Instrumental Analysis Course for Nonchemists by an Integrated Audiovisual Method Carlos Ferraro Universidad Simon ~ o l / v a rApartado , 80659, Caracas 1081, Venezuela T h e success ohtained in previous chemistry coursrs taught by an integrated audiorisual method (I.AM)l has led 11s to initiate this methodology in other courses. The course considered here is Instrum&$al Analysis, code QIM-435, taught a t Universidad Sim6n Bolivar. This course covers the theory related to six instrumental analysis techniques, which are then applied to the equivalent number of lab analyses. Studenfs in the Licenciatura en Biologia and Licenciatura en Ingenierla Quimica take this course in their 8th and 11th quarter, resnectivelv. Since a Licenciatura is eouivalent to a B.S. nlus &esis wbkh is completed in 15 quartek, the level of ~ 1 ~ : 4 3 5 can be considered to he that of the U S . junior college. The textbooks employed are instrumental analysis books by Skoog and West and Pecsok, Schields, Cairns and Me William. The course QIM-435 is taken after three general chemistry courses, and i t is the only analytical chemistry course in the curriculum. IAM Applied to QlM-435 T h e elements of the IAM applied to QIM-435 are the following:
Table 1. Title and Running times ot BIW Videocassettes used in OIM-435 Running Time
Title
mwv
1. Absorption Photometry: Visible 2. Flame Photometry 3. Gas Chromatography 4. Potentiomehy 5. Atomic Absorption 6. Electr~~naly~i~
2203 2355 1936 2503 14:24 1549
Instrument 1. Spectronic 20 2. Flame Photometer Coleman P.E. 21 3. Gas Chromatograph GOW-MAC 4. pHmeter Radiometer PHM29 5. A.A. PeMn Elmer 103 6. Eberbach
9:OO 17:19 2325 935 36:OO 916
Table 2. Results of Courses Using Conventional and Audiovisual Methods in Terms of Passed, Failed, and Withdrawn Students Conventional Method
(1) Audiouisuol programs of theory2 recorded in uideocassettes. (See Table 1).Each program is devoted to the explanation of the
theoretical concepts related to the correspondinglab techniques, and its use is limited to the ability of the media itself.This means that theory tapes are used only as information media. (2) A study guide booklet for each program. The study guide is a complement to the audiovisual program and consists of the following: learning objectives,a list of concepts, a bibliography,and a summary of concepts extracted from different books. More emphasis is now placed on the self-learning approach; for this reason the study guide holds the main weight in the learning process. The elements described above eliminated the conventional lectures of the prrvious courses. The nunaudiovisual n u r s e 91M-435 began with two weeks ofconvtmrional lectures 112 hburs), and could not be initiated before the third week of the quarter. (31 .4udWrrrualprogrom~crf
instrum~ntcr
