Recommendations of the American Chemical Society Chemistry Education Task Force Peter E. Yankwlch University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
Wllllam H. Eberhardt Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
David K. Lavallee Hunter College, New York. NY 10021
A. Truman Schwadz Macalester College. St. Paul. MN 55105 The ACS Chemistry Education Task Force (I) was appointed in January 1983 by the Society Committee on Education and charged to "examine the state of chemistry education in the United States and make such recommendations for action as seem aoorooriate . in lieht of the findines." The work of the Task Force was suppo;ted by the ~ c s - a n dthe Exxon Education Foundation, with additional funding from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The Task Force was divided into three working panels. Their areas of concentration were: Chemistry Education for Citizens (chaired by ATS), Chemistry Education for Nonchemistry Professionals (chaired by DKL), and Chemistry Education for Professional Chemists (chaired by WHE). Each panel ranged over the entire span of chemistry educationkindergarten throueh postdoctoral levels-and all were concernedas well with'kpecb of noneducational public life related to the content of education. Exten~iveuse was madeof the recently issued reports of other task forces and commissions studvine virtually every aspect of education in the United states. The Task Force found that'
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Misunderstanding of science is widespread and the public understanding of chemistry is poor. Too little science ia taught in the elementary schools, pw~iblybecause wo few teachers are well qualified to teach i$ neither programs to assist improvement of teacher qualifications nor good teaching materials are readily available. T w few teachers of chemistry in h i ~ bschwl are well gmunded in the subject; thme that are ari spread wo thin, have UK) few mechanisms availal,le for maintaining and improving their qualilirations,and are t m easily w e d away to more satisfying and Members of the task force included: Joseoh T. Aniaollllinois State University, fwmerly UOP).William J. Bailey (univer& 'of Maryland. College Park). Jerry A. Bell (Simmons College). 0.Theodor Benfey (GuilfordCollege). Newman M. Bortnick (Rohm and Haas Company). Wiiham H. Eberhardt (Georgia lnstitltte of Technology). Norman Hackerman (Rice University),Harry G. Hajian (CommunityCollege of Rhode Island), Janet A. Harris (Cv Fair Hiqh School. Houston), W. Lincoln Hawkins (Plastics institute-of ~merica).Donald E. (Western Marvland Colleael. -~,.Staniev Kirschner (Wavne State Universitvl. David Lavhee (Hunter Goliege), W. ~homasiip&coit (Universityof Gzona). John M. Mays (National instiMe of Education, retired),William T. Mwney (El Camino College),Pauline Newman (FMC Gorp.). Richard W. Ramtte (Carleton College). Ethel L. Schultz (Marblehead Senior H i School, Swampscon. MA). A. Truman Schwartz (Macalester College), Glenn T. Seabora (Universitvof California.Berkelevl, Bassam 2.Shakhashiri l~niversi6ofisc cons in-~adisonl. and peter E. Yankwich (Universitv bf lllmolsi. cha man Kenneth M Chapman of the ACS Educat on DC voslon served as statt director, and Anne L Bellows was program assistant. "Recart of ihe TF& Force on Chemistn, Education." American Chemical Society, Education Division. 1155.~ixteenthStreet. N.W.. Washington. DC 20036. 1984. ~
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more remunerative employment. Laboratory exercises are slowly disappearing from general chemistry education in both high schools and colle~es.C o k e chemisttv for nonmaiors has vet to find an aooroori&e charader: that fa; maims ~ . . , ,~is beset with unanswered questionsabout ~m~culumcontent,esp~ally as it relates to future professional employment. Applications of both infurmation rerhnulogy and discoveri~rabout learning are orcurring haphazardly. Demand for and supply of well-educated chemists are poorly related to each other. Arbitrary barriers to entry and progress in the profession continue to be reported. Industry does much to aid science education, hut should do more. ~~
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T h e Task Force report contains 39 principal and 52 supplementary action recommendations. T h e principal recommendations are eiven in summarv form below. T h e recommendations range from the verybroad (e.g., proposals for imorovine the ouhlic understandine of science) to the hiehlv s&cific (e.g., expansion of an exist& ACS staff office). ~ h i i e each person readine the recommendations will establish his or he; own prioritik among the 39 principal rerommendations, the Task Force has identified the followina as its hiehest A
Among Recommendations to the United States Governmeht Vigorous expansion of NSF and other Federal programs to upgrade the quality of science instruction through direct service to teachers. Establishment of Federally-supported Regional Science Centers as focal points for improvement of precollege science education. Among Recommendations to State Agencies and Curriculum Bodies Raising of teacher certification standards in science and mathematiw, in both elementary and secondary schools. Increase in the amount and level of science and mathematics taught to all students. Improvement of teacher compensation and conditions of employment. Among Recommendations to Scientific Societies Formation of a National Council on Education in Science and Technolum to coordinate and oversee national rducational effons, with emphases on public understanding of srirnce and on precollege education. ~~
