computer ~ e r i e52 ~. Editor's Note: The two papers that constitute this month's Comouter Series are a t first dance unrelated. One describes simuiations suitable for students in elementary level courses for nonscience maiors while the other ooints out aoulications of symbol-manip;lating languages i n research and sciencemaiors' instruction. However. I see both as examples of the new directions our collective imagination can take us now that these marvelous symbol orocessinp tools called computers are widely availahle. More and moreit is becoming evident that the limiting factor in better use of computers in chemical education is-not so much the computers themselves, but rather the imapination, energy, and perseverance of the programmers and teachers using &e computers. An important argument in favor of making microcomputers widely available to students as well as teachers is the new ideas that will be generated, especially by students less bound by preconceived notions than the rest of us. As editor of the Cornouter Series. I a m always interested in descriptions (like those given below) of innovative awnlications of comouters. 1 look forward to .. receiving more.
edited by JOHNW. MOORE Eastern Michigan University. Ypsilanti. MI 48197
programs from the disk. A second disk drive and a printer also are useful but not required for the BCTC simulation. Lake Study1
This is a four-week-long exercise aimed a t involving students with the scientific method throuah microcomouter simulations which are integrated with class discussions and laboratory experiments. The module has four goals. 1) To present a solution
the students with a realistic problem which requires and which is best approached by the scientific
method. 2) To allow them to plan
and conduct a series of experiments to obtain information from which they can generate a hypothesis. 3) To build in the conflict of ideas inherent in science and to alluw controlled tests of the hypotheses to resolve the conflict. 4) To integrate traditional analytical experiments into this experience so that they will he more meaningful. As the students work toward these goals, the simulation attempts to allow them as manv decisions as nossihle in order ~ - ~ to increase their sense of par&ipation in t i e process. T h e module is based on the tendencv of colloidal iron ~-~ in high concentrations tq stick in fish gillsand cause breathing difficulties (5).The module consists of five ohases. In the first phase we do one or two laboratory experiments which illustrate analvtical methods drawn uoon later in the simulations. Analyses of water for dissolved oxygen by titration and for iron by atomic absorption are examoles. The second phase, in which
