VOLUME 33, NO. 11. NOVEMBER, 1956
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TEACHING MANUAL SKILLS TO CHEMISTRY MAJORS G. N. QUAM, E. F. JENKINS, and J. W. PAQUETTE Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania
EVERYteacher of an experimental science can recall in working with glasses, moods, metals, and plastics. many instances of a lack of manual skills among science students, and sometimes among science teachers. Sketches and line drawings are often so poorly done that oral interpretations are necessary. A craftsman receiving a sketch often becomes completely baffled for good reason. Textbooks are not exempt as is often shown by poor and sometimes misleading line drawings. Failure to understand the care and uses of ordinary laboratory equipment and tools often results in great loss of time and costly equipment. To overcome snch apparent shortcomings and to establish a sensible attitude toward snch skills our department planned two service courses of two semester credits each for the freshman year: science drawing and laboratory arts. The fundamental principles of the science drawing course are patterned after standard engineering drawing procedures but the applications are directed to chemical rather than to engineering projects. We are satisfied after three years' experience that this course has accounted for more orderly arrangement of data and for better application and appreciation of graphical expression. The course in laboratory arts is designed t o help the student understand and appreciate the problems of maintenance of laboratories and the skills of craftsmen
We try to impress upon the student that we are not attempting to develop craftsmen but rather to develop a degree of craftiness in dealing with craftsmen. Guided tours are taken through several laboratories, balance rooms, offices, storerooms, and the shop. Maintenance problems are discussed critically in each place. The laboratory work is chiefly standard glassworking practice. Shop practice is largely confined t o demonstrations of the care and uses of hand and power tools. By special arrangement with the mechanical engineering department the class can also observe a variety of demonstrations and audio-visual material presented to engineering students. Our observations indicate that students will much more appreciate the value of these courses while in advanced-undergraduate and graduate courses, doing research in graduate schools or in industry, or while enga.ged in laboratory teaching. For help in developing the courses we are indebted to the Rev. John J. Vrana, O.S.A., and Prof. William C. Hampton of engineering drawing, and Prof. William M. Gorman of shop practice, all of the mechanical engineering department. We are also indebted to our department mechanic, James Shea, for providing illustrations in maintenance problems and construction of equipment. The authors invite critical suggestions and will gladly supply course outlines and reference 1 Based on a paper presented at the Delaware Valley Meeting works to interested teachers. of the American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, February, 1956.
