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Mar. 20-22, 1996 in Dayton, OH
Apply: DAY
Mature critical thinking is a prerequisite to understanding science and to applying it appropriately. We will begin with an examination of the relations between understanding the nature of science and thinking critically. Mature critical thinking (unlike accurate reasoning, one of its components) can only be done for topics perceived as uncertain and requiring judgment. The continuing history of fundamental change in science, and its resulting dynamic and tentative nature, show that science must be fundamentally uncertain. We will examine the sources of this uncertainty and the various criteria, starting with probability, that allow scientists to decide which theories are (presently) preferable. These decisions are in turn based on various value judgments. (Consider the rationale for a 5% rather than a 1% or a 10% acceptance level.) The second (and main) focus of the workshop will ask the participants to design segments of their courses to help students understand mature critical thinking and apply it to science. The basics include: drawing out uncertainty, articulating the alternatives to which each theory is being compared, making explicit the criteria that discriminate among these alternatives and the values reflected in the choice of those criteria, and using gradations that distinguish among degrees of support and among levels of sufficiency. Our considerations will include both the ways particular topics are presented and some other aspects of course structure. These will include topic choice, presenting the instructor's own history of changing ideas and brief historical overviews, and the use of techniques such as structured small group discussion to increase apperception.
Participants should bring with them lecture notes and other teaching materials for some course segments where critical thinking seems especially desirable. Those who wish to examine the framework within which we will work should peruse Perry's Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years and Women's Ways of Knowing by Belenky et. al. A summary of Dr. Nelson's approach is given in Chapter 2 of Enhancing Critical Thinking in the Sciences by Crowe (1989). (Participants in Dr. Nelson's Chautauqua on Creation/Evolution should consider this course an expansion of the opening segment of that workshop in deciding whether to apply for this one.)
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Nelson teaches Biology at Indiana University. He has offered Critical Thinking workshops at the Center for the Study of Higher Education; at meetings of the National Collegiate Honors Council; at the National Institutes on Issues in Teaching and Learning; at the Lilly Conference on College Teaching; and at faculty development institutes in twenty states. Critical Thinking has also been a central component in the other Chautauqua short course he has offered in recent years.
Jun. 9-11, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
Short-course participants will be introduced to Creative Problem Solving (CPS) processes applied successfully by innovative instructors in every academic discipline as well as business heads all over the world demanding more creativity in their managers. They will learn the Osborn-Parnes CPS process and will also be introduced to some of the Edward de Bono principles and techniques for more effective thinking. Within the Osborn-Parnes process are incorporated eclectically many other proven techniques for stimulating both imagination and judgment. All of this is designed to increase student's thinking effectiveness within their subject-matter studies.
This will be a "Hands-On" short-course. Participants will first receive an intensive experiential orientation to Creative Problem Solving. This will include slide-illustrations designed to bring out important principles of creativity. Exercises will also be provided to make significant points experientially.
Participants will then be guided in preparing plans for helping students develop and use more of their thinking abilities while mastering subject matter. The participants will interact with the instructor as a total group, as sub-groups, as dyads and individually.
Participants will learn fundamental principles derived from 50 years of research and practice in improving both imagination and judgment. They will create ways of building these principles into their own teaching. Thus, they will be able to innovate effective ways of improving student's creative and critical thinking abilities while helping them apply these abilities to better appreciate, understand and master subject-matter.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Parnes is Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the Center for Studies of Creativity and its Master of Science degree program in Creative Studies at Buffalo State University College. The College presented its first "President's Award for Excellence" to Dr. Parnes in recognition of his outstanding contributions in research, scholarship and creativity. His latest of a number of books on creativity is Source Book for Creative Problem-Solving (1992). It is a 50 year anthology of creative problem-solving techniques and processes. He is a Lifetime Trustee on the Board of the Creative Education foundation, which presented him its highest award for "Outstanding Creative Achievement" in 1990. He also serves on the Foundation's Advisory Board of the Journal of Creative Behavior.
May 8-10, 1996 in Durham, NC
Apply: TUCC
Note: This course is cosponsored by and offered at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Applications should be sent to the TUCC Field Center.
In Part 1 of "Cognition and Teaching" we examined various cognitive processes (such as attention and memory) and their implications for teaching and learning. Since then, participants have used course concepts and materials in their classrooms in both explicit and implicit ways. After a brief review of the major concepts examined in Part 1, we will discuss their effects on subsequent teaching.
New material on "higher" cognitive functions and their implications for teaching examines: 1) Knowledge Representation (the difference between knowledge and knowledge structures, how to determine what knowledge structures students possess, the match/mismatch between student and expert knowledge structures, alternative ways to display knowledge in order to facilitate memory, understanding, and problem solving); 2) Problem Solving (ways to represent problems, solution strategies, problem finding vs. problem solving, devising classroom problem solving situations); 3) Writing (writing with and without thinking, the "Lard Factor" in writing, sentence salads" vs. the flow of ideas, quick/easy ways to improve student writing without teaching grammar, improving paper evaluation and feedback while decreasing time and effort); 4) Language-Thought Relationships (whether language determines thought or vice versa; whether language can exist without thought and vice versa; language-thought problems in giving lectures, leading discussions, devising assignments, and evaluating student work).
There are three "applied" aspects to the course: 1) General Applications of course material to the teaching/learning process will be discussed as each type of cognitive function is discussed. 2) Discipline Applications will take place as participants select a particular knowledge "packet" from their own discipline, predict student vs. teacher knowledge structures for this information, and devise problem solving and writing exercises for their classrooms, 3) Cross-Discipline Applications will take place as small Focus Groups meet to apply course concepts across disciplines (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, philosophy) and report their findings to the entire group. Concluding discussion will focus on cognitive aspects of knowing and teaching in the various disciplines, and ways that each discipline can benefit from using approaches characteristic of others.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: completion of the Chautauqua course on Cognition and Teaching, Part 1, by Dr. Day.
Dr. Day has done extensive research in cognitive psychology, including perception, memory, comprehension, problem solving, mental representation, knowledge structures, individual differences, and everyday cognition. Her forthcoming book, Cognition and Teaching, incorporates some of the material from this course. She was on the faculties of Stanford and Yale Universities before going to Duke and was also a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford. She was designated one of the "Ten Best Teachers" at Yale, "Distinguished Teacher" at Duke, and "All Star Teacher" by the Smithsonian Institution/Teaching Company.
May 23-25, 1996 in Austin, TX
Apply: TXA
It is easy for college teachers to operate "on automatic" when it comes to their teaching duties. True, they are likely to be devoted to incorporating the latest disciplinary knowledge in their lectures. However, in the press of everything else they have to do, worrying about the best way to present that information or about how their students' minds and emotions will be affected is often a low priority for college teachers. This course is intended to provide an opportunity for reflection on some of the latest insights that scholars and researchers interested in the process of learning and teaching have to offer.
Taking first a cognitive perspective, we will discuss how students think, how they use their existing knowledge to filter and interpret everything they observe, hear, and read, and how they change their existing knowledge. We will consider how learning is always a social and cultural experience, reflecting the context in which it occurs. We will then explore the emotional and motivational side of learning, the point of intersection between affect and cognition.
