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1999
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Information • Textbooks • Media • Resources
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Technology: Catalyst for Enhancing Chemical Education for Pre-service Teachers
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Vinay Kumar and Julia Yang Bedell
Department of Chemistry, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY 41099-1905
Allen H. Seed
School of Education, Northern Kentucky University, HIghland Heights, KY 41099-1905
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May 1999
Vol. 76 No. 5
p. 713
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| Abstract |
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A DOE/KYEPSCoR-funded project enabled us to introduce a new curricular initiative aimed at improving the chemical education of pre-service elementary teachers. The new curriculum was developed in collaboration with the School of Education faculty. A new course for the pre-service teachers, "Discovering Chemistry with Lab" (CHE 105), was developed. The integrated lecture and lab course covers basic principles of chemistry and their applications in daily life. The course promotes reasoning and problem-solving skills and utilizes hands-on, discovery/guided-inquiry, and cooperative learning approaches. This paper describes the implementation of technology (computer-interfacing and simulation experiments) in the lab. Results of two assessment surveys conducted in the laboratory are also discussed. The key features of the lab course are eight new experiments, including four computer-interfacing/simulation experiments involving the use of Macintosh Power PCs, temperature and pH probes, and a serial box interface, and use of household materials. Several experiments and the midterm and final lab practical exams emphasize the discovery/guided-inquiry approach.
The results of pre- and post-surveys showed very significant positive changes in students' attitude toward the relevancy of chemistry, use of technology (computers) in elementary school classrooms, and designing and teaching discovery-based units. Most students indicated that they would be very interested (52%) or interested (36%) in using computers in their science teaching.
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| Supplement |
The complete write-ups of computer-interfacing experiments 6, 7, and 9 can be accessed as a pdf document using Acrobat Reader. Alternatively, the experiments are availabe as Microsoft Word documents, which have been compressed into sit (for Macintosh) and zip (for Windows) files.
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Citation |
Kumar, Vinay; Bedell, Julia Yang; Seed, Allen H. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 713.
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Keywords |
Curriculum; Laboratory Instruction; Chemical Education Research; Computer Assisted Instruction; Teaching / Learning Aids; Consumer Chemistry; technology
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History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
June 11, 1999
November 22, 2005
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| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1999
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May
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713
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