edited by
SUSANH. Hixso~
Highlights
National Science Foundation Washington, DC 20550
CURTIS T. SEARS, JR. Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303
Projects supported by the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education Chemistry awards in the Course and Curriculum Development (CCD)program for FYI993 have been released. Although several of the grants are in support of multi-year projects, only the funds made available this year are cited. Concurrent with the mid-May publication of the 1993 CCD awards was the announcement of the program's expansion to emphasize undergraduate chemistry education in FYI994 (see insert below). This new emphasis presents chemists with a n exciting opportunity to undertake large scale innovative cumculum revision.
lnteractivi Chemistry Experiments: A Multime8a Approach Thomas J. Greenbowe Iowa State University
Four instructional multimedia software modules for use in beginning college chemistry courses are being developed, tested, produced, and distributed. Each module features four "Chemistry Workbench" experiments enabling students to construct and test a variety of topics in solutions, kinetics, acid-base equilibria, and electrochemistry by use of point-and-click mouse techniques. The modules which incorporate text, QuickTime color movies, PICT still images, voice narration, and animation sequence techniques are being developed for both Macintosh I1 and DOS platforms. No special video boards, laserdiscs, or laserdisc players are required to view the digital motion color images. The materials will be tested, evaluated and reviewed
by students and chemistry faculty at other colleges and universities prior to general distribution. Usin Computers To Challenge High-Aptitude Students and gimulate Creativity Charlie M. Stinson Talladega College
The project challenges high-aptitude freshmen and sophomores through the use of computers to stimulate their creativity. The students are undertaking alternate laboratory explorations aided by interactive videodiscs and computer interfaced instruments. Among the activities they are engaged in is designing their own experiments on suggested topics, constructing appropriate interfaces to a variety of instruments ranging from Spectronic 20 manual spectrometers and pH meters to gas chromatographs and atomic absorption spectrophotometers. Instructor's Reference Manual for Discovery Chemistry Roberl W. Ricci Holy Cross College
An Instructor's Reference Manual is being prepared to aid other institutions to efficiently adopt the Holy Cross Chemistry Discovery Program. This curriculum addresses the concern for teaching students content in the laboratory while still focusing on the process of discovery. The four-
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course intmductorv is founded on laboratory ex. sequence ercises that engage the students in both individual and cooperative work to discover for themselves many of modem chemistry's basic principles. Thirty discovery experiments have been integrated into the curriculum. The manual will document instructional methodologies that have been snccessful with a variety of different discovery exercises drawn from the pmgr& and also include a n extensive information base for each of the discovery exercises. Development of a Materials-Orlented General Chemistry Course Anbur B. Ellis University of Wisconsin-Madison
$499,999
A materials-oriented approach to chemistrv is beine deof "A ~ a t e A a l ~ s h&sveloped through the try Companion to General Chemistry", by a n ad hoc committee of 25 chemistry researchers a n d teachers. Consistine of text, problem sets, model kits, software, videotapes, demonst&ions, and laboratory experiments, the "Companion" is scheduled for publication by the American Chemical Society in 1993. The %ompauionn demonstrates how virtually every topic typically covered in introductory chemistry courses can be illustrated with solids such as polymers, semiconductors, metals, superconductors, and ceramics. The project focuses on mechanisms for assimilating materials chemistry into introductory chemistry courses. Devising a More Effective Approach to the Study of General Chemistry David H. Smith Doane College
The content and pedagogy of the general chemistry course for science majors is being revised to substantially reduce the importance of the lecture by utilizing small group cooperative learning procedures. A renewed emphasis on descriptive chemistry, a reduction in the extent of the mathematical treatment of chemical concepts and the development of students' abilities to solve problems that requlre them to intepnte material from previous studes are hallmarks of the new course sequence The Chemistry of Art for Nonscientists Michael Henchman Brandeis University
A chemistry course for non-science majors which focuses on the chemistry of art is being developed. Essentially a materials-science course on the fabrication, examination, conservation and authentication of artifacts, the course is an effective method of presenting science to nonscientists. At present, two factors limit the adoption of such courses. the lackofa suitable text and the dificultv ofobtaininethe necessary scientific data in a suitable fbrm for teaghing
468
Journal of Chemical Education
(e.g. the scientific data for assessing the restoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiline). The ~ m i e chas t three comwnents designed to bvercomFthese &fX"culties: (1) development of a scientific text limited to relevant topics; (2) development (in collaboration with theNational Gallery of
Art) of a laserdisc mntaining all the scientificand conser-
vation data needed ta investigate the famous and problematic artwork "The Feast of the Gads;" and, (3) enhancement of the laboratmy mmponent of the course, by introducing chemical microscopy for pigment and fiber characterization. Development of a Data Acquisition and Data Analysis System for Visually Impaired Chemistry Students David Lunney East Carolina University
The ~ r o i e c tis developing software to make compnteraided &e&stry expe&e&s more accessible to &dents who have visual impairments. The software is designed for use on personal computers that have been equipped with synthetic speech, electronic music, and enlarged text and graphics capabilities. Experimental data is acquired through a modular data acquisition subsystem designed use in educational laboratories. Experiments for which for -~ software is being developed include the instrumental methods commonlv used in lower level chemistm courses. The software inckdes a data analysis package that enables visually impaired students to perform extensive analysis on dataacquired with the system. The system and its software should be readily adaptable to other disciplines. ~~~
Incorporating Polymeric Materials Topics in the Undergraduate Chemistry Core Curriculum John I? Droske University of Wiswnsin-Stevens Point
$170,323
The project continues current efforts to include polymeric i a i e r i a l s topics in the undergraduate chemistry core curriculum. lnstmctional packets and laboratory experiments are being prepared for use by college and university faculty who have little or no prior experience in the polymer field. The effort is moving beyond general chemistry to include the preparation of polymer curricular materials for the organic sequence. Additionally, instructional videotapes are being prepared. The three previously established reeional sites at Rennselear Polvtechnic Institute, the lJuiv&ity of Southern Mississippi, k d the university of Wisconsin-Stevens Point are again hosting the NSFPOLYED Scholars engaged in developing polymer nuricular materials during summer residencies. Repional workshops will be offered a t the three regional s&s to begin dissemination of the curricular materials developed. Following completion of field tests, the materials will be disseminated via workshops, publications, and the POLYED National Information Center for Polymer Education.
