My point of departure in this essay is that student approaches to assessment appear to have become more instrumental, and that there has been a correlative propensity in my teaching practice to "teach to the test". Hence, both learners and teachers seem to have become more strategic in relation to assessment. This situation, I argue, is…

Voltammetry is used as a model for teaching chemical instrumentation to chemistry undergraduates at the National University of Singapore. Lists six criteria used to select a successful teaching model and shows how voltammetry satisfies each criterion. (JN)

Describes a lesson in a research methods class teaching undergraduate students instrument construction and interviewing techniques, using film viewing, discussion, and interviewing exercises. Student reactions were positive. (CK)

Attempts to identify and characterize patterns of expert teaching practice as they occur in context, and to confirm these patterns through processes of verification. Observes teacher Dorothy DeLay in her studio, documenting her teaching through notes, audiotapes, and contextual artifacts. Discusses DeLay's theory of proximal positioning in…

Describes a procedure for teaching undergraduate instrumental analysis laboratories to help minimize student confusion about the instruments. Handouts are distributed prior to the experiments and a thorough discussion of the instruments is given at the beginning of the experiment, followed by a demonstration of the instrument by the instructor.…

Discussed are two techniques that can be used to directly test the theory that the plates which make up the crust of the earth are still moving. Described are the use of satellite laser ranging and very long baseline interferometry. Samples of data and their analysis are provided. (CW)

Discussed is some of the confusion encountered in electrochemistry due to misunderstandings of sign conventions and simple mathematical errors. Clarified are issues involving emf series, IUPAC sign conventions, calculation of cell potentials, reference electrodes, the polarity of electrodes in electrochemical devices, and overpotential. (CW)

Explains some experiments involving thermal methods of analysis for undergraduate chemistry laboratories. Some experiments are: (1) the determination of the density and degree of crystallinity of a polymer; and (2) the determination of the specific heat of a nonvolatile compound. (HM)

Presented is a simple laboratory set-up for teaching microprocessor-controlled data acquisition as a part of an instrumental analysis course. Discussed are the experimental set-up, experimental procedures, and technical considerations for this technique. (CW)

Presents a model system designed for the electrophysiological investigation of single unit activity in intact anaesthetized animals. Illustrates how information is coded into action potential patterns by sense organs. Uses the ampullary electroreceptor of the brown bullhead catfish as an example. (Author/CW)

Elements covered in this review include: aluminum, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, boron, calcium, carbon, chromium, cobalt, copper, hydrogen, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, platinum, rare earths, silicons, sulfur, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, and zirconium. Analytical methods…

Describes a graduate engineering course which specializes in model predictive control. Lists course outline and scope. Discusses some specific topics and teaching methods. Suggests final projects for the students. (MVL)

Announces the incorporation of a laboratory information management system (LIMS) into the academic environment. Describes the applications of a computer-automated laboratory system at one university. Stresses the benefits to students of the use of such a system in terms of entry into the industrial environment and to professors in grading. (CW)

Discussed are four major advantages to the use of microscale laboratories for teaching chemistry. Included are effects on waste generation, laboratory safety, reagent variety, and laboratory efficiency. (CW)

Describes an engineering course for graduate study in process control. Lists four major topics: interaction analysis, multiloop controller design, decoupling, and multivariable control strategies. Suggests a course outline and gives information about each topic. (MVL)