dereoine raoid ommess. there will be an increasine demand f> kiowlkdge of this science. So the offering z t h e new course Social Oreanic Chemistrv is undoubtedlv timely.
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Content and Structure of the Course One feature about the content of the course is that Soeial Organic Chemistry is not centered on the system of the functional groups as is Basic Organic Chemistry. It proceeds from the practical application of organic chemistry in different areas of the national economy and from various chemical phenomena with which students are familiar. Then it also gives theoretical enlightenment. So students are well acquainted with both the theoretical and practical knowledge of organic chemistry The course also covers some appropriate techniques adopted in making chemical products for use in everyday life. Thus, theory is combined with oractice book knowledee with functional knowledee. and kudent interest in leaking is kept up. The pres&t lecture notes serve as a textbook and a t the same time. can he used both as reference material and as a technical & IU -I ual. So this course actually demonstrates the trinity of science, technology, and society in education. Students benefit from the interestine and enliehtenine learniue Drocess. Students'reports show that thecourse Kelps to $den and deepen the scope of their scientific and technological knowledge, through which they come to know better both the social and the natural environment. The course also equips them with practical techniques that help to build up in them the competence to deal with practical problems they come acmss in industrial production processes and in everyday life. he eourse Social Organic Chemistry that I have offered has the following content:
Reform of Instruction in Chemical Experiments in China's Middle Schools Yang Xianchang and Xlong Yan Central Ch na Normal Unweraty,430070 Wuhan, P. R. China It is quite obvious that instruction using experiments plays an important role in teaching chemistry, but how to make it more effective is still a subject worthy of study and has become a focus of research in chemical pedagogy. the trends in the reform of laboratory instruction in China's middle schools are discussed.
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Research on the Three Principles in l n s t ~ c t i o n
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1. !Raehing and Studying. In teaching, instructors s h h d play guiding roles, and students should study actively. This process includes exchanges of thought and knowledge between teachers and students. 2. Grasping Skill and Knowledge and Developing Cognitiue Ability. The skill and knowledge grasped are the bases of the continuous development of cognitive ability. The students should have systematic and fundamental knawledge of modem science. They should be able to take up advanced studies by themselves. Thua, simultaneously promoting increased knowledge and skills and developing cognitive ability are the objectives of the teaching course. 3. Unified Learning and Understanding. An entire learning cycle includes three stages-learning, maintaining, and retaining. The teaching approach must parallel the laws underlying the understanding process, i. e., fmm perception to reason, and from the wimple to the difficult. This
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Chapter I. Intmduction Chapter 11. Organic Chemistry in Daily Life (various aspects of daily life: fwd, clothing, everyday articles, lodging, transportation, etc.) .Chapter 111. Organic Chemistry in Medicine (including Chinese medicine, Western medicine and Medieare) Chapter Organic Chemistry in Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) C h a p t e r V. Organic Chemistry in Industry ChapterVI. Organicchemistry in Military Science Chapter VII. Organic Chernistry in High Technology
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As a newly designed course, "Social Organic Chemishy" better reflects the features of STS Education than older ones. However, as with all new endeavors, it still needs development. Issues such as how it should be organized, what content it should cover, and whether practical classes should be included need to be explored. All these aspects will b e refined through t h e teaching process. 510
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of teaching approach used in laboratoly instruction in china's middle schools.
Journal of Chemical Education
principle requires that experimenta he designed so that students can understand and can develop their eagnitive abilities
experimental phenomena
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properties Of T Structure matter deterrnmat~on
analping inducin
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elements in periodic table
determination Research on the Basic Ways that EXDelimentS Instruct I n what way can instruction in experiments play a n important role in existion use preparation identiication l e a r n i n g ? A method c e n t e r i n g and principle and separation around experiments has been initiated i n China's middle schools. It Figure 2. The relationship among matter, elements, and mmpounds. combines obtaining knowledge and developing ability-into a n organic whole. Learning and teaching are pendently a s much a s possible, but with proper superviin perfect harmony. This program is shown in Figure 1. sion always available. Experiments with slow reaction ratcs, dangers, numerous side reactions, and difficult conPre-Lab Preparation Stage trol conditions should be done by teachers as demonstraA teacher should compile self-education outlines of some tions. At this stage, the stress is on developingexperimenexwriments selected from the textbooks. We will take the tal sldlls and observation abilities of students. te;ching i n the first year in senior middle schools a s an examole. Teachine in this made focuses on the relations Analyzing and Reasoning Stage between the characters an-d structures of elements and The task a t this stage is to guide students to observe, their comoounds: thus. students can learn elemental oerianalyze, and conclude to obtain systematic theoretical odic law. This is'achieved by studying model compokds knowledge using the scientific method. The following goals and elements. At this stage, students get practice a t develshould be kept in mind: oping generalizations from specific observations. The experiments i n this stage should be chiefly qualitative. When Understanding the basic relationships among matter, eleteaching the model element of alkali metals, sodium, the ments, and compounds (see Fig. 2). following based on the textbooks could be deFarming concepts (laws) by analyzing model experimental -experiments . phenomena and grasping the basic method of understanding signed. concept (law). 1. Observe how sodium is stored under kemsene. Take one piece of sodium, then observe its color. This course can be diagrammed as: 2. Absorb the kerosene on the sodium thoroughly into filter paper. Put it on a plate glass, cut it with a knife, then obselffoning further reading serve the color of the new cut surface and its change in the and + experiments + concepts by + understanding air. design analyzing of 3. Put a small piece of sodium in a cumbustlon spmn, then and concepts by h u m it, and observe the chemical reaction. reasoning applylng them 4. Put a small pieceof aodlum Into a beaker filled mth water and watch the chemical reaction. After the reaction, put Application Stage drops ofphenolphthalein into the beaker, then observe the colqr change of the water. I n order to strengthen what has been taught, students 5. Wrap a small piece of sodium with apiece of aluminum foil should be asked to do the following with some tin" holes. then clio it and out it under the mouth of a test tuhr. Collect the gas produced, then put Summarize. After each unit, a &dent is urged to write a the t t s t tube near a flame to te3t fur hydrogen. summary. When designing experiments for students i n various Write a brief thesis. Students are encouraged to write theses grades, the following should be considered: on chemistry topics, e.g., on oxlred reactions. T e s t each other Stress qualitative experiments while introducing quantitative ones. Practice and make innovations Ga fmm a single test to a comprehensive experiment. Comct mistakes Chiefly do conventional experiments whle introducing new, Test experimental skills unusual ones. Go fmm understanding experiments to applying them. Conclusion At the orelaboraton? oreoaration stwe. it is imoortant to ask stud&m to read textbooks careful& under the guide of Using experiments a s the center of instruction offers the the teacher and self-education outline. Thus. thc course of following advantages. reading textbooks i s also that of preparing kperiments. It is particularly suited for teaching natural laws and inExperimental Stage crease s teaching quality in this area. It fits in the requirement of fostering modem skills The experimental stage is the key to succesful laboratory It makes the students learn actively. instruction. Allow s t u d e n t s t o do experiments inde-
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Volume 71 Number 6 June 1994
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