Throughout our discussion of the learning process from cognitive and socio- constructivist perspectives, we will refer to what practitioners and scholars have had to say about the teaching process. Thus, course participants should come away with a better understanding of their students and of how to teach them more effectively.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Schallert is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin where she teaches a course on learning, cognition, and modification in the undergraduate teacher preparation program, and graduate courses in learning and cognition, psycholinguistics, models of comprehension, and theories of writing. Her most recent research interests have been focused on how affect intersects the thought-language transaction in learners, readers, and writers.
Mar. 28-30, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA
Apply: CAL
It has been said that students learn more when they not only write mathematics, but also speak mathematics. Faculty have tried to take advantage of this finding by having their students work in groups, but too many faculty and students have found this to be an unproductive experience.
Collaborative learning is a group process with specific guidelines where students support each other, yet each is individually responsible for learning the material. Faculty can incorporate collaboration on a regular basis or apply it only to special topics. Group sessions can vary from a five-minute discussion to a two-hour workshop. Through collaborative learning, students have the opportunity to approach course material from several directions: reading, writing, drawing, listening, discussing, and explaining. In the process, they develop social skills such as decision-making, communication, and conflict management.
This course is designed for those faculty interested in incorporating collaborative learning into calculus and precalculus courses. The critical components necessary for successful collaboration will be defined and demonstrated. Issues to be addressed include various time modules, content coverage, group management, and effective student assessment. Time will be spent working in collaborative groups, with participants taking on the roles for members of such groups. Participants will devise strategies to use collaborative learning in their courses and will develop materials and activities to use at their institutions.
Those participants who have tried group learning are encouraged to bring two examples of materials that have been particularly successful or especially frustrating.
For college teachers of: mathematical sciences, physics, engineering, and computer science. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Pinter-Lucke is Professor and Associate Chairperson of the Mathematics Department at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where she has used collaborative learning in both classroom and workshop settings throughout her teaching career. She is the lead mathematics faculty member for the nationally recognized Academic Excellence Workshop developed at her campus. Ms. M. Catherine (Kay) Hudspeth, directs the Minority Engineering Program, and has initiated and co- directs the Academic Excellence Workshops at Pomona. She has written (with L. Hirsch) Studying Mathematics and has edited A Handbook for Academic Excellence Workshops. She has made numerous presentations on teaching and learning technical material. She is highly sought as a trainer of faculty and collaborative learning facilitators.
Mar. 21-23, 1995 in Los Angeles, California
Apply: CAL
"Sink or Swim." For decades that policy has determined the success or failure of American's freshman engineering students. The general paradigm has been to put up a difficult challenge and "weed out" those that don't measure up. Fortunately, engineering education in the United States is undergoing a revolution. We are in the process of a shift from the "sink or swim" paradigm to one of "student development." Engineering colleges all across the nation are revising their freshman year curricula with the primary goal of enhancing student success.
The short course will discuss the results of a National Science Foundation Course and Curriculum Development grant in which faculty from thirteen universities worked collaboratively to develop and document an Introduction to Engineering course designed to enhance student success by addressing five primary themes: community building; professional development; academic success strategies; personal development; and orientation to the university and the engineering program. Participants will learn the content and pedagogy for accomplishing important objectives under each of these five themes.
The format of the course will be strongly interactive. Emphasis will be placed on group problem solving and on experiential learning.
Intended Audience: Engineering faculty, minority engineering program staff, and engineering student services staff who are working to enhance engineering student success through summer orientations, formal academic year courses, or formal and informal advising and mentoring. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Landis is Dean of Engineering and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles. He is a nationally recognized expert on engineering student retention. He recently authored a text for freshman engineering students titled Studying Engineering: A Road Map to a Rewarding Career.
Apr. 18-20, 1996 in Austin, TX
Apply: TXA
Learning in mathematics can be improved by helping students become active participants in the process of constructing mathematical tools, and by focusing this process on questions with appeal sufficient to motivate their efforts. The result is student ownership at each stage-from original motivation, through discovery of ideas, to the creation and use of mathematical tools-and a feeling of being engaged in a creative human enterprise. With these pedagogical goals in mind, faculty at New Mexico State University developed an NSF-funded program of 'student research projects' in calculus. Later these projects were adapted to in-class assignments called 'themes'. Projects and themes provide one way to refocus student activities and our relationship to our students in pursuit of these goals.
A project is a major multistep take-home problem, engaging students' analytic and intuitive faculties, requiring an appreciation of the ideas behind the methods, and often weaving together ideas from many parts of calculus. The projects are completed outside class by individuals or groups, and go beyond day-to-day classwork. Through themes, the project approach was adapted to encompass acquisition of a unit of core material through an in-class group assignment, with the instructor serving as a resource rather than merely lecturing.
This approach alters students' view of what mathematics is about and builds self- confidence. Students produce an amazing level of sincere questioning, dogged persistence, and conscientious communication; the instructors' opinions' of students' capabilities "skyrocketed" as students rise to meet these challenges. Moreover, much progress has been made at reorienting the courses to a more conceptual level, and improving students' communication skills, in particular their mathematical vocabulary and expository abilities. The classroom has also become more of a learning environment and students are accepting more responsibility for their own learning.
This short course will begin with discussion and participant group work using projects and themes from calculus courses at New Mexico State University. This activity will serve as a springboard for discussion of essential ingredients for achieving the pedagogical goals mentioned above. Participants will also work in groups designing assignments to help their students become active learners. The aim of this short course is to help participants discover new ideas for small or large scale changes in their mathematics teaching.
For college teachers of: mathematics. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Pengelley is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at New Mexico State University. In addition to research in homotopy theory, he has helped develop a department-wide program utilizing student projects to promote cooperative self-learning in calculus classes, yielding the book, Student Research Projects in Calculus (1992), published by the Mathematical Association of America. Dr. Pengelley is also collaborating on developing the use of original mathematical sources in teaching, and has created two Honors courses based on classroom study of historical texts. He is writing a companion text of annotated original sources, and has begun contributing to scholarship in the history of mathematics. He received the 1993 Award for Distinguished Teaching from the Southwest Section of the Mathematical Association of America, loves backpacking, and is active in the Sierra Club. Dr. Gehrke is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at New Mexico State University. Her research is in universal algebra and foundations. Dr. Gehrke has taught calculus and linear algebra for mathematics, science, and engineering students using student projects, and was part of the team that instigated theme assignments, bringing the educational benefits of projects to the entire body of material taught in first year calculus. She is currently co-authoring a book on New Mexico State University's theme program to be published by the Mathematical Association of America. She also enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her two children. .
Jun. 13-15, 1996 in Cambridge, MA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at Harvard University.
The Calculus Consortium based at Harvard has designed a new calculus course which is being tested at nearly one hundred institutions, including community colleges, state schools, liberal arts colleges and research universities.
