tic tray.'The iremi :n the kit arc thr sanir in both cases. Thr k ~ t was designed so that experiments in the new curriculum could be performed in any room in the school where there was a table for the student to put the box on. 2) Kits for special student experiments. There are some pieces of eouinment whiehsre usedseveral times durine the course but not ~, . often rnough tu hr lnrluded in the ~ r t ~ d ~ nkit. r ' sThis typeofequipmrut includes that fur rhr mndocti\,ity test, the clertndyiii appdrstus, and the tnwlared beaker .rdor~nicrrr~. Thrsr wdl be ~ I I I ) I ~ I Q ~ by thp tpwhrr u hen they srr nerdrd. :., Ktr, /,,r r,whcr dmtonsrra!trm Thrre is a imnll amumf uf equamnenr for troche, dernonitmtion. I t included the ion miaratim . set aid the molecular and crystal models. 4) Eouioment for teacher oreoaration. To assist the teacher in ~
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pipet, and a buret. Conclusion Teachers are the most important link in the educational system. The training conducted to help these teachers acquire Figure 2. Kit containing student experimental equipment
Figure
46
Figure 4. Acid-base reaction carried out using a syringe. Journal of Chemical Education
the necessary teaching skills and confidence is of utmost importance. In this connection, equipment and teaching materials must be readily availahle so that the schools can purchase them at reasonable prices. Even the best curriculum will not
achieve its goal, if the teachers are not providedwithnecessary materials to sustain their program. With the demands on their time heing what they are, teachers can not expect to produce very much of their own equipment or materials.
Volume 61
Number 1 January 1984
47
