George F. Palladino United States Milltary Academy West Po~nt,New York 10996
General Chemistry: An Alternative to PSI for Advanced Students
The merits and demerits of conducting chemistry courses by the PSI or "Keller" method have been discussed hy several authors ( I ) . A maior factor to be considered in anv oroaram is the reidonse to student questions as they ari8e ( 1 ; ) . A criticism of PSI was recentlv made hv an ex~eriencededucator in the form oi support of a ". . . skillfully prea:nted lecture drliwred in a clear v&r ton group of intelligent, interested. well-prepared students" (2).;This-same author points to the value of ". . . a written.set of ground rules" so that each student will he aware of his or her responsibilities and requirements in a course. A recent article by Van Winkle applies a contract eraded svstem to a lecture Droeram (3). One maior ohjective"of any program should he'to ynsure that the g&d students who would normally gravitate to the chemistry field are motivated to do so. PSI courses diminish student-teacher contact and deprive the student of a valuable motivating relationship. An alternative to PSI type courses, that retains some of its better features and builds on the student-teacher relationship, for these students should he considered. General Chemistry Method at USMA
For the past 145years, courses a t the United States Military Academy have been taught using the tenets of Sylvanus Thayer.' Col. Thayer's Tenets were Emphasis on physics, science, and engineering; Small class size; Ability grouping; and Competition among students (4). The tenets of Thayer were molded into the Thayer Concept which is still used in some departments today. Essentially, the Thayer Concept is that learning takes place in small units (a lesson). In the system that uses this concept, the student is responsible for thorough preparation of study assignments prior to attending a class. T h e students come to class prepared tdrecite (quizzed orally or in writing) on the lesson assienment. Thev are exoected to ask auestions on the " subject matter which was unclear, and on assigned problems that could not be solved. Small classes. averaaina 16 students by ahilieach, are used. Additionally, students are ty. The instructors serve as a source of information and directors for arouo efforts. The instructors, in a small class environment, brchkstrate the lesson activities. They may lecture on difficult concepts or give the students problems to be solved a t the chalkboard while they observe and critique. They may answer questions, draw out a discussion on the principal points of the lesson, give a quiz on the day's lesson, or any combination of these techniques. Although the students mav not he eraded on everv lesson. instructors give unannounced quizzes, and students attempt to prepare with that in mind. However, no graded material is given without the students having had the opportunity to ask questions. While all of this sounds like a spartan approach to the discipline, most students enioy and appreciate the approach as the summarv of a nortion of an end-of-course critioue mesented in thk table shows. Cadets were asked to k n G d e r classroom p r o c e d ~ r e . ~ 'Colonel Sylvanus Thayer was Superintendentof the United States Military Academy from 1817-33. %GeneralChemistry course end critique, AY 1976-77: N = 824.
What are the Benefits?
Contact time and timeliness are the principal advantages of the use of the Thayer Concept. Instruction can he geared to the student's needs on a lesson to lesson basis, and student questions answered as they develop. Thus, learning becomes a gradual process, and interdependent concepts can he reinforced readily. The students know that any questions they develop while studying will be answered the next classroom attendance. Imoroved communications is another henefit. Each lesson is a new experience. The instructor can concentrate on specific student Drohlem areas and oursue other relevant t o ~ i c sin depth as'appropriate. A learning pace that is suited to the student's ahility can be maintained. The small classes and ability grouping enhance learning and, more importantly, each student in a given class receives the henefit of the other students' questions. There is an additional bonus to the instructors. Each class is a new experience and challenge. The instructors are strongly motivated to prepare in great depth so as to insure flexibility. Each instructor must evaluate each lesson in terms of difficult concepts. The instructors learn.
Responses to Selected Considerations from Course Critique Resoonse l % Cadets1
Consideration
Strongly
1.
The classroom
StranglY Dis-
Disagree
Agree
Agree
agree
25.8
54.1
14.6
4.0
39.8
7.6
3.0
46.0
7.5
2.0
46.0
30.4
9.0
27.3
48.3
12.4
demonstrations helped me to understand that 'day's lesson.
79.9 3. Practice boards are an effective
48.3
method of learning chemistry.
88.1a 5. Daily quizzes were
42.9
helpful in preparing for period long examinationS and term-endexaminations.
88.9' 6. The frequency of
13.0
daily grades in the classroom is about right.
59.w 7. There should be
10.5
fewer daily grades in the classroom.
60.7b %ombined positive responses. bCombined negative responses.
