Lysaught, Jerome P.; Williams, Clarence M

18 X 25.5 cm. A Guide to Programmed Instruction. Jerome P. Lysaught and Clarence M. Williams, University of Rochester,. Rochester, NewYork. John Wiley...
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carefully included with all srtmple problems and the authors follow the advice of their o m section on significant figures. End-of-chapter review questions and problems have been revised and supple mented, with answers included for all numerical problems. The lists of references to readily available recent literature should be helpful to instructors as well as to students. The text appears to he relatively free from elrors although i t still ascribes the motion of s. paddle-wheel Croakes tube to straight momentum transfer instead of in terms of the radiometer effect. (See THIS JOURNAL, 38,480 [1961]). The book is attractive in format, distinctive in its purple color, and liberally illustrated. The inside of the dust jacket has a handy Table of Atomic Weights and a Periodic Table both based on carban-12 and suitable far display or reference purposes. In summary, this book is worthy of consideration as a text for traditional first year courses in college chemistry. It has good balance between descriptive and theoretical chemistry. The 46 chapters provide sufficient material to allow the instructor to select portions fitted to the special needs of his classes. ALBERTINE KROAN Universilv of Toledo Toledo, Ohio

Programed Instruction for Schools and Industry

J. L. Hughes, International Business Machines Carp., Science Research As299 sociates Inc., Chicago, 1962. xv pp. Figures. 18 X 25.5 em.

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A Guide to Programmed Instruction

M. Williams, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. John Wiley and 180 Sons, Ine., New York, 1963. xi pp. Figures. 14.5 X 22cm. $3.95. To this reviewer's knowledge all teachers who have prepared two or three programs on selected topics for their own students have remarked upon the dramatic increase in their own ability to teach any other topic more effectively. I t can safely be aseumed that this phenomenonis universal, provided that the teacher prepares, and revises, programs for, and with, his own students. However, before this can be effectively accomplished, same instruction in the art of programing is essential. Until recently, though there have been several reference works available whieh claimed to help a teacher learn how to construct program, only one outstanding work could safely be recommended. That book, "Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning," edited by A. A. Lumsdaine and R. Glaser, Department of Audio-Visual Instruction, National Educsi tion Association, Washindon, D. C., 1960, is still recommended to all who are interested. For a general introduction to the field, "Teaching by Machine" by Jerome P . Lysaught and Clarace

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L. M. Stolurow, US. Office of Education, HEW, Supt. of Documents, Washington 25, D. C., 1961, is probably the best available. Now, two more books, those under review here, can be added to this list. With these, a t least for the next few years, the necessary references are now completely availilable. Hughes' book is an introductory text. It, with that of Stalurow, can be strongly recommended to any teacher or industrialist who wishes to know what programed instruction is, and something about its elementary details. Specifically, after defining programed instruction by means of examples from selected sources, Hughes discusses the detailed means by which one begins to write, and revise, a program on any selected topic. Hughes alao includes much useful material in six appendices, though Appendix A, listing commercially available programs, was necessarily out of date before the book waspublished. Lysaught and Williams discuss the art of program construction in much greater detail, extending their very helpful examples into those areas which deal with refinements of the items (frames) in a program. Since Hughes only treats this lightly, if a t all, Lysaught and William complements the work of Hughes almost ideally. Because they are somewhat slow in getting t o the r e d points t o be discussed, L ~ s a u g h tand William may be boring to some readers who are anxious to learn the details. However, the background which is discussed first is necessary, and a careful study of the first five chapters will make the last four more effective. Both books discuss linear and intrinsic though Hughes stresses intrinsic programing more. Probably in an effort to address their books to two somewhat different audiences, teachers, and industrialists, the authors of both books have perhaps overstressed the advanatages of programed instruction as a tool which eliminates the need for teacher-time in instructional activities of a routine nature. Unquestionably, this use constitutes an important. advantage of programed instruction, However, a far greater advantage of programed instruotion lies in its use as a means of improving the teacher's skill as a communicator, when programed instructions are written, and revised properly. This advantage, alone, justifies the current excitement about programed instruction. Finally, probably because the value of programed lnstruction was first recognized by behavioral psycholopjsta, these books, as well as others which deal with programed instruction, seem by implication and outright statement to imply that man learns by a process, which differing only in degree and not in nature, is similar to that by which lower animdsle~rn. Hence, both books being reviewed emphasize, as part of the art of programing, certain techniques, such as gradual fading of a stimulus, the excessive importance of reinforcement, and other special devices. To be sure, man does learn, in part, as any other animal learns. But beyond this, because he is different in nature from all other ttnimals, man can Leem in other ways. Neither of these two books stress the importance of challenging the student

