Describes a four day, non-graded pre-introductory college chemistry course designed to prepare students in the basic chemical fundamentals. (SL)

Urges chemistry teachers to have students annotate the chemical reactions in aqueous-solutions that they see in their textbooks and witness in the laboratory. Suggests this will help students recognize the reaction type more readily. Examples are given for gas formation, precipitate formation, redox interaction, acid-base interaction, and…

Discusses many of the distinctions that chemists draw between theoretical chemistry and descriptive chemistry, along with the tendency for chemical educators to adopt the type of chemistry they feel is most important to teach. Uses examples to argue that theoretical chemistry and descriptive chemistry are, at the bottom line, the same. (TW)

Describes the goals and organization of the first in a series of courses that have an interdisciplinary concentration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Also discusses three of the upper-level courses in the series and highlights the educational goals of this approach. (ML)

Describes a simple thermodynamics experiment recommended for use in beginning chemical engineering laboratory courses. Outlines the theory behind the experiment, which determines the specific heat of a liquid. Discusses the construction, operation, and maintenance of the apparatus involved, along with the experimental procedure. (TW)

Discusses the possibility of having chemistry students do their own computer programing that could then be used to solve problems in general chemistry. Describes such an effort at Eastern Washington University. Provides examples of some of the student programs and printouts. (TW)

Points out agriculture's central position in the human economy and advocates its placement in liberal education. Provides a list of topics highlighting agriculture in the history of science and technology curriculum. Discusses the potential for using agriculture material in undergraduate science courses. (ML)

Provides an overview of the course "Sex, Technology, and Morality" which focuses on the human reproductive process and examines the advances in reproductive technology. The course emphasizes the social, political, and ethical implications of actual and possible technologies associated with human reproduction. (ML)

Reports on a conference on Biochemical Education and National Development held at the University of Lagos (Nigeria). Includes the author's personal impressions on biochemical education at Nigerian universities. Summarizes the sessions held at the conference regarding undergraduate, graduate, and research programs in those universities. (TW)

Proposes that the production of alcohol from corn be used as a practical application of scientific principles that deal with energy transformations. Discusses the solar energy available for growth, examining the utilization of solar energy by plants. Describes the conversion of corn to alcohol, with suggestions for classroom and laboratory study.…

Suggests a method for solving verbal problems in chemistry using a linguistic algorithm that is partly adapted from two artificial intelligence languages. Provides examples of problems solved using the mental concepts of translation, rotation, mirror image symmetry, superpositioning, disjoininng, and conjoining. (TW)

Discusses the increasing need for both universities and industries to provide continuing technical education and training for industry employees. Argues that while industry-supplied and university-supplied continuing technical education have coexisted for the past few decades, in the future both entities will greatly increase their collaboration…

Discusses some of the recent developments in providing continuing engineering education programs. Lists 10 potential problems encountered by universities in attempting to provide a strong continuing engineering education program. Includes concerns about industry cooperation, objectives, needs assessments, finances, program quality, the role of…

Reports on a study which examined the relationship between spatial ability and performance in organic chemistry. Results indicated that students with high spatial scores did significantly better on questions requiring problem solving skills, as well as on those requiring the mental manipulation of two-dimensional representations of a molecule. (TW)

Describes an inservice training program for elementary and junior high school teachers that sought to enhance teachers' knowledge of physical science and skills of science instruction. Presents test data on participants' knowledge of science content, attitudes toward science, and beliefs about science teaching. (ML)