This short course will start by explaining the underlying philosophy of the project, including the Rule of Three, which stresses the importance of introducing topics graphically, numerically and algebraically. Participants will then work through some materials from the course, getting a flavor of the kind of thinking that the materials encourage. There will be a discussion of how to include quantitative reasoning, writing and critical thinking in calculus courses. For participants who have not used a graphing calculator, there will be an opportunity to do so, and to use it on some of the materials. The short course will conclude with a discussion of the calculus reform at a wide variety of institutions involved in this consortium and the differences and similarities in their experiences. The practical issues of implementing a new calculus course at any institution will also be addressed.
For college teachers of: mathematics. Prerequisites: interest in teaching calculus at the freshman level.
Professor Hughes Hallett is Professor of the Practice in the Teaching of Mathematics at Harvard University and co-PI (with Andrew M. Gleason) of the NSF grant funding the Calculus Consortium based at Harvard. She is the author of two previous textbooks and has started numerous programs and courses teaching introductory mathematics at the college level to undergraduates, graduate students and high school teachers. She is a member of the American Mathematical Society's Committee on Education and the Mathematical Association of America's Committees on Quantitative Literacy, Teaching Assistants, and College Board-Mutual Concerns.
May 6-8, 1996 in Atlanta, GA
Apply: CBU
Note: This course will be offered at the new Science Center at the Clark Atlanta University Chautauqua Satellite. Lodging is available at the OMNI-CNN hotel in downtown Atlanta. Reduced hotel rates may be arranged before a designated cutoff date through CBU.
Traditional freshman calculus courses often succeed in teaching students many algebraic algorithms, but little else. So many "techniques" need to be mastered that there is little time left to encourage students to think about the underlying concepts.
A fresh approach to calculus, stressing the concepts and applications of mathematics instead of mindless algorithms, has been under development for four years under a major NSF grant. A collaborative group based at Harvard University has been writing and testing materials designed to put mathematical thinking back into the curriculum. So that the approach will be accessible to a wide range of students, the consortium consists of educators and mathematicians from community colleges, small liberal arts colleges, two year colleges, and major universities. Highlights of the approach include adherence to the "rule of three": numerically, graphically and, as well algebraically.
Using this new curriculum requires a fair amount of rethinking on how and what to teach, as well as learning some new ways to present traditional calculus concepts. This course will provide a foundation for teaching from the new materials, or a refresher on key calculus ideas from a different point of view.
For college teachers of: mathematics. Prerequisites: participants should have some knowledge of calculus at the freshman level.
Dr. Tecosky-Feldman is Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Haverford College. His research interests are in curriculum development in mathematics and the use of computers and visualization in the teaching of mathematics. He is one of the members of the Calculus Consortium based at Harvard and a co-author of the text written by the consortium.
May 23-25, 1996 in DeKalb, Illinois
Apply: NIU
May 30-Jun. 1, 1996 in Stony Brook, NY
Apply: SUSB
Note: This course will be offered at both Northern Illinois University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Technology has served as a catalyst for the calculus reform movement, forcing a re-examination of both the content and methods of calculus instruction. While powerful computer algebra systems can be used to great advantage, there are tremendous opportunities for the use of graphing calculators. Cost, availability, and ease of use make these tools attractive for implementing calculus reform.
This workshop will examine topics throughout the calculus curriculum (including multivariable calculus) and how new motivations and approaches can be employed using graphing calculators. Participants will be loaned graphing calculators for use during the workshop, and will gain hands-on experience through class-tested activities from the Calculus Connections Project, one of the NSF-sponsored calculus curriculum efforts. Explorations and investigations involving the topics of limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, sequences and series, function approximation, and multivariable topics will be discussed. In addition, issues of classroom dynamics and testing will be addressed.
For college teachers of: calculus. Prerequisites: interest in teaching calculus.
Dr. Dick is a Professor of Mathematics at Oregon State University and is the director of the Calculus Connections Project. He is co-author of Calculus and Using Technology in Calculus - a Sourcebook of Activities, published by PWS. These curriculum materials are in use at over 200 institutions nationwide, including high schools, two-year and four-year colleges, and universities. He is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Technology in Mathematics and the Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
May 16-18, 1996 in Pittsburgh, PA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be an introduction to using interactive texts, Mathematica, and to the pedagogical implications of teaching mathematics in a laboratory setting. Participants will be given the opportunity to experiment with their own ideas for building such texts.
Calculus and Mathematica is an interactive, electronic calculus course written in the system, Mathematica. Lessons are presented as Mathematica notebooks in three sections each: Basics, Tutorials and "Give it a Try". Students read the text portion in the Basics and Tutorials, and their homework assignments are problems from the "Give it a Try" notebooks. The interactive text, with full graphics and word processing capabilities, gives students the opportunity to explore the ideas of calculus, fixing many of the central ideas graphically, and then explaining what they see and infer in their own words.
We treat the course as a shared challenge for faculty and students. Students spend their time in a lab working on the lessons, asking us questions and sharing their insights with their peers - we do not lecture. What we see are students working during their assigned class time and for another hour or two each day. Once a week, we meet the students outside the lab to talk generally about what is going on in the current lesson, and perhaps, to give an on-paper quiz. New material is never presented in the discussion hours.
The center of the undergraduate course is the "Give it a Try" problems. Everything is here: the experiences of introducing ideas and topics, the challenges to intellect and patience, and the excitement of beating the course and solving a very difficult problem. This is where the students spend most of their time and energy, which is what we want.
Dr. William Davis is Professor of Mathematics at The Ohio State University, and is co-author, with Horacio Porta and Jerry Uhl of the University of Illinois, of the Calculus and Mathematica textbook. His mathematical interests center around the geometry of Banach spaces, and particularly infinite dimensional probability and harmonic analysis. He has had special interest in teaching at Ohio State at all levels for nearly 30 years. Special teaching interest include design and development of honors sequences, discovery approaches to introductory analysis, and programmable calculator-based calculus courses.
May 8-10, 1996 in Dayton, OH
Apply: DAY
Symbolic computing systems, such as Maple and Mathematica, combine the ability to manipulate mathematical symbols with the numeric and graphic capabilities typically found in spreadsheets and calculators. With such systems we can obtain solutions of differential equations, finite and infinite sums, and definite and indefinite integrals in either numeric or symbolic form. The symbolic form generally provides the insight into the roles that various parameters play in scientific models. Unfortunately, in traditional courses, an inordinate amount of class time is expended in obtaining such solutions-sometimes at the expense of adequate discussion of the underlying principles that models represent. The course will cover the requisite language and syntax for the use of the Maple symbolic system in the setting of undergraduate science and mathematics courses. It will be a mixture of lectures/demonstrations and hands-on work by participants.
In the lecture/demonstration part of the course, the instructors will provide an introduction to Maple and illustrate the pedagogic uses of symbolic computation. Depending on the participants' interests, examples will be chosen from biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, geology, mathematics, physics, and statistics. Many of these examples were developed by 17 science and mathematics faculty at Denison University with the support of grants from FIPSE and the W. M. Keck Foundation. A library of examples, classroom demonstrations, and the tutorial session used in this course will be distributed on DOS and Mac disks. During the hands-on sessions participants, with the assistance of the instructors, will develop their own course materials (demonstrations, exercises, etc.) specific to the courses that they teach.
