Differentiates between chemical nomenclature and the common ways that substances are named and described. Students should learn the chemical nomenclature so that they will be more observant and objective. Cites examples of student misconceptions based upon their own imagination and logic. (TW)

Discusses the need for visual aids in helping students recognize various minerals in a thin section. Describes the development of a manual of color photomicrographs designed to provide students with a more realistic view of minerals than can be provided by charts and diagrams. (TW)

Explains: (1) use of piezoelectric film (connected to power supply and oscilloscope) to reveal force-versus-time curves of bouncing balls; (2) use of bound wood splints or meter sticks to illustrate tree or tower stability; and (3) apparatus of co-axial discs with connected linking rods and suspended bobs to simulate waves. (DH)

Outlines activities and goals of the Iowa Lakes Community College club, along with strategies for achieving these goals. Also discusses several benefits which result from club membership, including the development of problem-solving skills and involvement with successful club projects. (DH)

Presents a description of the course "From Petroleum to Penicillin" which examines chemical engineering and the chemical industry from a scientific, social and symbolic view. Explains the goals, organization, and requirements of the course. Lists case study and lecture topics. (ML)

Reviews the current state of chemical engineering education in Nigeria and points out the distinctive features of its approach to undergraduate education. Discusses problems associated with funding, enrollment, and lack of supporting industries. Includes four recommendations for resolving problem areas. (ML)

Reports on a study designed to determine the current status of courses in engineering materials and their relationship to machine design and design project courses in mechanical engineering technology programs. Includes discussions of two recommendations of the study that were endorsed by a national conference. (TW)

Presents a rationale for the teaching of materials in engineering degree courses. Reviews the requirements established by various professional engineering bodies in the United Kingdom for accredited engineering degree courses. Discusses the aims of the course as well as instructional concerns. (ML)

Presents perspectives on the aims and content of materials science courses and materials engineering courses. Outlines a proposed curriculum for a four-year degree course in engineering and identifies technical and social skills necessary for engineers. (ML)

Contends that student success in introductory science courses at the college and university level depends on formal operational reasoning ability, size of working memory, and the degree of field independence. Reports the study findings related to cognitive predictor variables based on the testing of Venezuelan science majors (N=95). (ML)

Offers perspectives and specific ways of developing and nurturing critical and creative problem-solving skills with engineering students. Provides examples of exercises and approaches that aim in stimulating creativity and in providing understanding of course material. (ML)

Discusses the use of a strip log as a diagrammatic representation of the information available in a sequence of sedimentary rocks. Describes the design of the strip log (both symbolically and by visual/spatial patterns) and some of the possible interpretations that can be made using them. (TW)

Describes some of the contributions made by the field of paleontology to theories in geology and biology. Suggests that the two best examples of modern evolutionary paleontology relate to the theory of punctuated equilibria, and the possibility that mass extinctions may be cyclic. (TW)

Describes an introductory geology course for non-science majors that focuses on problem solving and group dynamics at The Ohio State University. Reviews its format and contents and compares it with other course options for non-science majors. Includes evaluative comments and provides a listing of group studies project topics. (ML)

Presents a simple, inexpensive and realistic model which allows introductory geology students to obtain subsurface information through a simulated drilling experience. Offers ideas on additional applications to a variety of geologic situations. (ML)