Volume 56, Number 5, May 1979 / 323
What's Required for a Thayer Approach? S m l l closs~s.At the United States Military Academy, each instructor teaches four small sections in chemistry, thus maximizing the benefits of the Thayer Concept. The instructor can orient thediscussion to the degree of difficulty of each assignment and the interests and canabilities of the students. ,I rho imctne r e x r rho1 8s r c n d n h i ~ ~ l r otho m *rudwrl: r i v w Each rtudrnt II;I. lu prepdrr Ivr the next I h w n w~thoutinvtrurlor help. Prepnmtam mean-. itudyng thr ~ssignedmalprlal and atlpmptin~ to wive the problems rerornm~ndrd.
Where Can It b e Applled? Because of the student-instructor ratio, such a program may be expensive, h u t i t is extremely effective a n d engenders enthusiasm in both students and instructors. It m & he useful t o consider such a program for 15-30 t o p studen& a t t h e institutions with praduate assistants. T h e Droaam a t the United States ~ i l i t a r i ~ c a d e m is ydirected h i t h e s e n i o r faculty and the classroom instructors are career army officers who have been educated t o a t least t h e M S . level prior t o assignment. Organizing and directing t h e program a t another institution A .dud) uuirlr rhor i ~ r ~ , m p o l , h k u , i rhr l h l e x l h w h ' . ~trrminolo~yand student n w t r w u i cm the k r y p m h l m soit,tt,q r n ~ r h d ( Enrh . could he in the hands o f a senior faculty member, while the day points and have some guide to problem solving. The ~ e ~ a r t m e n i t o day lessons could he handled by a senior graduate assistant of Chemistry a t the United States Military Academy normally who is considering a future in education. T h e graduate assisnublishes its own studv euide. tants must be highly motivated a s well a s specially trained a s described above. As t h e "point of contact" for t h e students, t h e instructors become t h e personality of the department. Maturitv should he a n imnortant criterion for t h e praduate An integrated laboratory program. The laboratory program a t the assistank selected. T h e students enrolled should he v k m t e e r s United States Military Academy is closely linked to classroom material. Also, instructors supervise the same cadets in the labowith a demonstrated aptitude for chemistry. T h e mixture ratory that they teach in the classroom. should produce a n especially rewarding experience for all h-ior planning and scheduling. This is vital to success. At the initial concerned. T h e students who might otherwise be shunted into lesson, or preferably in advance of the first lesson, each student is a P S I program in order to complete a required course would given a complete course assignment sheet with each lesson's tasks receive a real challenge and learn beyond t h e required level. outlined so that each student knows exactly what helshe must do T h e graduate students charged with conducting t h e class to prepare for each lesson. meetings (note "lecture" not used) mav receive sieuificant Energetic and flexible instructors. The instructor must analyze each hencfits. They will he exposed to the fres"h question~"tabout lesson, anticipate difficulties, have additional material prepared 15 eager students and thus he s t i m u l n r ~ dheyund the prepnand be prepared to direct student problem solving. Thorough preparation of instructors and close superuision. If such ration required for other programs. T h e grtdunre assistants a program is initiated at other institutions, as suggested below, it will be enriched hy association with the mentor for the course must be recognized that graduate assistants need close supervision and by learning chemicnl applications and d o c n t i o n a l techand a preparatory course which details for them the exact nature niques. T h e experitmce of the graduate studenti will support of the program, their responsibility with regard to preparation for their future work a s educators. class, and providessome background on methodsof presentation. T h e author wishes t o thank Cols. George W. Chancellor and Some of the topics to be addressed in such a course would be: disWilford J. Hoff. Jr., for their time in evaluatine" this oaner and cussion techniques, chalkboard techniques to include effective for their expert comments a n d criticism. critiquing methods, and use of available educational aids such as viewgraphs, demonstrations, films, and computers. The adequacy Literature Clted of the training is a vital component in the program. A three-week course is used in the Department of Chemistry at the United States (11 (a1Shskharhiri. B. 2.(Editor), 'Proeeding.ofthe SymposiumonSelrPsced lnstructian in Chemistw."Thc Chemiesl Education Publishing Company. Easton. PA. 1973. Ib) Militarv Academy. The sunervisar of a nroeram . .. using the Thaver Silberman,R.andPsrker.B., J.CHEMEDUC..SI.398 (19741. lcl Lewi%.D. K..and ?ppnnrh murt n;ndur~rl&nxm viiitationi pcndirnlly i n or;ltr Wnlf. W.A.,J.CHEM.EOUC..51.665 (19741. id1 Bent.H.A.J.CHEMEDUC.51. 10 h n i n forathand knnulrdgr ut strrnythinnd we:tknpiw.