Throughout the course, we will have discussions of the pedagogical advantages and shortcomings of the use of symbolic computing: Does this approach allow us to cover a broader range of topics or cover a given topic in greater depth? Does the use of Maple improve a student's understanding of fundamental principles? How might this impact be assessed?
For college teachers of: mathematics and science. Prerequisites: the specific choice of the software will be the Maple symbolic computing system. Participants should be familiar with the use of microcomputers; familiarity with Maple is not necessary.
Dr. Karian has taught at Denison University since 1964, where he currently holds the Benjamin Barney Chair of Mathematics. In addition to a number of articles, he has authored (with Elliot Tanis) Probability and Statistics Explorations with Maple, and edited a volume for the MAA (Mathematical Association of America) on symbolic computation (Symbolic Computation in Undergraduate Mathematics Instruction, MAA Notes #24, 1991). Dr. Winters has taught at Dension University since 1966, where he currently holds the Family Chair of Physical Sciences. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and has been recognized as one of the outstanding researchers at Ohio liberal arts colleges by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Ohio. He has authored more than 20 papers that deal with symbolic computing in science instruction.
May 29-31, 1996 in Dayton, OH
Apply: DAY
"Calculus for a New Century" was the title of a 1987 conference at the National Academy of Sciences attended by over 600 people interested in reforming the content and methodology of calculus instruction. This conference was one of the seminal events that led the following year to a major calculus initiative by the National Science Foundation. One of the successful projects funded by NSF is Project CALC at Duke University; this course is an introduction to the materials and methodology now in use at Duke and a large number of other schools across the country.
The Project CALC course emphasizes real-world problems, hands-on activities, discovery learning, writing and revision of writing, teamwork, intelligent use of available tools, and high expectations of students. On Day 1, we will present an overview of the Project CALC course. The participants will play the role of students working in teams on a goal-setting activity, a tutorial lab, and two Calculus I labs. On Day 2, participant teams will work on classroom projects and additional lab projects, mostly from Calculus II. After experiencing team-based activities, we will have a general discussion of the roles these activities and student reports about them play in student learning. On Day 3 we will cover (a) how to get students to write readable expositions, (b) how to get them to read mathematics, (c) the role of quizzes and tests, and (d) a reward structure that engenders learning. We will close by relating the workshop experiences to the goals set on Day I.
Text, lab, and support materials will be provided to participants by the publisher, D. C. Heath. Texas Instruments will loan TI-82 calculators for the duration of the workshop. No prior experience with this calculator is assumed.
For college teachers of: mathematics. Prerequisites: none.
Drs. Smith and Moore are co-directors of Project CALC and co-authors of The Calculus Reader and the other Project CALC materials. Dr. Smith is a member of the Mathematical Association of America's CUPM Subcommittee on Calculus Reform and the First Two Years (CRAFTY), Advisory Board for the Interactive Mathematical Text Project, and the editorial board of UME Trends. He is the author of Interface: Calculus and the Computer (2nd ed., Saunders, 1984) and lead editor of Computers and Mathematics: The Use of Computers in Undergraduate Instruction (MAA Notes #9, 1988). His research has been in the areas of abstract algebra, combinatorics, mathematical psychology, numerical analysis, and mathematics education. Dr. Moore has served as Director of Graduate Studies in Mathematics and helped introduce the department's first comprehensive teaching assistant training program. His research has been in the area of functional analysis, in particular in applications of nonstandard analysis to the investigation of the geometric structure of Banach spaces.
Jun. 10-12, 1996 in Boston, MA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at Boston University.
This short course will be aimed at college teachers of mathematics and will attempt to give an overview of some of the recent developments in the field of dynamical systems. We will discuss at length what happens when simple mathematical processes are iterated. Among topics to be covered are chaos, fractals, Julia sets, the Mandelbrot set and bifurcations. Included will be discussions of how to include some of those topics in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. Many of the most important ideas in the field will be presented using a combination of rigorous mathematics and computer demonstrations and experiments.
For college teachers of: mathematics. Prerequisites: participants must have a background in calculus and some real analysis. Some familiarity with the use of the Macintosh computer would be helpful. Participants will use the Macintosh to perform experiments during the course.
Dr. Devaney is Professor of Mathematics at Boston University. His research interests are in dynamical systems and include work in complex dynamics, Hamiltonian systems, and computer experiments in mathematics. He is author of An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems (1985); Chaos, Fractals, and Dynamics: Computer Experiments in Mathematics (1990); and A First Course in Chaotic Dynamical Systems: Theory and Experiment (1992), all published by Addison-Wesley. The course will be based on material in this last book.
Jun. 6-8, 1996 in Philadelphia, PA
Apply: TUCC
Recent advances in computer technology provide an opportunity for a revolutionary change in the way basic statistics is taught. Past emphasis on calculator usage and formula memorization is rapidly changing into emphasis on the graphical and analytic interpretation of statistical software output. An important aim of this course is to explore the simple new statistical tools available in popular statistical software packages using data generated by the attendees, or obtained from newspapers, the Internet, and other sources. Data will be chosen to illustrate current issues of interest in the natural and social sciences, health, business, quality improvement, forecasting, and polling. Course attendees will become active participants in this effort. The goal is to model a modern interactive approach that course participants should find stimulating enough to critically evaluate for use in their classes.
Few fields can be applied to as many areas as statistics, spanning from environmental science to history, and to the law. One reason is the need for statistical tools to analyze data. Of equal importance is the need to design the investigation, model the problem, and make appropriate conclusions at the end of the study. Participants will be given the opportunity to take part in a number of investigations, help design the experiments, and make appropriate conclusions based on both graphic and analytic statistical tools. The course will end with a critical discussion of appropriate strategies for teaching undergraduate statistics.
For college teachers of: mathematics, statistics, and the sciences. Prerequisites: some knowledge of elementary statistics, interest in teaching statistical concepts.
Dr. Iglewicz is Professor of Statistics and Director of the Biostatistics Research Center at Temple University. He has served as the Department Chair and also as the Director of the Statistics Graduate Program. Publications include professional papers, two books, and chapters in books in the areas of mathematical reasoning, graphical statistical methods, medical, pharmaceutical, and occupational statistics, survey sampling, and quality improvement. He has extensive experience in teaching short courses.
Jun. 6-8, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
Modern Society, sometimes called the information age, is built around quantification of issues and interpretation of data. Surveys determine the unemployment rate, the consumer price index, what products are sold in the stores, and what shows remain on television. Experiments determine which drugs are medically safe as well as effective and how to design a faster computer. Nowhere is quantification making a larger impact than in the world of business and industry, where quality improvement techniques have revolutionized management styles and manufacturing methods. To be done correctly, this collection and interpretation of data depends upon statistical methods. Anyone, then, who desires to be an effective decision- maker should have some knowledge of statistical principles and practices. This is one of the main reasons for the increasing enrollments in introductory statistics courses at colleges and universities around the country. Even non-quantitative disciplines see value in their students having quantitative decision-making skills.
