Re+ NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION of CHEMISTRY TEACHERS 4 t h
Postwar Teaching Problems in the Sciences WILLIAM F. EHRET New York University, New York City (Continued from page 50)
training by the military, and if their distribution were uniform, each accredited college and university might expect one or two hundred such students. The hulk of this enrollment will, however, fall to the better-known institutions, since the student, under government subsidy, will do the selecting. As a consequence, some colleges will be jammed to capacity while others stand by with unused facilities. As was mentioned earlier, problems of placement and of guidance, for teachers and students alike, during these years can be met most efficiently through the use of comprehensive examinations for which national norms are available. The Committee on Examinations and Tests of the Division of Chemical Education in the American Chemical Society has repeatedly advocated the use of such "national" tests, particularly in the LONG-RANGE PROBLEMS larger colleges and universities, which seem to have Students. Teachers are concerned over the probable shown some aloofness toward them. The latter feeling, trend of student enrollment in the years to come. That if it exists, may well have been caused by the desire to is because we like to know what call will be made upon remain free and untrammeled in the matter of what to us physically, we like to prepare ourselves psychologi- teach and how to teach it. This is a highly commendcally for changes, and, lastly, students are the well- able attitude and should continue to prevail even if the spring of the educational process; without them we so-called "national" examinations are used, for these must plan to retire or enter another profession. The are on a "take-it-or-leave-it" basis, they are made up consensus of opinion on this score seems to be that we by a large committee to insure sufficient diversity, shall see an upsurge in enrollments beginning immedi- and they contain hundreds of questions touching on all ately after the war, and reaching a peak value after fields. One of the minor problems confronting teachers of perhaps five years. For the average institution this maximum is likely to approximate twice the attend- the sciences a t the first-year level in college may be ance in 1940. The great bnlk of this increase will stem solved through the use of placement exvinations. from the present civilian population, for the veterans Through the aptitude and achievement exhibited on will play a minor role, even directly after the close of such tests it should be possible to divide students into hostilities. After the maximum has been passed, regis- two or more groups, each to receive instruction which trations will fall off; to what extent, no one knows, but dovetails with the level of attainment and also, if posastute administrators will prepare a backlog for this sible, with the particular motives for attending college period, and prudent teachers will avoid the dilemma of (9). Teachers. The selection of permanent members of overstaffing. the teaching staff is, as was pointed out earlier, a matter There is a capricious variable involved in the above estimates which is likely to make it appear-if we look in which all teachers are concerned because they are all, back some five years from now-as if the predictions directly or indirectly, affected by each appointment. were far from the realities. I t is the factor of veteran All of us have a t least heard of the presence in our proenrollments. If the number of these, during the first fession of shysters and charlatans who should never year, were to total 10 per cent of all who have received have been elevated to the station of teacher. If we 1C12 Another matter that will need to be thrashed out on some campuses in the postwar days is whether or not one shall now emphasize physics more, and d e h p h a size chemistry (8),it being recalled that the present war has been labeled a "war of physics." This is something over which we need not become unduly alarmed. It is a question of achieving proper balance, and an equilibrium will be struck as determined by the law of supply and demand. Chemists still outnumber physicists about ten to one, but the distinction between the two is getting harder to draw year by year, and, from the rate a t which the two branches of science are merging, one would judge that the question of which to emphasize more will have little meaning in another decade or two.