occasionally, neither indicates emphatically that man can learn by being asked to think. Both seem to imply that man can learn only if heis told. Many chemistry teachers have reacted adversely to this implication which they have, properly, imputed to some proeramed instructions in scientific t o ~ i c s

instruction. Programs, particularly in chemistry, are being prepared which do challenge the student to think occasionally as he threads his way through the list of ordered questions and answers. With the otherwise deeidedlv heloful

more programs

JAYA. YOUNG King's College Wilkes-Barn, Pennsylvania

Chemistry 1: Atomic Structure and Bonding: A Basic Systems Program

Edited by Charles R. Dawson, AppletonCentury-Crofts. Lyons and Carnahan (affiliates of Meredith Publishing Co.), 273 pp. 15 X New York, 1962. xi 22.5 cm. Paperbound. $3.24.

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Chemistry 1.

Response Book

84 pp. $0.64. Chemistry 1.

iii

+ 44pp.

Teachers Manual

No charge.

The program which is the subject of this review is the first to be published by a regular textbook publisher; it is the product of Basic Systems, an organization of professional program writers. The subject matter covered is the usual text material on the structure of atoms (protons, neutrons, electrons, electron shells), the periodic table and the regularities of structure as a function of position in the table, eleotronegativity, and bonding (ionic, cavdent). While the program is designed for high school, i t could find some use in college classes as well. The student who goes through this program will have learned all this material thoroughly if he is capable of learning it a t all. There is s. picture or diagram in nearly every frame, so the student has no page flipping to do to find material referred to. There is plenty of repetition; not only a t once, but all through the program the student uses and reuses the material learned earlier, so that the program emerges whole, with no chance that the reader has forgotten the beginning when he gets t o the end. This repetition and practice are admirably and skilfully done. The teacher who looks a t the program for the first time will probably react negatively; but the teacher who bothers to work through the program far an hour will be convinced of its effectiveness.

Each frame, or step, is tiny, but the longest journey begins with a single step. Here the steps are not only consecutive so that there is no trouble following, but the repetition and practice appear at such intervals that one gets the impression the program was woven, and the ideas emerge as a single fabric. The very facts which make a program successful will also make it appear at first glance as something "too simple!' The clarity and exact statement and brevity of each frame also make that frame very easy indeed to criticize, hut the ease of criticism results from its being immediately clear and understandsble. A Teachers Manual of 44 pages is meant to be used as the students go through the text. The Manual begins with a dirrcussion of program design and how to use the program. Data is then given on the test performance of 12 students who worked through the finished program, to provide a guide as to what the teacher can reasonably expeot in the way of student performance. This is followed by 10 lesson plans, with suggested reading assignments in standard texts for the students, topics to discuss and how to discuss them far the teacher, and suggested experiments in detail to illustrate various ideas in the program. Drill material, reference data, and suggested tests are included. As the art of programing develops, better programs will be written, hut none more skilfully. This program is of the linear type, and has all the faults and strengths that go with linear programing. JESSE H. DAY Ohio Univemitg Athens

In pursuing this theme Dr. Booth may have gone alittle too far, as he writes: "Another primary objective has been that of clarity, many of the concepts of physical science . . . [are] presented at the This level of the non-science major." attempt appears to have led to an approach too unsophisticated for the college student who has already had one or two courses in physical science. The chapters given to chemistry emphsr siee the principles and theories and minimize "descriptive chemistry!' The chapter titled The Chemiatry of Carbon with its outline of organic chemistry could be called descriptive, and one wonders how much of it would be normally retained. Although he makes a point of using the atomic weight scale based on carbon-12 "in a text book for the first time," the author unfortunately did not use this scale in his Periodic Table. At one place he uses the upper left corner for the mass number accompanying symbols of elements but reverts to the upper right when discussing isotopes. In spite of such minor inconsistencies as have been cited, this book is one of the better texts in this field for the aboveaverage student. EDWARD M. COLLINS Denison University G~anville.Ohio

Infrared Spedm of Inorganic and Coordination Compounds

Kamo Nakamoto, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. John Wiley and 328 Sons, Inc., New York, 1963. xii pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm.

