In the Classroom
Senior Seminar Focusing on Societal Issues Related to Chemistry and Biochemistry Harold B. White III,* Murray V. Johnston, and Manuel Panar Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711; *
[email protected] Though a senior seminar is not a required element of the ACS-certified bachelor’s degree, many undergraduate chemistry programs include it. A senior seminar often deals with skills and activities related to successful careers after graduation, but the course content and format can vary widely from school to school and even year to year at a single school, depending on the instructor. The lack of defined content or format sometimes leads to minimal courses that both students and faculty find unsatisfactory (1, 2); however, it also can provide the opportunity for faculty to create worthwhile capstone experiences that students will appreciate. The Carnegie Commission recently published Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America’s Universities (3), which provides an overview and some guidance. One of the 10 major recommendations for changing undergraduate education is that it should culminate with a capstone experience. “Senior seminars or other capstone courses appropriate
to the discipline need to be part of every undergraduate program. …[They] should prepare undergraduates for the expectations and standards of graduate work and the professional workplace. [They] should be the culmination of the inquiry-based learning of earlier course work, broadening, deepening, and integrating the total experience of the major. ...[And] whenever possible, capstone courses need to allow for collaborative efforts among the baccalaureate student.” At the University of Delaware, chemistry and biochemistry majors must take two semesters of Senior Seminar, a one-credit pass/fail course. Our goals in restructuring the fall semester of this course shared much with the Carnegie recommendations above. Using the experience of one of us (MP) who for many years had observed the deficiencies of new employees in the chemical industry, we created a course that involved critical analysis, decision-making within a context, effective oral, written, and visual communication, and coopera-
Goals
Figure 1. Structure of Chemistry Senior Seminar, displayed as a concept map.
SENIOR SEMINAR
has
built
which include that
Relate Chemistry to Society
taken by
Chemistry Chemical Educ. Biochemistry Environ. Chem.
majors in
around
Questionnaire on Societal Issues
who form
filled out
First Day
des inclu
Address Ethical Issues
Last Day compare
used to form
Work Cooperatively on a Project
that
Small Groups with Similar Interests create
Develop Visual Communication Skills
Informative Web-Sites present
Provide Experience in Oral Communication
that of
engage in
that
15 min Group Presentation 10 min Q & A
Unannounced Visitors “Wild Cards”
who evaluate
who individually engage in
Sharpen Critical Thinking Skills
Provide Job Search Skills and Resources
that
Peer Evaluation and
Campus Career Services that
using
Internet Sites Journals & Newspapers
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Job Search Assignment
In the Classroom
tive teamwork—skills rarely emphasized in other chemistry courses. A list of propositions concerning societal issues related to chemistry and biochemistry provided an organizing framework for the course. While we did include activities associated with finding employment and applying to graduate programs, this article will not deal with them. Furthermore, here we will focus on the second offering of the revised course. Figure 1 uses a concept map to depict the structure of the course. The syllabus and other documents related to the course are online (6 ). Sequence of Activities Relating to Societal Issues At the beginning of the first day of class before any aspect of the course was discussed, all students filled out a questionnaire relating to their personal positions on 36 propositions (Table 1). They had four response options: agree, disagree, uncertain, or don’t care. In addition, each student had to select and rank in order of his or her preference three of the propositions that he or she would like to pursue in greater depth as part of the course. Before the next weekly class meeting, the instructors tabulated the results and assigned students to groups of two or three on the basis of their stated common interests. Only one student out of 45 in two sections did not get a topic from his list of three and more than half of the students got their first choice. The group membership we announced at the second class meeting remained throughout the semester. For students who were privately unhappy with the composition of their groups, we discouraged complaints by noting that we were preparing them for the real world and that just because you do not particularly like someone, does not mean you cannot work productively with that person. By the end of the semester, each group had to research its proposition and as a group develop an informed position, which the group would present to the class in the form of a 15-minute seminar and “to the world” as a Web site (4, 5). Fewer than 25% of the students had had experience creating a Web site, so many students initially felt intimidated by that part of the assignment, for which we provided minimal support. We noted that in industry employees need to be resourceful and that this was an opportunity with low stakes for them to identify, locate, and use the help they needed. As part of the exercise to get started, we had each student review criteria for good Web sites and then evaluate and rank a unique combination of three Web sites created by groups during the previous year. They sent their rankings and written evaluations to us by electronic mail. This exercise let students see what peers had done and established a benchmark for our expectations early in the course. It also gave students practice in evaluating Web sites and making judgments of quality based on established criteria. We expected it would also initiate their planning for the Web site that they in their groups would create by the end of the semester. Depending upon the date of their class presentation, groups had between 7 and 11 weeks to prepare their presentations and Web sites. The Web sites were posted before the presentation so that class members could look at them ahead of time. Several of the classes during the intervening weeks dealt with discussions and active-learning exercises associated with oral, visual, and written communication. Groups met in and outside of class to work on their projects. Several groups resisted our efforts to take a position for or against a