feel strongly enough about the damage they have done in the past, then we will use the opportunities, provided by reorganizations in staffs during the next few years, to make certain that our associates of the future have qualifications commensurate with the titles they will bear. The attributes a good teacher should possess have been discussed a t length in many places (10,11,12)and only the briefest reference to some of them will be made here. It seems generally conceded that a good teacher is a well-compounded mixture of sound character, at-. tractive personality, expertness in his subject, and skill in the art of teaching. These are traits which all of us can recognize if given the opportunity to observe, and it was for that reason that a period of appreuticeship for teachers was proposed above. Of all the changes in higher education in America resulting from the war, the one that can have the most far-reaching consequences is the reorganization of teaching personnel. We can put live red cells into the arteries of the campus and the classroom, or we can attach lazy leaches. Curriculum. In the decades that lie immediately ahead, changes will no doubt be made in the science curricula of high schools and colleges, but i t seems they are destined to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary in character. The content and methods of science teaching have kept pace with the times, and, as a result, no major alterations are necessary. Gradual ones will be effected through new developments in the sciences and in methods of teaching, by change in emphasis in 'the textbooks, and through standardized examinations. Of these factors, the latter would appear to exert the strongest "outside" influence upon the curriculum, but as was mentioned earlier, experience has shown that this is a pressure which is hardly noticeable and seems to'be entirely compatible with the American tradition of freedom to teach without taking dictation. While on the subject of undue influence that may be exercised upon curricula by national organizations of one type or another, it may be well to point out that such unwarranted interference is not beyond the realm of possibility. Teachers of science should follow closely, and act if necessary, upon hills introduced into Congress which would, as laws, result in the distribution of the public largesse to institutions of higher learning. Unless such subsidizing is done through the states, on a per capita basis, and with unusual checks and balances, abuses can easily arise which may eventually lead to dictation, inefficiency, and complacency (13). It may be mentioned in passing that the federal government has largely taken over the field of civil engineering; is now invading industrial fields, and is making efforts to regulate and regiment research and invention. . One other matter is deserving of attention in this connection. Perhaps it can be mentioned without prejudice to the next speaker whose subject is: "Plans for a National Science Teachers' Association." Advocates of this plan, which has been called a "united sci-
ence front," favor the coalition of the associations of science teachers. Some of the "leaders" of these associations say (14) that: "Once goals are validated, recommendations of time allotment, necessary material facilities, and sound teaching procedures should be prepared by the cooperating organizations." These facts are mentioned to you here so that you may use both eyes before you use both feet. Numerous advantages, i t is said, will a c m e through nationalization of all science teachers but i t is likely that these could all be achieved without running the risk of building up a machine which may be so complicated as to fall of its own weight or become easy prey for bureaucrats. Even as a purely wartime measure, it is doubtful whether a federation of science teachers' organizations is necessary. In emergencies, the "leaders" of the several associations can meet, as they have, in Washington, or elsewhere, and formulate plans for cooperative service to the nation. Under the heading of science curricula for the future, there is a final problem which goes to the very roots of our educational philosophy. To what extent shall science teaching be used as a direct civilizing and socializing force? How far shall we go in emphasizing that honest observation, valid reasoning, and impartial application of conclusions (i. e., the scientific method) seem to be the only highroads to peaceful, progressive living on this earth? All science teaching has a t least some influence in the direction of inculcating the scientific method, and emulation of the teacher by the student is often an added factor of considerable weight. Yet i t is probably true that if the scientific attitude is to function in everyday life, there must be more specific provision made in our teaching for generalizing this attitude. The ways in which this may be accomplished have been discussed elsewhere (15) and i t remains only for us to decide individually, or collectively, to what extent i t shall be done. As individuals our opinions as to how far we should go in preaching scientific doctrine will be colored by the extent to which "our own house is in order." Collectively, organizations, like the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers, may wish to suggest and foster ways and means of accomplishing the same end. One thing seems certain, and that is, we have hardly scratched the surface in this direction. This is not an age of science in the sense of a general understanding of the scientific method and the integrity of scientific achievements. Many, many years will elapse before lying, deception, false propaganda, superstitions, and false social traditions have yielded their ground to the methods of science, but that is no reason why we should not begin the direct attack. Here is the strongest incentive for having a so-called "united front," but I doubt that even i t requires the complex machinery that would be involved in a fusion of all science teachers' associations. REFERENCES (1) B ~ e n sF. , S., "The Committee on Educational Testing," J. Higher Ed., 6, 469 (1935). Information about such examinations mav be obtained from the Coo~erativeTest Service. 15 ~msterqamAvenue. N e w York 23, New York.
and from The Bureau of Educational Research and Service, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Iowa. ASHFORD,T. A,, "Thc collegc cherriis~rytest in the A m c d Forces Institute," J. Cxan~.Ilnrc., 21, 386 (1914). C n ~ w v o ~ o"Rneinccrine . education in war nnd after." Eng. ~ & s - ~ e c & 132;~o. 8, 284 (1944). ROGERS, H. S., "The futme of technical education," Ind. Eng. Ckem.. 36, 391 (1944). BLICK.D. J. and R. R. ANDREWS."A study of the achievement in general chemistry in the A.S.T. Promam." .. . J. CHEY. E ~ I I c .21. . 236 flTi?4). "Corlference Korkbook on thr Problen~sof Postwar Higher States 1:clucation." Fedcrnl Secnricv Aeencv. IJnitrd Office of o ducat ion. (Avail& f;om Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.; for 10 cents). 21,130 Hoco, J. C., "Science in +chools,"1. CHEM.EDUC.,
man plasma," L. E. Strong, Harvard Medical School; "Dehydration of foods in relation to feeding the fighting forces," S. C. Prescott, Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council. After the businesss meeting in the afternoon, Norris W. Rakestraw discussed the problems of editing a journal for chemistry teachers 'and Janet Sanford, A. D. Little Co., Cambridge, spoke on the subject, "Some industrial research problems of today."