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$9.50

Physical Science: A Study of Matter and Energy

Verne H . Booth, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York. The Macmillan Co. (a. division of the CrowellCollier Publishing Co.), .New York, 1962. xv 713 pp. Figs. and tables. 19 X 23.5 cm. $7.95.

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Since the introduction of survey courses in physical science, there have been almost as many different approaches and emphaserr as there have been courses offered. Dr. Booth begins, as many others do, with astronomy. He follows with physics, chemistry and geology in that order. To each of these respeotive fields he devotes approximately 15,35,35, and 15% of the text. In his preface he states his main purpose: to achieve continuity and "the highest degree of integration.'' In this undertaking whioh amounts to paying out "the continuous thread that holds the course together, gossamer though it may often be," he has been largely successful. Concerning the problem of integrating fundamental geological processes he admits frankly that "there is no good way to do it." "Matter and Energy," as embodied in the title, become the integrating theme.

The author appears to have made a comprehensive review of the literature of the infrared investigations of inorganic and coordination compounds. Over 1000 references a n cited. The book consists of three parts and five appendices, and containa 73 tables and 74 figures and illustrations. The filgt part presents a minimum amount of the theory of vibrations and normal coordinate tnatment. Symmetry elements and point groups, selection rules and an introduction to group theory are discussed. The second part covers the infrared spectra of.inorganic compounds from XY to XY8 molecules. The classification in this section is based on the symmetry and point groups of the molecules. Tables and several typical spectra complement the written discussion. The third part compiles the infrared data of coordination compounds. The classification in this section is based on the kind of ligands involved in the complex. Again many tables and spectra are presented. The five appendices consist of Point Groups and Their Character Tables, The G and F Matrix Elements of Typical Molecules, A Normal Coordinate Treatment of Metal Acetylacetonates, A Conversion Table for Wave Number and Wave Length, and Group Frequency Charts.

All appear very useful, although the appendix on normal coordinate treatment of a complex molecule such as a metal acetylacetonate might be too advanced for beginners. A treatment involving simpler molecules might in- be of more aeneral . terest. The book is very well organized, and is a distinct improvement over previous hooks on this subject. It will be of interest to spectroscopists and inorganic chemists, and will be very vdua,hle as a reference or for supplemental reading in graduate sad advanced undergraduate courses. JOHNR. FERRARO Arqonne N a t i m l Laboratory A~gonne,Illinois

Physical and Chemical Methods of Separation

Eugene W .Berg, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Ine., New York, 1963. Figs. and 366 pp. 16 X 23.5 em. tables. xiv $12.50.

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The author has accomplished his goal of assembling material suitable "for a course in separation techniques to be taught a t the advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate level in chemistry.'' The breadth of the coverage is indicated by the chapter headings: Introduction; Fraetional Distillation and Sublimation; Liquid-Liquid Extraction; Adsorption Chromatography; Gas Chromatography; Paper Chromatography; Electroehromatography (Zone Electrophoresis); The Ring-Oven Technique; Zone Melting; Ion Exchange; Ion Exclusion; Dialysis; Electrodialysis and Ion-Exchange Membranes; Precipitation; Coprecipitation, Adsorption and Postprecipiti~tion;Flotation; Biological Methods; Elimination of Undesired Reactions Through Use of Sequestering (Maskihg) Agents. The author briefly attempts to justify the order in which he treats the subjects, largely on an operational basis. Those who might disagree will find that each chapter can stand quite well by itself. I t did come as a surprise to find adsorption heing defined and properties of surfaces heing discussed in detail for the first time under flotation when an understanding of these topics was nquired for earlier chapters (4 and 15). An expert within a particular discipline will undoubtedly feel unhappy to find his specialty limited to an average of 20 pages. For example, the important contribution of Rieman and coworkers with respect to calculation of the minimum number of plates required far a given ion-exchange separation is not included. The pressure for brevity has also led the author to omit necessary qualifications of his statements. For example, on p. 69 he indicates that a solute in a Craigtype counter-current extraction follows the normal curve of error when the number of tubes is greater than 25. Such a statement is, of course, dangerously misleading if the distribution coefficient is not close to unity. Likewise, the term Rt is defined

Volume 40, Number 9, September 1963

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