To capture the interest of today's students, who have grown up in a world of fast- paced TV commercials and video games, the teaching of a supposedly dull subject like statistics must move away from lecture and listen methods to innovative methods that involve the students in the learning process. A natural place to start is with data that intrigues the students so much that they desire to get involved in the analysis. This can be followed by collecting data on subjects of interest to the students and by designing simulations of real-world events. The questions posed by the students and the data generated to answer these questions then determines the statistical techniques that will be either "discovered" by the students or presented for use by the instructor. Statistics, then, becomes a model for problem solving rather than a set of mysterious formulas.
Participants in the workshop will be given opportunities, individually and in small groups, to practice the techniques of learning and teaching statistics through activities designed to cover the important concepts that should be part of any modern introductory statistics course. Many of the activities come from the NSF-funded Activity-Based Statistics project, which is developing hands-on laboratory-type activities for the teaching of introductory statistics. Modern statistical software appropriate for introductory courses will be demonstrated.
For college teachers of: mathematics and statistics. Prerequisites: some knowledge of elementary statistics, interest in teaching statistics.
Dr. Scheaffer is a Professor of Statistics, at the University of Florida. He was chairman of the department for a period of 12 years. Research interests are in the areas of sampling and applied probability, especially with regard to applications of both to industrial processes. He has published over 40 papers in the statistical literature and is co-author of four textbooks covering aspects of sampling, probability and mathematical statistics. In recent years, much of his effort has been directed toward statistics education throughout the school and college curriculum. He was one of the developers of the Quantitative Literacy Project in the United States that formed the basis of the data analysis emphasis in the mathematics curriculum standards recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He continues to work on educational projects at the elementary, secondary and college levels, and is currently the director of an NSF-funded project entitled Activity-Based Statistics. Dr. Scheaffer is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, from whom he has received a Founder's Award.
Mar. 6-8, 1996 in Rio Piedras, PR
Apply: TUCC
Note: This course is cosponsored by the Resource Center for Science and Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico and is offered at the Rio Piedras Campus. Applications from the mainland should be sent to the TUCC Field Center. Applications from Puerto Rico should be sent to the UPR Satellite Center.
The advent of computers has accelerated the need to analyze finite structures. To do so, we must create representations which are unambiguous and readily lend themselves to a set of useful manipulations. The notions of set, relation, function, lattice, matrix, graph, recursion relation, generating function, group, etc., have assumed an importance which necessitates their being discussed earlier and earlier in the undergraduate curriculum. This course will attempt to give an overview of basic concepts and to discuss their interrelationships and to suggest pedagogic methods for their painless introduction into lower level classes. Diverse classical applications will be considered with particular emphasis on counting procedures, graphical models and computer implementations.
For college teachers of: mathematics and all sciences. Prerequisites: a knowledge of basic algebra.
Dr. Steinberg is Professor of Mathematics at Temple University and a past chairman of the department. Before coming to Temple, he was manager of the Applied Mathematics Department at UNIVAC in Blue Bell, PA. He was an industrial consultant in the computer field for over 25 years. He has directed a wide range of computer projects relating to placement, partitioning and routing. Over the years, he has taught a diversity of applied courses in Computer Programming, Simulation and Monte Carlo Methods, Graph Theory and Combinatorics. His most recent papers have dealt with convex polytopes and their realizations.
Apr. 18-20, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA
Apply: CAL
May 5-7, 1996 in Pittsburgh, PA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at California State University, Los Angeles in April and the University of Pittsburgh in May.
The foundation of many minority engineering programs is to deliver traditional services such as tutoring, advising, scholarships, and career development activities to their students. Those approaches have not shown significant results because they ignore the primary barrier to minority student success in predominantly white engineering schools which is the diminished quality of the educational environment resulting from ethnic isolation, lack of peer support, lack of role models, and low faculty expectations.
This course will discuss a model program for addressing these barriers which has produced remarkable improvement in the academic performance and graduation rates of minority at eighteen California universities and at a growing number of universities across the nation. Structures for building minority students into supportive academic communities and promoting a high level of collaborative learning among these students will be discussed. Participants will learn how to teach students to be effective as students of mathematics, science, and engineering. A one-half day will be devoted to the implementation of structured study groups (academic excellence workshops). Approaches for training faculty to be more effective as teachers, academic advisors, and mentors of minority students will also be presented.
The format of the course will be strongly interactive. Emphasis will be placed on group problem solving and community building through experiential exercises. Some content will be transmitted through a lecture/discussion format followed by small group breakouts in which participants will discuss what they have learned and make plans for implementation on their respective campuses.
For college teachers of: engineering, mathematics, science, and business; engineering administrators, minority engineering staff and corporate representatives who work closely with minority engineering programs. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Landis directed the Minority Engineering Program (MEP) at CSU Northridge for over a decade. He is nationally recognized in minority engineering education and a frequent consultant to universities in this area. Ms. Hudspeth is one of the most effective minority engineering program directors in the nation. She is very experienced and highly sought out as a trainer on implementation of Academic Excellence Workshops. Dr. Pettigrew is Director, University Challenge for Excellence program and Assistant Dean. He is the former Vice President of Enrollment Management at Tuskegee University and has over 20 years of experience in the area of retention programs and has extensive training and experience in group facilitation. Mr. Randle is the MEP Director at California State University, Los Angeles. He has over a decade of experience in academic administration and is a highly effective group facilitator.
May 6-8, 1996 in Atlanta, GA
Apply: CBU
Note: This course will be offered at the new Science Center at the Clark Atlanta University Chautauqua Satellite. Lodging is available at the OMNI-CNN hotel in downtown Atlanta. Reduced hotel rates may be arranged before a designated cutoff date through CBU.
The course will present a model that has a documented track record in addressing the under-representation of minorities and females in the engineering, mathematical, and natural sciences. The course will highlight proven strategies for identifying, recruiting, and retaining minority and female students in the engineering, mathematical and natural sciences educational pipeline from pre-college through graduate degree programs. Focusing on programs developed and operated at Clark Atlanta University since the 1970's, the course will provide opportunities to explore the curriculum and instructional strategies of the Saturday Science Academy, an enrichment program for students in grades 3-8; the Junior High School Summer Science Program; and the Summer Science, Engineering and Mathematics Institute for high school students. The course will also feature our highly successful Pre-Freshman Summer Bridge Program for the Mathematical and Natural Sciences.
Using a highly interactive format, participants will be exposed to techniques to assist students to become more successful learners of mathematics and science through activities to promote the development of student-managed academic support systems. Participants will also learn how to become effective teachers, advisors and mentors of their students and how to organize and run effective pre-college academic enrichment programs in mathematics and the sciences. Time will be provided to discuss sources of funding for pre-college programs and the development of successful proposal applications.
For college teachers of: engineering, mathematics, and natural sciences, directors of minority programs and faculty who run pre-college programs or who have an interest in starting pre-college programs for minorities and other students.
Dr. Webb is the Director of the Atlanta Comprehensive Regional Center for Minorities; the Office of Naval Research Program and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Program at Clark Atlanta University.
May 23-25, 1996 in DeKalb, IL
Apply: NIU
There are a number of distinct aspects of the complex interplay among society, science, and the legal structure. These aspects are occasionally implicit, occasionally hidden, and different aspects are sometimes contradictory.