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SEVENTH SUMMER CONFERENCE
The Seventh Summer Conference will be held a t Massachusetts State College, Amherst, Massachusetts, 21, '40 (1944). in August, 1945. John R. Suydam, Chairman, has as HOWARD, C. D., "Chemists and the teaching of chemistry," members of his committee: Constance Bartholomew, ;bid.. 20,82 (1943). ANDERSON, J. T., "The improvement of teaching in the Clifford K. Bosworth, Richard Fessenden, Bernard J. college," 5.Highr Ed., 7.36 (1936). SANGREN, P. V., "The selection of prospective teachers,'' Fiekers, S.J., Dorothy Gifford, Donald Gregg, Carroll B. Gustafson, William S. Huher, Vernon Krieble, ibid., 6, 435 (1935). CARROLL, C., "Prospective teacher selection," J. CHEM. Lome Lea, William Luder, Eldin V. Lynn, Lucy PickEouc.. 13. 142 (1936). COMPTON, K. T., "'Dangers of regimentation and campla- ett, Walter S. Ritchie, in charge of local arrangements, cency." Chem. & Met. Eng., 43,355 (1936). and Theodore C. Sargent. Boswo~m,M. W.."Some proposals for a united science front." T. CHEM.EDUC.. 20. 562 (1943). CHEMICAL EDUCATION NOLL,;%aching science fir t h i purpose 8 influencing behavior," Sci. Educ., 20, 17 (1936). Amasa F. Williston, Fall River. Massachusetts, has been appointed Chairman of the Chemical Education Committee of the N.E.A.C.T. The other members are Notes Dorothy Abel, Andrew J. O'ConneIl, Joseph H. RohThe 228th meeting of the N.E.A.C.T. was held a t d William . N. . Stakely. ' One of the principal jobs Brookline High School, Brookline, Massachusetts, on of t h committee 1s to study curriculum changes in the December 9, 1944, as a joint meeting with the Eastern teachng of chemistry in secondary schools after the Association of Physics Teachers and the New England war. Biological Association. Ernest R. Caverly, SuperinNEW MEMBERS tendent of Schools, Brookline, extended greetings to the members of the three groups, and the following pro- T l y l ,:,,le Foster, Coventry High School, Washington, Rhode 1s gram ensued: "Recent developments in physics," L a d Ce B Friar, Research Assistant. Massachusetts Institute Royal M. Frye, Boston University; "The physicalof 1 echnology. Cambridge, Massachusetts chemical characteristics of some of the proteins of hu- H. Dayton Niehaus. Groton School, Groton, Connecticut (1944).
DULL. C.. "Chedstrv must not lose its birthrieht." - . ibid..
"9"
SURVEY OF COURSES AND CONS
TS I N BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
The test is to be divided into two main parts; Part I is to contain 50 items on the fundamental topics (carhohydrates, lipids, proteins, and the more elementary aspects of the other topics) and Part I1 is to contain 50 items on the advanced topics (digestion and absorption,
aholism, blood and urine, hormones). of biochemistry who is interested in the construction or the pre-testing of is urged to communicate with the
-
TABLE 2 TOTAL A N D AVBBAOB DISTUBO~ON OF T M B P
Tow
Hourr
Mdiroi Mean
Per Cent
...
IN3101
Carbohydrates Lipids Proteins Nutrition and Vitamins Enzymes Digestion and Absorption Intermediary Metabolism Blood and Urine Biocoiloids and Physical Chemistry Hormones Special Topics (Tisuer. Milk. Bones, Photorynthesis) Time for Avvnge Coarse
127 78 139 144 64 136 249 287 157 73 12
6.7 4.1
7.3
7.8 3.3 7.2 13.1 15.1 8.2 3.8 0.7 77.1
.
8.7~ 5.3 9.5 9.8 4.4 9.3 17.0 19.6 10.7 4.9 0.8
.
Rourr 326 262 352 254 169 105 461 34'3 211 166
43
LBCTORB AND RBCITATZDN
-Nonmedical Mcor I,. N - 4 9.. ),
6.7 5.4 7.2 5.1 3.4 2.1 9.3 7.1 4.3 3.4 0.8 54.8
Par Cent
tioxrr
..
Per Cent
IN-RILII
12.1 9.7 13.0 9.4 6.3 3.9 17.1 12.9 7.8 6.2 1.6
Total Mcm
453 340 491 398
233 241 710 636 368 239 ,
55
6.7
5.0 7.2 5.8 3.4 3.5 10.4 9.4 5.4 3.5 1.3 61.1, , .
11.0
8.2 11.8 9.5 5.6 5.7 17.0 15.4 8.8 5.7 1.3
* Of the 80 questionnaires returned from institutions having courses in biochemistry, 15 did not have the rectlon on distribution of timb Blled in and tdree
pave figures for tuo separate courses, makink a total of 68 for the basis of the average course.
