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ERIC Number: ED623171
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Chemistry and Society Book with Experiments and Discussion of Climate Change
Green, Michael E.
International Society for Technology, Education, and Science, Paper presented at the International Conference on Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (ICEMST) (Antalya, Turkey, Apr 1-4, 2021)
In a chemistry course for students not majoring in science, there is more to learn than some memorized facts: the student can find, in most non-major chemistry texts, the definition of atomic number, something about chemical bonding, and names of some classes of chemical compounds. Where facts come from and how accurately they are known are often missing. A book is now available in which a number of experiments are included. The first two "experiments" can be done in class; they help the student to understand what is meant by experimental error, accuracy, and precision. The remaining experiments are real, and require a laboratory. In courses lacking labs, students can be given the results, as done by technicians. This was done when the course was most recently taught. Three repeats of measurements allowed an error estimate, to be included in a student's pseudo-lab report. Most lab reports indicated the students understood the material. The text included a qualitative introduction to thermodynamics and black-body radiation, to present some of the science behind climate change. pH is introduced with application to ocean acidification. A Chemistry and Society book should apply the science to the most pressing societal problem with a scientific basis. Also, the book starts with a much more considered introduction to what is usually passed over as "scientific method". There is a fairly extended discussion of the distinction between hypothesis and well-established theory. There is a chapter on the history and philosophy of science, not going deeply into either, but setting out much more than is found in many books. The book is Chemistry and Society (M. E Green, 2018, Linus Publishers). Based on the final exam over 2/3 of the students understood the material. Overall, this did as well as standard texts, when used for the same course. [For the full proceedings, see ED623149.]
International Society for Technology, Education, and Science. 944 Maysey Drive, San Antonio, TX 78227. Tel: 515-294-1075; Fax: 515-294-1003; email: istesoffice@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.istes.org
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A