In some instances, society reacts to novel scientific ideas and insights by invoking the legal machinery to prohibit the further investigation, the dissemination or uses of these new developments, to ridicule, demean or even punish the investigators. Obvious examples are the Galileo and Scopes trials, on the more recent ban on fetal research. Even though the courts have frequently taken a rather negative stance toward certain aspects of science, science nevertheless has played and is playing an important role - even a decisive role - in arriving at dispositions. "Scientifically established" results carry great weight in these considerations. However, since neither the detailed scientific methodology, nor the institutional scientific mechanisms of verification and control, are well known nor appreciated, it is not surprising that legal and public-policy decisions based on "scientific evidence" present an ever-growing area of contention and conflict. One of the important elements in these conflicts is that such notions as "proof", "direct-indirect," "hearsay" evidence, "reasonable doubt," and "certainty" are characteristically different in the two areas. A politically or administratively selected arbiter (such as a judge) with power to define "relevance," to select, solicit, eliminate or ignore evidence, so crucial in the legal process, is absent in the scientific sphere, and even anathema to the scientific process. Nor is it obvious that a common mode of investigation in legal processes, with witnesses responding to a restrictive set of questions, cross-examinations, and specifically chosen expert witnesses, is the most suitable, or even a legitimate, method to arrive at scientifically sound, responsible, meaningful results.
After a discussion of some of the general features of this tangled relation among science, society, and the law, this course will analyze a number of old and new trials based on the insights gained. These will be selected from the Galileo trial, the resurrected versions of the Scopes trial, the Oppenheimer hearings, the Starp trial on behavior modification, the laws banning fetal research, the Benecdenin case, the Alcoa decision in Sedalia (Missouri), and others if requested.
This course should be of interest to all interested in science, in sociology, in law, in history, and especially in the rapidly expanding confrontation domain of science and law.
For college teachers of: natural and social sciences. Prerequisites: a basic familiarity with scientific methodology.
Dr. Dresden is a theoretical physicist with broad interests. He is Leading Professor Emeritus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Currently, he is a visiting scientist at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and a visiting scholar in the History of Physics Program at Stanford. He has recently published a biography of the quantum physicist H. A. Kramers. His current research spans the domain from cellular automata to back holes to the theories of fractals and chaos.
Jun. 23-25, 1996 in State College, PA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at Penn State University.
STS programs are now established in the majority of research universities and in large numbers of colleges and in many state K-12 programs.
This course starts with an overview of the essential role of STS as the sine qua non of integrative General Education. How can one have general education without integrating the technological reality and worldview into the classical academic heritage? We present the typical successful curricula and courses in STS from a national sample.
Next, we deal with a set of case studies (to be rotated over the next three years) involving major technologies. In 1996, these will involve two:
1. Jobs. The new computer-based technologies of automation and the telemedia which have made possible the globalization of the workplace will cause a massive decline in the need for workers in service and information occupations as well as those in manufacturing. This process will affect workers at all levels of education, including Ph.D.'s. After examining the data and a number of viewpoints about the extent and consequence of such changes, the social consequences will be examined as well as methods of re-organizing of work, such as the agility movement. Strategies for helping our students understand and cope with such changes will be examined.
2. Nuclear Waste. This topic is the outstanding case study of the cost of gross ignorance and lack of public understanding of technology (not science). Solid technical background will be presented (aimed at non-technically trained faculty) on both low-level and high-level nuclear waste issues. Why is the public so exercised about this particular technology? Connection to the bomb? Radiation phobia? The media stimulation? Is it worse than chemophobia? What are the major technical and public relation errors made by the government and industry in handling the issues? TMI and Chernobyl. How can a State or Federal government make rational policy? The key role of education for a sane future.
Dr. Roy is one of the nation's leading materials scientists. He is also a pioneer in the STS field, Founding Chair of the National Association for Science, Technology and Society and Editor of the Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society. Some of his research has been in nuclear waste solidification and he served for many years on the National Academy of Science's Committee on Radwaste. Dr. Klevans is the head of Penn State's Nuclear Engineering Department. He initiated an STS course called Radiation, Reactors and Society in the early 1970s and annually teaches a course entitled Institutional Issues in Nuclear Energy. He served on the National Academy of Science committee on Future Nuclear Power Development (1988-1991). Dr. Godbey is a leading scholar of work-leisure relationships and the impact of change upon such relations. Author of seven books and 100 articles concerning work and leisure, time use and the near future, he has given invited presentations in 17 countries and is Past President of the Academy of Leisure Sciences.
Sep. 12-14 1996 in Cambridge, MA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at Harvard University.
It is well known that science and physics in particular, change. It is especially well known that in this 20th century, the changes and advances have come at a dizzying pace. It is much less well known, it is in fact not always realized that in this development there are marked generational alterations and almost always severe generational conflicts. During such periods, the concepts, the methodology, the instrumentation, the mathematical formalism, the assessment of what is important and just what constitutes an advance, all change, some in a very radical fashion. Very often this change is accompanied by the emergence of a new vigorous (even militant) group of young scientists. In this century, there was the dramatic change from classical to quantum notions; the change from quantum rules to quantum mechanics; the change from quantum mechanics to field theory and the continuing change to grand unified schemes. There were generations, who never knew Feynman integrals, others, who heard of the Feynman graphs, but never used them, still others to whom physics is a set of Feynman rules. Comparable shifts often initiated by experiments, or new technologies, occurred in many areas of physics (and of science) leading to major reorientations, and changing emphasis. Such reorientations, had a typical lifetime of about 10-20 years, which is about the same as the maximum period of dominance of a major scientist. This time roughly defines a "scientific generation." In this course a number of these generational alterations will be analyzed. They will be chosen from the various "quantum generations", the "symmetry generation", the changing views toward astrophysics, the sudden appearance of chaotic notions, the ups and down of superconductivity, and others.
It is possible to obtain an unusual insight in these generational changes, by emphasizing the views and expectations of different physicists, at different times. This can be done by imagining a dialogue or discussion, between Einstein and Hawking on general relativity and space time structure. A similar technique would be to imagine a "round table" between Heisenberg, Pauli and Yang and Weinberg in the significance of field theory as an "ultimate" description. Many other possibilities exist: a discussion between Bohr, Bell, Wilczek and Bohm on the finality of the interpretations of quantum mechanics, or a meeting between Boltzmann, Gibbs, Poincar_, Mandelbrot and Feigenbaum. A serious analysis of any one of these meeting would give an unusual understanding.
For college teachers of: This course should be of interest to teachers of physics, mathematics, chemistry, astrophysics, historians, philosophers and to any one who has experimented the thrill of science in the 20th century. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Dresden is a theoretical physicist with broad interests. He is Leading Professor Emeritus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Currently he is a visiting scientist at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and a visiting scholar in the History of Physics Program at Stanford. He has recently published a biography of the quantum physicist H. A. Kramers. His current research spans the domain from cellular automata to black holes to the theories of fractals and chaos.
