THE ORGANIZATION OF FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY CLASSES* O m M. SMITH OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE. STILLWATER. OKLAHOMA
The acquisition of good study habits and the maintenance of interest and sustained endeavor are approached by the adjustment of the student's load to conform to his mental and time limitations, by competition with co-workers of like abilities and interest, by rewards for accomfilishments and Progressive attitude and by the presentation of selected material by teachers trained in the &ld of the student's ma.jor interest. , . . . . . . With several hundred freshman students in a chemistry class, it becomes necessary to set up a definite organization built to accomplish predetermined objectives. In our work we have six outstanding aims in view. They are: 1. The adjustment of the student's load to conform to his aptitude, mental ability, and time limitations by determining his mental capacity on entering the classes and subsequently placing him in a group of like mental ability; 2. The assurance of a sustained interest by (a) the selection of material related to the knowledge of the student and in the field in which he is studying and (b) by the use of teachers interested and trained in agriculture, home economics, engineering, and chemistry; 3 . The estahlishment of persoqal contact between the teacher and the student by the use of a quizzing and laboratory period of four hours per C week; 4. Maintenance of uniformity among the various classes in subject matter, quizzes, and examinations by a centralized administration; 5 . The encouragement and stimulation of students, particularly the better ones, by association with the more inspiring teachers, by personal commendation, honorlists, exemptions, etc.; and 6. The utilization of the student's time to maximum advantage (a) by permitting the student to pursue sophomorework when proved capable and (b) by permitting those with high-school chemistry and others mentally able to do so to complete the course in one semester instead of the usual two semesters. Sectioning According to Interests and Ability From information supplied to the author by the heads of chemistry departments in most of the state universities and land-grant colleges, it is generally conceded that entering freshman students fortunately class themselves into groups of like interests and abilities when they elect agr-
* This paper covers substantially the Chemical
material presented before the Division of Education of the A. C. S., New Orleans, March 29, 1932.
1946
Vor.. 9, No. 11
ORGANIZATION OF CHEMISTRY CLASSES
1947
culture, home economics, engineering, or arts and science; and that the engineering and the arts and science pupils show the greatest average ability and the home economics and agriculture students the least.' This average class difference remains through the year's work and may be attributed to many factors: mental make-up of the individual, inferior high-school training, poor intellectual home atmosphere and privileges. Since these differencesare so significant, they certainly should be taken into consideration in planning courses of study. For the past six years the Iowa Chemistry Training Examination has been given to those who have had chemistry in the high school and the Iowa Chemistry Aptitude Test to those who have had none. From the scores obtained on these tests, supplemented when possible with the intelligence, English, and mathematics scores, we have been able to judge with a rather high degree of accuracy the students' relative ability. The beginning general-chemistry students report for two hours of lecture per week and one afternoon for four clock hours of laboratory and recitation in sections of 90 to 200. These large groups are divided into sections of 20 to 30 according to the scores in the aptitude and other tests, or grades of the previous semester. Since there are three or more sections per afternoon, it is easy to shift advancing or retarding students to sections of higher or lower level. Approximately the same type of work is given to those who have had high-school chemistry as is given the beginqers but it is covered in one-half the time and the order of presentation is markedly different. Of the whole high-school group usually one-third are unable to cover the course in one semester, these are transferred to the beginning classes. Of the remaining two-thirds, the best students are selected and given a comprehensive examination and, if found proficient, are permitted to enter the sophomore classes. These usually are the more interested and excellently prepared individuals and become the leaders in their classes. A little foresight is necessary if such a scheme is to work to insure the placing of the section for high-school chemistry in the schedule in such a way that a student from any school may schedule this class without conflict; also, that the half days on which the laboratory quiz classes are offered are restricted to sufficiently few in number that there will he a group of 90 or more students with which to work. Sustaining Interest T o insure interest being sustained these main divisions of (a) arts and science and engineers, (b) agriculture, and (6) home economics are taught by 1
OSBORN,J. CHEM. EDUC., 6, 2189 (Dee.. 1929);
1676 (July, 1930).
SMITH AND
TRIMBLE, ihid., 7,
1948
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
Novsm~n,1932
chemists who have likewise specialized in chemistry or chemical engineering and agriculture, home economics or biochemistry, and diierent texts, selected for their particular fitness as to interest, method of presentation, difficulty, and emphasis, are employed. Furthermore, to insure fair grading and avoid unjust discriminations the standards for grades A , B, C, etc., are determined for each group and are usually diierent, being higher for science and engineering students than for agriculture and home economics students. To grade all alike seems unjust to both the superior and the unfortunate underprivileged individuals. Furthermore, to maintain interest and a desire on the part of ,the student for advancement all grades are reported in letters and not in scores. The college accepts the entering students, a department receives them as freshmen to be trained as chemists, science teachers, electrical engineers, housewives, and dairy men. Our r6le is to impart as much chemistry as is possible within the time allotted, subject to the mental limitations and inclinations of the students, and leave to the department in which the student majors the decision of praising, passing, or condemning. We set ourselves up as the final authority only in so far as our own chemistty majors are concerned.
Uniformity of Subject Matter To prevent sections of the poorer students getting behind and those of better ones ahead, it is absolutely essential that a time schedule be maintained, if this method is to be successful. The progress is determined by the head teacher and the subject matter ~ u s be t covered in recitation and laboratory on the time specified, otherwise students unprepared by a slow teacher will enter examinations with sad consequences. Encouragement and Stimulation The energies of the best or most inspiring teachers are devoted to the training of the students in the more advanced sections where they are most appreciated and most productive. The result is that many bright students a t the close of the year are one-half year to a year ahead of the regular schedule or have covered much additional work. At the same time the less privileged student has had an equal amount of teaching service, has acquired as much chemistry as he can assimilate and has been continually stimulated by the accomplishment of tasks set according to the average abilities of his class and within his attainment.