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Among Recommendations to the Chemical Industry Strengthening and expansion of activities that bring the resources of the chemical industry to bear on improvement and support of science education at all levels. Among Recommendations to the ACS Creation of a &year plan to improve chemistry education nationwide in the high schools. Volume 61
Number 10 October 1984
845
Consideration of how best to characterize opportunities in chemistry and the expectations of employers, identify necessary curriculum and resource elements, and utilize results of research to improve chemical education. Expansion of efforts to provide information on chemistry and chemical affairs to Congressional and administrative decisionmakers. Copies of either t h e Executive Summary of t h e Report or the complete report a r e available from: Education Division, American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
Summary of Task Force Recommendations National Concerns A National Council on Education in Science and Technology should he formed to mrdinate and oversee educational efforts at all levels in science and technolopy-both for the general education of the population and for the practice of such specialties. In recognition of the size and complexity of the task of improving education in science and understanding of it, subcouncils should he farmed to deal with the public understanding of science and technology and with precollege education in science and technology. Whether or not a national council is formed, the equivalent of its subcouncil or commission on Public Understanding of Science and Technology must he formed. Whether or not a national council is formed, the equivalent of its subcouncil or commission on Precollege Education in Science and Technology must be formed. Within the American Chemical Society, a committee or task force (perhaps ad hoc) on public understanding of chemistry should he formed to provide the input for chemistry to the proposed national council, as well as other activities. All Levels of Education The Chemistry Education Task Farce recommends a vigorous and large expansion of National Science Foundation and other federal oroerams to uoerade the aualitv of science instruction throueh hire% service &"teachers. 1i recakmends also that state and local governments match the federal contr~hution. The US. government should expand its role as a major supporter of R&D in the use of computers and other information technologies in science education. The US. government should expand its role as the principal supporter of research in science education. ~~~
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Elementary School Sclence A continued effort by ACS and other national scientific and engineering societies should be mounted to address major problems of science education in the elementary schools. ACS and other national science and engineering societiesshould begin an immediate national effort to add science to the present basic triad of school subjects-reading, writing, and basic mathematics. A model science program for each grade level, kindergarten through eiehth made.. should he develooed under the ausoices of the national council, with each major science society assumingresponsibility for assisting in the creation of curriculum guideline components in its disciplinary area. The national council, with respect to the development of model science proprams under its auspices, should set forth guidelines for certification of elementary school teachers to teach science. As many as 10 Regional Science Centers should be established and supported by the U.S. government to provide focal points for the improvement of precollege science education. ACS should expand its activities in the area of pre-high school chemistry education.
High School Chemistry and Science ACSs Division of Chemical Education and the Society Committee on Education, in consultar~onwnh appropriate other hodies and individuals,esuniallv high school chemrstry teachers, should create a f i ~ e - ~ e a r ' p lfor & "sing available and eipected resources to imDrove chemistrv education nationwise in the hieh schools. The national counril,ACS. other sciencesoc~etie.i,and theappropriate agencies of the US. gwernment should work more closely and more forcefullyuith state education agencies to r a w teacher certification
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standards in science and mathematics, and to set limits on administrative use of emergency or temporary certification of persons unqualified tu offer sound science instruction. The national council, supported hy ACS and other sciencesocieties. rhould work closely and forcefully with state school boards and other education agencies toward a national minimum standard that three vearsof mathematics and three vears of science taueht with lnbor&ry he required for graduotion.from high school. Thenational council shouldguideastudy by ACS, withappropriate contributions from societies centered on aixter disciplines, of the high school chemistry eurrieulum and recommend such changes as are found necessary to improve the effectiveness and utility of that curriculum. Any ACS guideline for the high school chemistry curriculum should provide that a t least 30%of class time he devoted to student lahoratory exercises. "