proposition. They felt that it should be sufficient for them simply to provide lots of relevant information so that the audience could decide for themselves. We explained that societal issues are usually complex, often controversial, and played out in the political arena with little appreciation of the relevant scientific elements. Society needs people who have knowledge and expertise to provide informed judgments based on incomplete information. Having studied an issue in depth, each group should be able to come to consensus, provide the audience with their best judgment, and explain the basis for their position. Faced with the need to take a position, some groups subtly changed the wording of the controversial propositions they had to minimize controversy. For example, “Megadoses of vitamin C are healthful” is quite different from “Megadoses of vitamin C are not harmful”. We tried to discourage this inclination. Wild Cards, Web Sites, and Group Presentations At each class meeting during the last month of the semester, two groups made 15-minute presentations, which were followed by 10-minute question-and-answer sessions. Time limits were strictly enforced. The class was organized so that every student in the class had an assignment due every week—either the production of his or her group’s seminar and Web site or the evaluation of one other group’s seminar and Web site. The completed seminar evaluation forms were handed in at the end of class. In order to have a knowledgeable audience and provide timely feedback, the Web site evaluations were submitted electronically to the instructors before the seminars. Both sets of evaluations were summarized in a page or two along with recommendations for final Web site modifications and sent to each group within a couple of days. To provide authenticity to the seminars and raise accountability in the absence of a letter grade, we invited “wild cards” to each seminar. These were two or three unannounced visitors who often had expertise in the topic to be presented. Because the identity of the wild cards was not known ahead of time, students often prepared in greater depth than they would have for a presentation to their peers. Like other aspects of the course that might have incurred student anger in other circumstances, wild cards were accepted as helping to simulate the real world in a low-stakes environment. One of the most gratifying aspects of this course for the instructors was the willingness of many busy people to participate as wild cards. Virtually everyone accepted the invitation. They included faculty from other departments, administrators, industrial chemists, and leaders of activist groups and conservation organizations. They participated fully and responsibly and seemed to enjoy the opportunity to help. Frequently, they talked with students after class. Final Evaluations During the last week of class after the groups had put their Web sites in final form based on the instructor’s and evaluator’s comments, we had each student evaluate and rank a unique combination of three group Web sites they had not previously evaluated. These often included Web sites from groups in the other section of the course. By integrating the responses, we rank-ordered all 16 Web sites and announced
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9. A major problem with science education in this country is that there are few incentives for bright, enthusiastic people to consider a teaching career. 19/23
21/25
11/2
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35. It is likely that biomedical research will lead to total control of HIV infections.
36. Olestra is a benign, nondigestible, fat substitute.
11/7
12/10
12/4
10/8
3/4
23/18
11/15
29/28
22/26
3/0
8/8
4/2
U
20/9
14/13
27/31
19/20
3/0
13/13
19/24
13/13
9/4
9/2
15/8
18/11
9/6
15/13
18/7
29/32
27/29
3/6
28/21
15/10
16/12
32/26
3/6
16/7
14/8
17/9
16/17
7/9
9/11
8/10
13/9
9/6
5/3
7/6
13/10
5/0
0/0
2/2
0/1
0/0
1/2
1/1
1/2
1/1
1/0
0/3
1/0
0/0
1/1
0/1
0/0
3/2
0/0
2/0
0/0
1/2
1/2
0/0
0/0
0/0
0/1
1/2
1/0
2/ 0
6/3
0/0
1/1
0/0
1/1
0/0
0/1
DC
a Propositions in boldface type were presented in class to one or both sections. Boldface numbers indicate proposition Web sites from the previous year’s class that were examined by about 30% of the class. bResponses are A, agree; D, disagree; U, undecided; and DC, don’t care.
13/14 1/6
33. Developing a vaccine for malaria should be a high-priority objective for the NIH.
34. Drinking water should be treated with hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorine.
5/10 36/39
31. Drug discovery by rational design should take precedence over screening natural products from tropical rain forests and marine invertebrates.
32. Understanding the molecular basis of cancer is a prerequisite for effective treatment of cancer.
2/7 1/3
29. Molecular genetic analysis of blood creates more problems for society than it solves.
28. Consumption of mega doses of vitamin C is healthful.
30. There are real dangers associated with using transgenic crops as human food.
29/41 10/12
27. Sequencing the human genome is likely to benefit human health.
12/30 19/23
12/11 8/10
23. The widespread use of insecticides is a waste of money and ineffective in the long run.
24. The dangers of asbestos used for tiles and insulation in buildings are insufficient to warrant the high cost of its removal.
25. The risks and costs of cleaning up hazardous waste dumps need to be reassessed.
14/18 25/27
22/28
22. The use of antibiotics in animal feed represents a long-term health hazard to humans by promoting antibiotic resistance in pathogens.
26. Paper bags for groceries are environmentally and economically preferable to plastic bags.
2/7
9/9
21. Antiknock compounds in gasoline that have replaced tetraethyl lead are likely to produce environmental problems also.
