BOOH REVIEWf learning tools. If the primary aim of teaching a t this level is to train the student toanswer the same sorts of questions in an rxamination, then thc diligent student should achieve sum? iurrrss by working through the programs. But such success could come from rote-learning, rather than understanding. The programs do little to develop problemsolving techniques, and if the questions were structured differentlv. the student miaht hecome ho~elesslv ... . .. . 1ost.This set of oraerams pussrs the mcchaniral attrihutes uipatient re~teratim,rapid evnluation of answen, and score-keeping. They provide an alternative mode of learning with perhaps some novelty that is likely to be short-lived. But before embarking on a program, the student must have a fair understanding of the relevant principles, or a text, or a tutor. By way of illustration, consider the question, "Convert 191.4 C to F." To answer this, the student must know (or find out) the necessary relationship, then set out with pen, paper, and calculator to perform the conversion; and finally, enter the answer. The computer does its bit in accepting the correct answer, or giving the answer together with the worked out problem (if the answer is wrong). This question, although simpler than some, is not atypical. Both teacher and student must decide whether this operation represents a profitable investment of resources. A student's first encounter with CAI in chemistry should not be a disappointment! Many freshmen students are at home with computers. They have taken courses at school and have access to private machines. The ideal program should provide the maximum degree of interaction consonant with the user's computer capability and allow the user some autonomy in directing his learning. Even at the introductory level, programs should hesomething more than the unimaginative page-turning, utilizing few of the characteristics and little of the power of the medium. By choosing to cover such a vast amount of material in this package, the author has had to blunt the tool, and thereby, risk deeradine it. Finallv, .. such a oackaae must IP supported by, and integrated w~th. n t work through a text x u that the s t ~ ~ d ecan thp IWU t~gether,alt~rnatinglearning mnlin as appropriate. Because the author has sought to make the packageof wide applicability, he has been denied this necessary intimate relations hi^ between nroaram and text. In the sense that the pedagugical deiiderata for any ttaching technirtur are ~ ~ 1 1 known, spcrif~ratiw~ of the ideal CAI pnlgram to excite students' interest, to provoke their thought processes, and to satisfy their inquiry is easy. Realization takes a little longer. D. L. scan The Australian National University PO. Box 4. Canberra City. A.C.T. 2601 Australia ~
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Review II Robert J. Ouellette's "microchem" is a comprehensive, high quality package of 50 A326
Journal of Chemical Educatic
drill and practice programs far introductory chemistry courses. Although it is designed to oarsllel Petrueei's "General Chemistrv" bv Macmillan Pul4shing Cu..Inc., this software package covers, both in variety and depth. the range of material currently taught in any academic, math-oriented, introductory chemistry program. Descriptive chemistry is not included. The author makes no assumptions about students' hackmounds either in usine a mi" rnwmputcr or in working chemistry prohlems. In all the hours that the programs were used, not one "crashed." Prompts are generally printed at the bottom of the screen and the messages are clear:
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Press "C" to continue. Press "S" to stop. Press the "R" key for a review, etc. Ouellette makes no assumptions about students' backgrounds in chemistry. The information included in the review section is concise and to the point. If students go through the review and feel comfortable with the material, they should be able to complete the problems in the drill. Those for whom the review is too difficult, can easily get back to the main menu by pressing "S". The "microchem" package comes in an attractive small vinyl notebook. The Apple version consists of three disks; the Pet version has two. There is no printed documentation for students or teachers. It would be helpful to both students and teachers to have the printed information presented in the review modules for each program. A teacher planning a class lesson or a remedial session for a student, for example, may not have a computer at hand to verify which program is appropriate; titles are often misleading. Ouellette has designed "microchem" to be used with paper, pencil, and calculator. Values are randomly chosen so that two students workine side bv side. on the same drill. are not likely to he given thes~meproblemwith the same numlreri In some progrnms, the types of pn,hlcms are selected randomly; in others, the student must complete one type successfully before advancing to a more difficult kind. The one feature that distinguishes this oroeram .. from others is the author's consistent dedication to significant figures. Some chem~stryteachers dc, not teel thp need to deal with sgnificant figures. Thgae whu do. resent having a computer tell students that an answer is right when it clearly contains figures that are insignificant. Not only is there a special program devoted to significant figures, hut alsoanswers areevaluated in all programs on the basis of the value as well as the number of significant figures. Bravo! - When students' responses are incorrect only with respect to significant figures, they are told that the correct answer should have "n" significant figures. Few authors take the time and effort to incorporate the coding necessary for such subroutines. It adds much to the value of the program. There was one minor problem in the handling of significant figures. Ouellette chooses to truncate rather than round the values to the proper number of significant figures. He then allows the student a leeway of +1 in the last digit. This works well for the student who has correctly mastered the process of rounding; but it will not trap the student who is guilty of merely truncating instead of rounding correctly.
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Student responses are greeted with evaluations, the formats of which change from program to program. If the student has trouble, help is given . sometimes in the farm of unit conversion factors, showing all the necessary steps in the correct solution. After each sequence of problems, students' scares are reported. Sometimes the report gives a breakdown of the various types of problems. If, however, students choose to exit the program before completing the entire sequence of problems, they are returned to the main menu without knowing how well they did. I t would be nice, in such cases, to provide students withan evaluation of their progress before an abrupt return to the menu. Input is controlled totally by the keyboard; there are no special devices or peripherals. Students' answers never elicit beeoine . or buzzing sounds, which are distracting in a classroom setting. The use of graphics is limited, except for the use of unit conversion factors, a periodic table shown in the program on electron configuration, and a battery in the program on voltaic cells. The only examples of animation are in the programs on the electromotive series and the Nernst equation. The lack of graphics and animation is unfortunate; both would add much to the students' interest and comprehension. The programs on Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, and Gas Laws could orofit considerahlv from manhies and di. . agrams. The price for "microchem," which may be purchased only as a complete set, is a reasonable $275. Additional sets of the 50 programs are available at $45 for the Apple ($30 far the Pet). Few companies offer a reduced price for multiple copies-a welcome policy. A hot-line phone number is also provided with the hack-uo disks for technical heloanother wrlcom~polh y. Reasonable pricing, policies, and services are the bed tools the svftware industry has tocope with thcgruwing problems of piracy. In general, "microchem" seems to cover the total range of introductory chemistry for the 1980's. Although a few programs would not be appropriate for high sehaol students, most of the 50 would work well in an average high school setting in an academic chemistry course. The program is solid; the price is right. Anne M. Searer Hershey High Schwl Homestead Road Hershey. PA 17033 Revlew Ill Features and Intent The goal of the "mierochem" package is to supplement the subject material of any general chemistry textbook by working problems. The order of topics within the package, however, parallels the order of topics found in "General Chemistry" by Petrucci (3rd ed., 1982, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.). Each of the three disks containing 50 programs presents the subject matter, rules (if necessary), and asufficient number of problemsso that the student feels confident that the studied material has been mastered before continuing on to the next program. Microchem has been developed for average students, but it also challenges bright and well-oreoared students. The tonics are arrangid in order of increasing difficulty, from significant figures and scientific notation
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