Laboratory work school chemistry teaching

Two other features of the course structure deserve comment First, there is a heavy emphasis on laboratory work, since high school teachers of chemistry are often insufficiently prepared to run labs safely, economically, and efficiently. Second, there is a decided thrust of all the courses in the direction of practical chemistry (demonstrations, molecular basis of devices, consumer chemicals) to enable the teacher to teach relevant chemistry in a less-than-optimal environment The intent is to equip the teacher to solve the real problems of teaching in a setting where equipment is primitive, support is minimal, facilities are inadequate, and professional isolation prevails. 

Paul H.W. Bormans was born in 1945 in Hengelo, Netherlands. After his education in chemistry at the University of Nijmegen, Netherlands, he became a teacher at a school for laboratory personel. His extensive interest in natural sciences resulted in a number of books about mineralogy and the environment. In the years 1980-1985 he worked on the integration of natural sciences in his school. He started to teach ceramics at the department material technology of his school. The basis of his teaching materials is the scope of this book. 

The range of the authors experience in chemical literature seems appropriate for the topic discussed. Two of them come from large chemical industries one is from a consulting laboratory requiring extensive library work one teaches a course on chemical literature in the department of chemistry in a large university one is a member of the staff of one of our best known library schools and one is the editor of our indispensable Chemical Abstracts. In one way or another, each one has dealt with the problem of training literature chemists. From these diverse viewpoints we may expect worth-while evaluations of the present situation and suggestions for its improvement. 

It is possible to reduce the cost of teaching a laboratory-based chemistry curriculum by using small scale techniques. It is also important to consider how much and what chemicals are to be used. Small-scale techniques are generally more safe and they also help to improve the manipulative skills of the students. Texts indicating how small-scale work can be used through out a school course have been published in many a countries. 

Out of the various teaching methods discussed earlier the Assignment method is the only method that combines theory and practice in a harmonious manner and can be easily practiced in our schools. The Heuristic method is predominently a laboratory method. However from this it should not be concluded that practical work in laboratory is impossible if the teacher makes use of any other teaching method. Thus irrespective of the method adopted by the teacher for teaching of chemistry in the class, practical work in laboratory must be attempted. The following guide lines will help the chemistry teacher to make his practical work effective. 

Martin J. Goedhart is currently Associate Professor in chemical education at the Amsterdam Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Laboratory (AMSTEL) of the Uitiversity of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He has experience in teaching chemistry in vocational schools and at universities. He is presently involved in the traiiting of chemistry teachers and in research in science education. His research work is maiitiy directed to conceptual development in chentistry, both at the upper secondary and the university levels. 

Then something went wrong. He found himself overloaded with teaching responsibilities, deprived of time, equipment, or assistance for research, and, finally, at odds about his value to the school with the new chairman of its chemistry department. In 1909, he learned from Columbia classmate Colin G. Fink (co-author of that 1907 paper with Bodenstein on catalysis) about a summer job opportunity with Fink s employer. General Electric. Here was an escape route. On Monday I go to Schenectady and in all probability will do good enough work so that Whitney (the GE laboratory director) will offer me salary anywhere from 1200 to 1400 for the next year, he wrote his mother. 

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