30/26 10/11
9/11 2/1
20. Dioxin is not as toxic as the press makes it out to be.
7/13
4/6
19. Chemical and biological warfare should be considered as viable components of a national security program.
6/8 5/9
17. Nuclear power generation is the only viable long-term solution to the energy problem.
18. Fossil hydrocarbons are too valuable as a source of recyclable plastic to be burned for fuel.
22/25
4/10 3/4
15. Without the industrial chemical reduction of atmospheric nitrogen, starvation would be rampant in third-world countries.
16. The concept of “green chemistry” is i¡ncompatible with industrial practice.
15/23 12/10
11/13 27/27
13. Federal safety regulations inhibit research and development of potentially beneficial drugs.
5/8 6/21
20/25 22/14
11. Acid rain can be prevented without compromising industrial output.
12. The chemical industry took responsible action when confronted with evidence that the ozone layer was being depleted by fluorocarbons.
14. Raising gasoline prices in the U.S. would provide the incentive for engineering automobiles with improved fuel-efficiency.
20/18
10/11
5/6
10. The economics of recycling aluminum are prohibitive.
20/15
18/19 11/17
7. The account of creation in the Bible is in direct conflict with chemical and physical evidence for the age of the earth.
8. In most cases there are alternatives to using animals in research.
11/14 25/26
21/22 4/8
5. There are some areas of scientific inquiry that should never be pursued for ethical or humanitarian reasons.
1/5
32/31
25/26
16/19 16/11
Responseb D
6. There is an objectively correct answer to any question relating to chemistry.
2/4 36/35
4. There are important issues that face society that cannot be resolved by scientific study.
4/7
2. Opportunities for women in chemistry are limited relative to those for men.
3. Taking anabolic steroids for body building is in principle no different from administering growth hormone to persons with inherited dwarfism.
10/12
A
1. Secrecy has no place in academic research done in collaboration with the chemical industry.
Propositiona
Table 1. Initial and Final Student Responses to Propositions on Chemistry-Related Societal Issues
In the Classroom
In the Classroom
the results in class on the last day of class. Also on the last day of class, the students filled out course evaluation forms and, as in the first class of the semester, they stated their position on the 36 propositions concerning societal issues related to chemistry and biochemistry. Figure 1 includes a comparison of student responses at the beginning and at the end of the course. Student Evaluation of the Course Student evaluations of the course were strongly positive. Rarely did more than two students disagree with positive statements about the course. For instance, they liked the presentations by their peers and felt they learned from them. They approved of wild card visitors. While a few thought they would have worked harder if a grade were involved, most thought the course should not yield a letter grade. Many reported that they talked about topics and issues presented in class with friends outside of class. Perhaps the most unexpected result of the class was the pride many took in creating a Web site that their parents and relatives could see. More than one third of students listed creating a Web page as the most useful aspect of this course for them. Students were asked to describe the course in an informative sentence or two. The responses included: This class brings forward issues in chemistry and gives a friendly environment for improving important skills (e.g. presenting, Web sites). Basically the course takes what we’ve learned over our college careers and applies it to issues we face after graduation. It is a course designed to get you out of the normal classroom mode of college and prepare you for leaving. It is a lot of work, but very practical and useful for scientists. This course is the only chemistry course that prompts the student to evaluate the consequences surrounding chemical research rather than to just concentrate on the research itself. After taking the “core” courses in biochemistry and chemistry, it was nice to have a class bring together what we have learned through in-depth study of a controversial topic resulting in a web-page and oral presentations.
Discussion Capstone courses can assume many forms and address a variety of issues. The senior seminar described here focuses on oral, visual, and written communication skills required by professional chemists working in teams. Though not as intensive, it shares many goals with a course, Communicating Chemistry, recently developed at Heriot-Watt University (7). On the basis of our analysis of course evaluations and student performance, we conclude that student seminar presentations on societal issues related to chemistry effectively arouse interest in and awareness of relevant issues that students, in many cases, had not thought about. While students valued learning how to create Web pages, the Web pages they created appeared to have less impact on peer attitudes than did their seminars on the same subjects. In evaluating seminars and Web sites, the instructors felt that students frequently placed more emphasis on visual appeal and emotional impact than on structured logical arguments that supported a particular position. Acknowledgments We thank Kurt Burch for the idea of “wild cards” and thank the faculty, administrators, and community representatives who served as wild cards. We thank Project Kaleidoscope for highlighting this course in a recent publication (8). Literature Cited 1. Blackburn, J. R.; Wiseman, F. L. J. Chem. Educ. 1990, 67, 951. 2. Bowyer, W. J.; Kaydos, J. A. J. Chem. Educ. 1997, 74, 184. 3. Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America’s Research Universities; Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: New York, 1998; p 27. 4. Yates, P. C. Univ. Chem. Educ. 1998, 2, 1. 5. Rigeman, S. J. Chem. Educ. 1998, 75, 727. 6. Chemistry Senior Seminar Home Page; http://www.udel.edu/ chem/white/teaching/CHEM465.htm (accessed Sep 2000). 7. Bailey, P. D. Univ. Chem. Educ. 1997, 1, 31. 8. Narum, D. PKAL Dreyfus Chemistry Writing Project: Capstone Courses; Project Kaleidoscope: Washington, DC, in press.
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