May 9-11, 1996 in Austin, TX
Apply: TXA
While the educational value of offering interdisciplinary science courses is documented by the AAS, the National Research Council, and the Whitehouse, translation of this idea into practice is problematic. College science teachers are understandably hesitant about becoming involved in the design and implementation of courses in which they are not formally trained.
This forum will provide a model syllabus that can readily be tailored to individual needs. Its underlying theme is a scientific method of inquiry composed of selected observations or problems leading to hypotheses that lend themselves to predictions that can be checked by experiments. When experiments do not bear out predictions, the hypotheses are modified or recycled. This method of inquiry is applied to five major hypotheses, which can arguably be considered the five most important ideas in natural science: physics' model of the atom (what atoms look like); chemistry's periodic law (relationships among various kinds of atoms); astronomy's big bang theory (where atoms came from); geology's plate tectonics model (one result of the big bang); and biology's theory of evolution (how atoms came to life). Each hypothesis leads smoothly to the next, thereby giving a holistic view of the sciences.
The sciences are then contrasted with the arts. Similarities as well as differences are pointed out. A study of ethics bridges the gap from the sciences to the applied fields wherein decisions involving ethical parameters are made. Ethical and scientific parameters are merged through benefit/risk analysis. This technique is applied to major societal concerns.
Interdisciplinary courses are often team-taught in tandem by two or more instructors. This one will be presented in a variation that has great pedagogic advantage: interactive team teaching.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Wynn is Professor of Chemistry at Eastern Connecticut State University. He is listed in the National Directory of Science Literacy Consultants of the Society for College Science Teachers. Arthur Wiggins is Professor of Physics and Department Head of Physical Sciences at Oakland Community College in Michigan. He is co-author with Dr. Wynn of the textbook; Natural Science: Bridging the Gaps.
and San Luis Obispo, CAMay 23-25, 1996 in Pittsburgh, PA and Troy, NY
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered simultaneously at both Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY State University of California at San Luis Obispo, and at the University of Pittsburgh in a live, interactive distance learning environment as described below. There is no application fee for this offering and applications should be sent to the PITT Field Center.
What happens when the new multimedia distance learning materials, such as the CUPLE Physics Course, are combined with the new distance learning tools that would allow remote students to participate in the class? A distributed multimedia learning environment is created. In this course, participants will be introduced to the creation and use of multimedia environments and to the new tools and technologies for distance learning. The course will be offered at three sites (Troy, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and San Luis Obispo, CA) using network delivery of video, audio and control information. This will be an experimental workshop that will extend the technology as far as we are able at the time of the course. The visual and auditory communication is enabled by multipoint video conferencing using Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) facilities. The two-way video communication is integrated into the desktop computer environment via a video window on the computer screen. Instructors and students may control MS Windows- based applications on the other participants' workstations. The shared applications may include instructional applications, text and graphics screens, animations, video clips and audio clips to enhance learning and collaboration.
We will focus on the creation of stand-alone and network capable multimedia materials for introductory courses in science, mathematics, and engineering. Examples will be shown in each area.
For college teachers of: physics and related disciplines. Prerequisites: some experience with computers, especially a graphical interface such as WINDOWS or the Mac.
Dr. Wilson is Director of the Anderson Center for Innovation in Undergraduate Education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also Co-Director of the CUPLE project funded by NSF, IBM and the Annenberg/CPB Project. Recently he served as Executive Director of the American Association of Physics Teachers for an eight year period. Currently he is Professor of Physics at Rensselaer.
Mar. 21-23, 1996 in DeKalb, Illinois
Apply: NIU
Apr. 15-17, 1996 in Dayton, OH
Apply: DAY
Note: This course will be offered at Northern Illinois University in March and the University of Dayton in April.
Over the past ten years, many physics instructors have conducted systematic observations and research on student learning and understanding of physical concepts, models and lines of reasoning. As a result of these efforts, there is greater understanding of the capacity of undergraduate students to exhibit abstract logical reasoning in the physical sciences.
This short course will enable participants to examine a variety of protocols that determine students' understanding of concepts. Through a series of problem solving experiences, the course will demonstrate the conceptual and reasoning difficulties many students encounter. Participants will gain insights into the preconceptions and misconceptions many students bring into beginning physics courses. As a result, physics instructors will better understand the conceptual difficulties their students encounter.
In addition, the course will consider aspects of logical structure and concept development that are often not clearly explained in beginning physics textbooks.
The above-mentioned experiences will enable an instructor to approach his/her physics teaching with a deeper understanding of the teaching/learning process.
For college teachers of: physics. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Arons, Emeritus Professor, Physics, University of Washington, has written two books on the teaching of physics, including A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching, and has written many articles of the teaching/learning process in physics.
Jun. 6-8, 1996 in Eugene, OR
Apply: CAL
Note: This course will be offered at the University of Oregon.
This course is designed for those interested in making major changes in introductory physics courses or in any other introductory science courses. Widespread physics education research has shown that a majority of students have difficulty learning essential physical concepts in the best of our traditional courses. A number of physics teachers are attempting to address this problem. In this course, we will focus on giving participants direct experience with methods for promoting active learning.
Participants will explore activities from several successful curriculum development projects which share common goals and techniques. The curricula include: (1) Tools for Scientific Thinking, (2) Workshop Physics, and (3) Real-Time Physics. Although each of these programs is designed for use in a different educational setting, they are all based on outcomes from physics education research and the comprehensive use of microcomputers for data collection and analysis. The microcomputer-based tools are available for both MacIntosh and MS-DOS computers, and both machines will be available during the course.
We will discuss adaptation of curriculum materials to a range of institutional settings including small colleges and large universities. Samples of curricula will be given to all participants, and strategies for better integration of lecture and laboratory sessions by means of a series of interactive lecture demonstrations will be discussed. Studies have demonstrated substantial and persistent learning of physics concepts by students who have used these materials. We will also explore effective methods of evaluation of conceptual learning.
For college teachers of: introductory physics and other introductory science and mathematics disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Laws is a Professor of Physics at Dickinson College where she and her colleagues have developed a workshop method for teaching physics without lectures. Students in Workshop Physics courses use several related computer applications including spreadsheets linked dynamically to graphs for modeling, microcomputer interfacing for real-time data collection, and video analysis software. Dr. Sokoloff is an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Oregon where he integrates classroom testing on research-based curricula with the assessment of conceptual learning in introductory courses with large enrollments. He is the principal investigator for the Real-Time Physics curriculum development project which involves the development of sequenced laboratory modules for use at large universities. Dr. Thornton is the director of the Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching of the Physics and Education Department at Tufts University where he directs the development of software and curriculum to allow teachers to use microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) tools for real-time data collection and analysis. The center conducts research on student learning in physics. The MBL software has won awards from EDUCOM, Computers in Physics, and the Dana Foundation.
May 23-25, 1996 in Green Bank, WV
Apply: DAY
Note: This course is offered at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. Applications should be sent to the DAY Field Center. Limited on-site lodging and meals will be available.
College faculty are frequently called upon to teach undergraduate astronomy courses even when their own field of specialization is in another science. This course is designed to assist in organizing such a course, and starts from the premise that astronomy is an ideal tool for communicating a broad range of scientific ideas to liberal-arts students.
