Editorial pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
JCE Chemical Education Xchange: X Marks the Spot for Finding Quality Chemistry Education Resources Deanna M. Cullen* Science Department, Whitehall High School, Whitehall, Michigan 49461 United States ABSTRACT: We are happy to officially roll out the JCE Chemical Education Xchange Web site (ChemEd X). ChemEd X has been developed to provide continued access to the resources previously available at JCE Online. This new and improved “interactive” version will facilitate collaboration among educators in the secondary chemistry community. The ChemEd X Web site will continue to expand. We hope that readers will use the resources that are already there and then help us by contributing their own unique ideas, activities, laboratories, and demonstrations. KEYWORDS: High School/Introductory Chemistry, General Public, Curriculum, Communication/Writing • To support professional growth by providing an interactive resource that allows for communication with other teachers and experts in the field • To improve student learning by providing high-quality tutorials, videos, and other resources that will support classroom content in diverse ways • To provide unique and high-quality ideas, activities, laboratories, and demonstrations • To support professional growth by providing a supportive environment for teachers to contribute their unique ideas for publication • To promote high-quality content and instructional approaches With over 20 years of teaching behind me, I have never been busier. Twenty years ago, I thought that teaching would get easier over time, but chemistry education is a dynamic force. We have to stay abreast of new educational initiatives as well as modern chemistry research and development. I am happy to see information and resources for all aspects of my teaching position in one location at the ChemEd X site. I cannot take credit for the name of the Web site, but “X marks the spot” comes to mind when I visit the Web site. We are all pressed for time, so efficiency is paramount. There have been some radical changes recently in science education. Excellence in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education has received national attention. The NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) are in the final stages of review.3 Incorporating valuable engineering principles into our curriculum will be a major change for many. College Board has overhauled the AP chemistry curriculum and exam to focus on conceptual understanding. All of these initiatives have value, and change can be good. However, change can be stressful and time-consuming. We would like to support secondary chemistry teachers by keeping them informed of these major issues. We can also help facilitate discussions surrounding these changes and provide resources to help teachers address their changing classroom needs. Educators are also buzzing about changes in classroom instruction related to use of technology and flipped
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his past summer at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) held at Penn State University, I took part in a symposium titled Celebrating Secondary School Chemistry in the Journal of Chemical Education.1 The focus of the celebration centered around the past editors (Joe Lagowski and John Moore) and associate editors (Mickey Sarquis, Emory Howell, Diana Mason, Erica Jacobsen, and Laura Slocum) who have played integral roles in providing that segment of our community with valuable resources. Being a rookie on the Journal team, I was especially interested in hearing the history. I was inspired to hear how every high school editor has brought his or her own unique perspective and has left a personal mark. Many of the projects initiated by those who have moved on have stood the test of time and we continue to find great value in them. These resources are widely recognized and used by teachers everywhere. At the time of year when we celebrate new beginnings, we are happy to officially roll out the JCE Chemical Education Xchange Web site (ChemEd X).2 ChemEd X has been developed to provide continued access to the resources previously available through JCE Online. ChemEd X will continue to expand with new features and resources. We hope that readers will use the resources that are already there and then help us by contributing their own unique ideas, activities, laboratories, and demonstrations. Some may like to blog about their own area of expertise and mentor others. We already have bloggers discussing inquiry, flipped instruction, technology, advanced placement, and other topics. We hope readers will give us feedback that will help us to understand the needs of chemistry teachers in diverse settings. We are listening. We hope to focus our efforts on filling the needs of those that are on the front lines of the chemistry classroom as we move forward. Our vision for ChemEd X is based upon the following goals: • To connect chemistry teachers in a way that will provide an opportunity to share information, exchange knowledge, express opinions, collaborate, and generate new ideas © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3007617 | J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Editorial
Chemical Education (BCCE) at The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, August 1, 2012; S69. http://www. bcceprogram.haydenmcneil.com/conference-info/s69a-celebratingsecondary-school-chemistry-journal-chemical-education (accessed Nov 2012). (2) More information can be found at the JCE Chemical Education Xchange (ChemEd X) Web site at http://www.chemedx.org/ (accessed Nov 2012). (3) Next Generation Science Standards Web Page. http://www. nextgenscience.org/ (accessed Nov 2012).
classroom techniques. Users of ChemEd X will be able to engage in discussions relating to each of these topics. Lesson planning resources, including activities and laboratories, are available to support STEM, NGSS, and the new AP chemistry curriculum. Until a couple of years ago, I was the only chemistry teacher in my school. I often wished that I had a colleague to collaborate with and bounce ideas off. I wanted the camaraderie that I felt at conferences and workshops on a more permanent basis. This site can fill that need if you are feeling isolated. Maybe you need support for teaching a difficult topic. You may find exactly what you need by searching the site. If not, you can send out a call for ideas. Hopefully, you will reciprocate by sharing a novel idea of your own. You can browse the blogs of fellow teachers, or try posted activities. I hope you will embrace the interactivity of this new site. If you have a question about an activity or a topic, you can submit it and our team will do our best to provide a suitable answer. You are sure to find unique ideas. I am especially interested in helping teachers to use articles from the Journal and calling attention to this incredible resource and the wealth of information that is bundled in each issue and its vast archives. Many of us have seen the teacher evaluation process evolve recently and it has become more important to demonstrate that we are collecting data, keeping up with current issues and engaging in professional activities. Writing and publishing articles that can be added to your résumé can serve as evidence of your professional pursuits. However, submitting written work for publication can be intimidating. I was encouraged by Erica Jacobsen to take a stab at submitting my first published article to the Journal. It is like everything else in life. We may feel uncomfortable at first, but the second time around is always easier. The reward is worth the effort. Chemistry teachers who need support in developing the skills required to publish activities and ideas can be assured that this will be a nurturing and professional environment. We hope that publishing on ChemEd X will build confidence and lead to submission of articles to the Journal. Now that ChemEd X has officially been unveiled, we are excited to move forward with additional ways of facilitating collaboration within the secondary community. We hope to add resources and features that will enhance what is already there. The passion of the past editors and associate editors for secondary education has made ChemEd X possible. I hope that they are proud of their part in how far we have come. In closing, I would like to congratulate Jon Holmes, Managing Editor of the Journal. He has spent a great deal of effort in developing this site and migrating many of the old resources from their previous locations in preparation for this announcement. His passion for this project is contagious. Well done, Jon! Best wishes for 2013!
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected]. Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily the views of the ACS.
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REFERENCES
(1) Celebrating Secondary School Chemistry in the Journal of Chemical Education. Presented at the 2012 Biennial Conference on B
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3007617 | J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
