Describes the absorption and containment (AC) approach to laboratory chemical-spill cleanup. Discusses currently recommended chemical-spill cleanup procedures and evaluates commercially available cleanup materials. Promotes the use of the AC method in terms of its relative safety, availability of materials, and ease of instruction. (TW)

Discusses the need for hands-on training for technician-level chemists. Describes a technician training program at Southeast Community College that emphasizes wastewater plant operations and laboratories. Outlines the course sequence for the six-quarter environmental laboratory technician curriculum. (TW)

Describes two demonstrations designed to help chemistry students visualize certain chemical properties. One experiment uses balloons to illustrate the behavior of gases under varying temperatures and pressures. The other uses a makeshift pea shooter and a commercial model to demonstrate atomic structure and the behavior of high-speed particles.…

Discusses the historical development of a new value of the second dissociation constant (K2) for hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Describes the differences between the traditional high values for K2. Suggests modification of teaching about sulfide equilibria in light of the new low value for K2. (TW)

Describes an instructional strategy based on the learning cycle for teaching the use of significant figures. Provides explanations of teaching activities for each phase of the learning cycle (exploration, invention, application). Compares this approach to teaching significant figures with the traditional textbook approach. (TW)

Discusses some of the difficulties in the measurement of pressure, including the use of open-ended and closed-ended manometers. Suggests the use of an analogy of a child's seesaw in teaching about manometers. Includes diagrams showing how various positions and weights on a seesaw compare with different pressure measurements. (TW)

Reports on a study done in Quebec, Canada, to determine the level of agreement or disagreement between principals and teachers using established criteria to measure the effectiveness of a science teacher. Results were used in an attempt to construct a profile of the attributes of an outstanding science teacher. (TW)

Reports on a study of the interactions of students in Australian high schools and was designed to focus on "target students" who monopolized whole class interactions. Students who were asked by teachers to be target students tended to have higher formal reasoning ability and achievement levels than the other students. (TW)

Presents two different approaches to teaching stoichiometry. One uses a question and answer technique and the familiar concepts of "pounds" and "degrees" to describe the concept. The second example introduces stoichiometric relationships used in the well-known camper's snack known as S'mores. (TW)

Describes a laboratory course taught at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (United Kingdom) which focuses on the preparation, properties, and applications of end-use products of the chemical industry. Outlines laboratory experiments on dyes, fibers, herbicides, performance testing, antioxidants, and surface active…

Discusses the goals of learning cycle laboratories in helping students acquire knowledge about a specific topic and to do so moving in a non-threatening way from the concrete operational level to the formal operational level. Describes an experiment designed for such laboratories dealing with the topic of oxidation-reduction. (TW)

Describes a British secondary school's use of a spectrometer to identify minerals. Discusses the origins of mineral spectra, the preparation of the specimen, the actual spectroscopic scanning, and the interpretation of the spectra. (TW)

Discusses the construction of artificial reefs for such uses as commercial fishing and recreational boating. Describes a class project in which students construct a small artificial reef and observe the changes over time in terms of temperature, salinity, flora and fauna. (TW)

Concept maps and structured/clinical interviews were completed by 25 fourth graders and 25 college freshmen to determine knowledge of the human circulatory system. Students (N=945) at various levels were then measured for misconception frequencies. Student preconceptions appear to be tenacious, but confrontation strategies may assist fundamental…

Examines Nigeria's National Policy on Education guidelines, specifically focusing on science and technological education. Discusses the development of vocational and technical schools, transfer of technology, and the role of research institutes. Recommendations are made concerning academic survival skills, respect for manual skills, improved…