Two-Year College Chemistry and Chemical Technology The ACS Society Committee on Wucntion should undertake to revise the 1YIO"(;uidelinrr for Chemistry in the Two-Year Colleges" to reflect thedivemity of chemical education respomibilities that have become the norm for individual two-year colleges in the past 15 years. ACS should develop an outreach and consultation program that would make the exoertise of the Societv's staff and memhershio more effectively avsilahle to two-year college administrators. When the revised guidelines have been published and the outreach and wnruitatiun program is functionmg, ACS should undertake to certifylapprove chemical technology programs in two-year colleges at the request of such institutions. When the three recommendations ahove have been implemented, ACS should undertake to certifvlauorove . .. colleee transfer and other chemistry programs in two-year collegesat therequest of suchinstitutions. University and College Chemistry and Science The national council in concert with ACS and other science and engineering societies should work with national and atate educational agencies, educational consortia and accrediting bodies, and leading colleges and universities to attain acceptance nationwide of a requirement for admission to all colleges and universities of a t least three years of laboratory science and three years of mathematies taken in erades 9 to 12. AAAS, in mncert with ACS and other science and engineering societies, rhould work with national and state education agencies, educational consortia, and leading colleges and universities to assure that the amount of laboratory science required far any baccalaureate degree is a t least 10%of the undergraduate credit that must he earned by the student. An ACS Task Force on Chemistm Education for Nonscientists should rumrider the general and dive& aims of rollege-levelcoursestaught for nonscience majors and establish broad guidelines for their content. The national council and the supporting societies mentioned in the first recommendation in this section should promote the development and establishment of a program of summer workshop and other suitable mechanismsto brine.. toeether teachers of chemistrv. .. .. other natural science*, pngineprmg, the a m , humanities, and the social sciences to study Issues of common societal and intellectual concern. Whether they are taught to nonscientists, science majors, or chemistry majors, foundation courses in chemistry a t the college level must include a suhstantial component of significant laboratory work. The ACS Committee an Professional Trainine (CPT). in coooeration with its caunteroart bodies in the orofessional s&etiesservine other disciplines, should make recommcndation~concerning the level and content of college chemistry courses intend~dfor nonscientists and for students majoring in fieldsof sciencp uther than chemistry, especially other technical fields. ACSs Committee on Education and Division of ChemicnJ Education should sponsor symwia and mefully defined and designed studies to examine a number of soecific nrohlems with the anoroved (professional) curriculum and with'those of its componek that are utilized regularly by students majoring in other science fields. NSF and other agencies supporting the purchase hy colleges of instructional and research instruments should indude in the budgets of these programs additional funds to permit experimentation, demonstration, and implementation of cooperative mechanisms
for providing maintenance and repair service for such equipment. ACS should undenake lo determme the needs and develop ~ m c u l u m modules for advanced ~nsrructionin such aspects of chem~stryas aregermane to the curricula of profewonal xhwls m law, busmess, and the health professions, among others. The president and chairman of the board of ACS should either select an existing ACS committee or appoint one ad hoc to consider how best ta chamcterize chemistry-related career opportunities and how best ta prepare for them. The president and chairman of the board of ACS should assign ta an existing ACS committee, or to the ad hac committee as its second major task, the responsibility to consider the intended, actual, and appropriate future mission of CPT and ta recommend such specific changes in mission, structure, or both, as may he required to maintain and extend the effectivenessof CPT. ACS should identify an existing committee or create a new one to n~ovideleaderrhio within the whole scientific communitv for analyring the needs and opportunities and for proposing implementatlon nationwde of programs to modernize t h concept ~ and structure of technical libraries
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Careers in Chemistry The U.S. government should establish anew program of postdoctoral research on problems of national concern, which could support as many as 200 chemical sciences appointments per year in federal, industrial, or institutional laboratories, tenable for a maximum of
two years. ACS should assume leadership of an effort to secure parallel expansion of such appointments under industrial spon~. sorship. ACS ,through its Women Chemists Cammittee and other appropriate bodies. should soousar a conference ta identifv the difficulties encountered by women, as women, in preparing for or practicing the prufession of chemistry. Folkwing that conference, a specific charge should he made to an appropriate society body to seek actively solutions ta these problems. If this approach proves successful,the society should apply it to the difficulties in the same areas experienced by minority, handicapped, and other special segments. Federal aeencies.. orivate foundations. and scientific societies concerned'kith strppm of eduratmn i n science should devote suhstantial resources to the exper~mentaldevelopment, testing, and evaluation of electro-optical technological systems for providing continuing education.
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lndushy and Education The wide spectrum of activities that bring the resources of the chemical industry more effectively to hear on the improvement, suooort. and service of education a t all levels should be strenethe n 2 and expanded.'l'his expansion is important in wchnical a&, but it is critical in the wider domain otthc public unders~anding of science. ACS should establish a staff office ta deal with the numerous and diverse activities a t the academic-industrial interface.
Volume 61
Number 10
October 1984
847
