Provides real life assignments that can be used to help students apply chemistry laboratory techniques to solve environmental hazardous waste problems. Numerous diagrams are provided to aid in describing the experiments performed. (ZWH)

Describes shifting the teaching focus from a class of students to the individual student. (PR)

Cites the shortcomings of the traditional educational experiences of chemists. Focuses on their training in engineering and concludes that training is lacking in the areas of mass balances in flow processes, heat balances, reactors, separation processes, and scaleup. (DDR)

Argues that part of the value of expressive writing is that it can provide communication within the chemistry classroom and involve students in the course. Describes the process of in-class writing with suggestions for its use. Contains 86 references. (DDR)

Considers how computers might help broaden assessment practices by examining the types of test items that might be used in computer environments. Explores ideas from cognitive psychology and research on problem solving. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Reports on the Seventh Annual Conference on Chemical Education which explored the assumption that science courses focus too much on the product of science and not enough on the process. Problem solving was examined as a possible route toward developing the necessary critical-thinking skills. Covers the keynote address, Problems versus Exercises,…

Reports on a study that constructs a Lakatosian teaching strategy that can facilitate conceptual change in students' understanding of chemical equilibrium. Results indicate that the experimental group performed better on tests. Contains 81 references. (DDR)

Discusses the characteristics and benefits of the Nebraska Operation Chemistry (NOC) summer workshops. Provides a brief overview of the workshops and the 11 instructional modules. (DDR)

Concept-map construction was tested as a means of increasing the conceptual learning of first-year, non-major college chemistry students (n=32). No significant differences between the control (essay-writing) and treatment (concept-map-constructing) groups were found on post-lab multiple-choice achievement tests. Interviews with students indicated…

Discusses how the mining of gold has impacted the development of both Australia and Papua, New Guinea. Outlines the essential chemistry of small scale mining, the impact of gold on the economy, and the environmental effect of mercury on both the miners and the environment. (Author/CCM)

Describes the construction and use of a spectroscope using a compact disk as a reflection grating. Lists instructions for viewing emission spectra of white or fluorescent light sources or discharge tubes, and absorption spectra of colored solutions. Includes modified directions and expanded activities. Contains 16 references. (WRM)

Presents a chemical demonstration program designed to support elementary science education in which fifth- and sixth-grade students visit a college campus to watch chemical demonstrations performed by a professor. Contains suggestions for program set-up and references for demonstrations to use. (WRM)

This study examines motivation and learning-strategy use in college chemistry classes in order to understand women's lower levels of achievement in that domain. Results from the study of 603 students indicate that prior knowledge, motivation, and the use of learning strategies were significant predictors of course achievement above and beyond…

Presents the findings of research designed to find out whether students in a college chemistry course could perform self-assessments that were compatible with assessments performed by their professors, and in which the students would be confident. Discovers that, although a gap exists between student and professor assessment of performance, the…

Describes an iodine clock reaction incorporating sodium metabisulfite that can be used to demonstrate the kinetic order of a reaction. (WRM)