J
SEMINARS WITH AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION ROSMER W. STONE University of California, Los Angeles
Tm
presentation of seminar talks before the faculty and fellow students, based on current literature, is a method of instruction which has been used for many years in graduate work in chemistry. This form of instruction has also been used t o a certain extent in undergraduate work.',2 I n the usual college chemistry course the laboratory Yeports, the quiz and examination, as well as term papers, provide the student with considerable experience in the written ex~ressionof this disci~line. Where classes are large, effective supervision of written work through careful evaluation and correction may become the burden On the time. This is particularly true in the case of term papers because by their very nature they require attenhion at the elld of the semesterwhen tirne is at a special premium. Moreover, when returned to the student a t this time, it is so late that usually little is done by the student in the way of revision or correction. In an advanced given juniors, seniors, and graduate students, the writer Bought more effective 6olforinstruction than the term paper, after having required such a paper as part of the work in a number of previous classes. Advanced inorganic chemistry courses are well known to he highly individualistic, varying all the way from practical courses of preparation involving the less common elements to those stressing atomic structure and the more thwretical aspects of inorganic chemistry. The course in inorganic chemistry for which the seminar type of instruction discussed in this paper was developed is based on the assumption that learning to use the chemical library and literature t o prepare talks and develop laboratory projects of a modest scope offers the most promising method of instruction in this field. It was because of dissatisfaction in the working out of the term paper approach to the problem that the oral presentation method was developed. Cnder this plan, each student is required to select a topic in the field of inorganic chemistry and to consult the instructor for approval as to its satisfactory character. Indeed, the selection of the topic may constitute a small library problem in itself. The student is encouraged to select a subject requiring wide use of the chemical library with special reference to current literature. Emphasis on the latter is stressed to discourage too much dependence on the review type of reference. Each student is required to prepare an abstract of his talk which includes an outline and the important references. This may not exceed two typewritten pages. The abstract is dittoed and a copy distributed to each
a
SAMPEY, J. R., J. CAEM.EDUC.,8,520 (1931). IGNATIA, SISTERM., 3. CHEM.EDUC.,23, 149 (1946).
member of the class just prior to the presentation of the talk. Lots are drawn for the dates, and a schedule is posted for the dates the abstracts are due and the dates of presentation. At the time the student speaker is introduced, the forms indicated below are distributed to each member of the class. Questionsand Criticisms
Name of Student Giving the Report Date Name of Student Critic I. Questions: Please submit two questions hased on the topic presented which you feel would be suitable for use on an hour quiz or the final examination. Avoid ambiguous or poorly stated questions. Thought provoking questions are much better than those merely evoking information. Proofread your questions for spelling, punctuation and English. (Space for questions)
11. Criticisms: These are to consist of recognition of merit in the talk as well as suggestionswhioh you think would improve the soeaker's choice of suhiect. of abstract and de. ,oreomation . liveri. Be sure to include commerks on any aspect which you regard ss particularly well done. Assume that you are to be graded on the quality and appropriateness of your questions and criticisms. These are to he completed and handed to the instructor immediately after or a t the end of the class period. Proofread your work. Your criticisms, but not your name, will ~ other side of the report he made known to the speaker. U Rthe form if more space is required. (Space for criticism)
At the close of the class period the instructor and speaker go over the criticisms together, and the instructor adds his comments to those of the students. Fairly early in the course all of the questions suhmitted on a given topic were "dittoed" and returned t o the class for evaluation as excellent, good, fair, or unsatisfactory. By doing this and then making a summation of the ratings for the questions the students were encouraged to become more critical of the questions which they submitted on future topics. For one of the talks, a tape recorder was used and a part of the presentation played back to the speaker. In this particular case, an otherwise competent speaker had used the word "disassociate" in place of "dissociate," four times within twenty minutes. He caught it on the play back and was doubtless cured of a very unfortunate habit which he might otherwise have retained for years. It was a very pleasant surprise t o the writer to note how keen and kindly the criticisms were and to observe a complete lack of intolerence and heckling. As the semester progressed, it became apparent that the question and criticism technique was producing a number of favorable responses from the members of the class. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
(1) Any tendency of the members of the class t o relax or doze off was completely absent though the hour was that sleepy one immediately after lunch. (2) The question and criticism requirements caused the students t o consider their own preparation and delivery much more critically than before this technique was used. There were no poor presentations in this group, while in previous classes where questions and criticisms were not required the poor presentation was no rarity. (3) The question requirement stimulated the stndents to seek out the more important features of their own and of other topics presented. (4) Mannerisms and mispronunciations were corrected in a fairly painless way. These peculiarities
VOLUME 35. NO. 1, JANUARY, 1958
might otherwise have been retained for years. (5) Class participation, so often meager or altogether missing, was greatly increased. (6) Both the instructor and the members of the class enjoyed the added interest and enthusiasm produced by the audience participation technique. Although more or less specific details have been given for procedure in this "audience participation" type of seminar, i t is realized that there are many variations possible to fit particular situations. I t is hoped that though other instructors may find the details do not fit their particular situations they will find pleasure and satisfaction in adapting the basic idea to their own classwork.
