Argues that the field of inorganic chemistry is facing an identity crisis. Proposes that the current call for curriculum reform in inorganic chemistry is an opportunity to return to a stronger discipline. Presents a history of freshman chemical education and recommends a new program for inorganic chemistry. (TW)

Discusses some of the potential for using computer-assisted interactive videodisks in teaching chemistry laboratory techniques. Describes an effort currently underway at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) where 18 interactive videodisk lessons dealing with kinetics, equilibrium and the behavior of gases have been developed. (TW)

Describes eight applications of the use of computers in teaching chemistry. Includes discussions of audio frequency measurements of heat capacity ratios, quantum mechanics, ab initio calculations, problem solving using spreadsheets, simplex optimization, faradaic impedance diagrams, and the recording and tabulation of student laboratory data. (TW)

Describes an exercise developed at the University of Natal (South Africa) in which students visit a plant which manufactures a variety of lead compounds. Outlines the procedures for the laboratory preparation of lead compounds that students prepare with samples they collected at the plant. (TW)

Reports on a study involving open-ended interviews of a sample of international agriculture students at the University of Minnesota. Presents findings about the students' agricultural backgrounds, the agricultural situations in the students' home countries, and the students' assessments of their education in the United States. (TW)

Reports on a study to determine the interaction effects of selected personality characteristics, science achievement, and two classroom climates, one which encouraged discovery learning and one that did not. Demonstrated that student achievement is influenced by dynamic interactions within classrooms. (TW)

Investigated the cognitive engagement of students in grades 4-6 who received science lessons that varied in the level of cognitive content, procedural complexity, and social organization. The variables did not significantly affect student involvement. Cognitive engagement was similar for tasks judged as low and high in difficulty. (SKC)

Discusses coordinate systems, units of measure, scaling and levels as they relate to a database generated by a computer in a spatial rather than planer location. Describes geometric-oriented input, direct coordinates, transformations, annotation, editing and patterns. Stresses that hand drafting emulation is a short-sighted approach to…

Describes two methods to teach radioactive decay to secondary students with wide ranging abilities. Activities are designed to follow classroom discussions of atomic structure, transmutation, half life, and nuclear decay. Includes "The Tasmanian Empire: A Radioactive Dating Activity" and an exercise to teach concepts of half life without…

Suggests an approach to understanding the integrals associated with teaching electricity and magnetism at the college level. Categorizes integrals that are commonly used, explains the significance of paired usage and presents a method for introducing concepts. Provides a review of symbols and for integrals in college textbooks. (CW)

Describes efforts of members of the biology and physics departments of Paisley College (Scotland) to develop a simple light-emitter-detector arrangement adapted as a colorimeter interfaced with a microcomputer for use by undergraduate students. Discusses the setup and provides a computer program in BASIC to run it. (CW)

Reports on the 9th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education sponsored by the American Chemical Society. The conference theme: "Chemistry: Learning, Instructing, Presenting," was addressed by numerous sessions. Highlighted were presentations calling for an increase in process-oriented chemistry teaching, reduction of "science…

Describes directions for constructing "racing" cars out of simple materials like spools and coffee cans. Discusses procedures for students to build cars, then to test and race them. Stresses that the activity allows for self-discovery of problem solving techniques and opportunities to discuss the scientific concepts related to the activity. (TW)

Describes a set of field trips for participants of the Coastal Environmental Education for Primary Grades program in Georgia. Includes a sample of the activities used by first- and second-grade students. Discusses follow-up activities and the need for more educational programs dealing with sand dunes and saltwater marshes. (TW)

Describes a directed reading and writing lesson that uses the power of the composing process throughout content area lessons to enhance reading comprehension. Uses a fifth grade science lesson as a model. (FL)