In this workshop we will examine various approaches to teaching elementary astronomy classes. Among the topics to be covered are:
• Overview of the Universe and its contents
• Designing a syllabus
• Including or avoiding mathematics
• Linking astronomy with other sciences
• Making astronomy relevant to students
• Using astronomy to teach the scientific method
• Visual aids and other teaching tools
• Choosing a text
• Laboratory and homework exercises
Participants will tour the Green Bank facility, including the new GBT currently under construction. It will be the world's largest fully steerable single dish radio telescope. Also, a 40-ft. diameter radio telescope will be provided for the use of those taking the course.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Wynn-Williams is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Hawaii. In his research he uses infrared and radio telescopes to study the formation of new stars in interstellar gas clouds and in the nuclei of distant galaxies.
Jun. 12-14, 1996 in Norfolk, VA
Apply: DAY
Note: This course is offered at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Applications should be sent to the DAY Field Center.
Choosing and integrating observational equipment into astronomy courses can be very challenging to the beginning astronomy instructor. This course will familiarize participants with the selection and operation of various types of equipment used by astronomers.
During the course, participants will be based at Old Dominion University, which has a full size planetarium and operates astronomy labs for over 250 students per semester using a variety of observational equipment. A field trip to the Virginia Beach Campus of Tidewater Community College will allow the participants to use additional telescopes, a charged coupled device, computer assisted astronomy labs and a portable inflatable planetarium. Equipment will be available for hands-on experiences in observational
astronomy, solar studies, astro-photography, and video-tape observation.
The equipment used during the course will represent a variety of price ranges with an emphasis on reasonably priced materials for colleges with limited budgets. Hands-on use of a large variety of observational equipment will be stressed so that participants will build confidence in selecting and using appropriate equipment at their home institution.
For college teachers of: introductory science. Prerequisites: none.
Bruce Hanna has been the planetarium director and astronomy instructor at Old Dominion University for over 15 years. He has designed courses in observational astronomy that have been used at Old Dominion University and Public Broadcasting Stations throughout the county. During the 1985-86 Halley's Comet encounter, he headed the only International Halley's Comet watch done in the Caribbean. As a long time "backyard astronomer," he has collected a large variety of portable observational equipment that his students use in the field. Dr. Wright has been teaching Physics at Tidewater Community College for 18 years. For the last five years, he has also been involved with development of an astronomy program that involves telescopic observation, computer interaction, student projects, writing assignments, and other ways to get students involved and excited about astronomy.
Mar. 13-16, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA
Apply: CAL
The purpose of this course is three-fold. After the initial class meeting at JPL on the morning of the 13th, we will move to Mount Wilson Observatory to observe the 100- inch telescope that Edwin Hubble used to revolutionize our concept of the Universe.
We will compare Hubble's technology with the new technology that now exists on Mt. Wilson. JPL scientists have helped to develop the computer remote control systems for telescopes at this observatory. Students in all parts of the world are now doing astronomical research from their home sites using these instruments. Participants in this course will be able to take advantage of this facility for use in their classes. We will wait until dark and do some amateur observing of the California night sky from Mt. Wilson, weather permitting.
On the 15th, we will spend time discussing some of the most recent JPL programs such as the Cassini Mission. Participants will leave this day with a detailed set of references on the design and technology of such an advanced "in situ" astronomical project. We will highlight the modern Hubble on the 15th. The optical problems and the associated fixes will be discussed and then we will look at examples of astronomical results of this "eye in the sky." To complete the course, we will have a half-day tour of JPL on the morning of the 16th.
For college teachers of: physics, mathematics, electronics and engineering. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Yanow is presently head of the JPL Educational Outreach Program, Public Education Office and has been at JPL for over 18 years. He has worked in the areas of high speed, real gas dynamics and solar energy applications. He has been actively involved in professional development of teachers at all levels and has worked extensively in curriculum development projects.
Feb. 7-9, 1996 in Rio Piedras, PR
Apply: TUCC
Note: This course is cosponsored by the Resource Center for Science and Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico and is offered at the Rio Piedras Campus. Applications from the mainland should be sent to the TUCC Field Center. Applications from Puerto Rico should be sent to the UPR Satellite Center.
In the last decades, the science of radio astronomy has matured to the point where it now has achieved the same status as that of traditional optical astronomy. In fact, radio astronomy has achieved a higher resolution than optical astronomy and, because it uses a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum, it is capable of penetrating clouds of matter which visible light cannot. It has indeed given us a new view of the universe through which some exciting discoveries have been made.
The course will begin with an historical perspective, discussing the major steps and discoveries made via radio astronomy. It follows with a discussion of the techniques used as a prelude to a visit to the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world, the NAIC Arecibo Telescope. Here, a detailed explanation of its operation will be given. Participants will have the opportunity to see the current state-of-the-art upgrade of the telescope and its feed system in progress. The last part of the course will present many of the recent exciting discoveries made with this telescope and will discuss the future directions of science at the observatory.
For college teachers of: physics and astronomy. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Altschuler has been Director of the NAIC/Arecibo Observatory for the last three years and Senior Research Associate for the last six years. His research interests include the study of the variability of extragalactic radio sources, and the exploration, utilizing the 21-cm neutral Hydrogen line, of large scale galaxy structure behind the Milky Way. He is very interested in education and, together with Dr. Eder, is currently involved with the construction of the new Arecibo Observatory Visitor and Educational Facility. Dr. Eder is a Research Associate at Arecibo Observatory. Her research interests include the relation of gas content to the evolution of galaxies in space, and individual stars in their advanced stages of evolution. She is also interested in science education and has a Master's degree in cross-cultural education.
May 20-22, 1996 in Green Bank, WV
Apply: DAY
Note: This course is co-sponsored by and offered at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. Applications should be sent to the DAY Field Center. Limited on-site lodging and meals will be available.
For millennia our understanding of the universe was based only on the information carried to us by visible light. Today human vision is enriched by the knowledge provided by the full complement of electromagnetic radiation. Radio astronomers provided the initial breakthrough and their study of cosmic radio waves has revealed unsuspected components of the universe.
Quasars: Powerhouses at immense distances whose energy content equals that of thousands of galaxies but whose dimensions are on the scale of the solar system.
Pulsars: Spinning, magnetized, dead cores of exploded stars whose radio signature is repetitive, periodic pulses.
Interstellar Molecules: More than 80 molecules, some complex and organic, have been identified by the narrowband signals they radiate.
Cosmic Background Radiation: The echo of the primordial fireball. Remnant radiation left over from the big bang origin of the universe.
These constituents will all be discussed. In addition, since the course will be held at the telescope site, the instruments used to study them will be described and inspected, including the new GBT currently under construction. It will be the world's largest fully steerable single dish radio telescope. Also, a 40-ft. diameter radio telescope will be provided for the use of those taking the course.
For college teachers of: all disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Lockman is Assistant Director of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in charge of its Green Bank Operations. His research interests are the structure of the Milky Way and interstellar matter. The staff includes other scientists, electronics engineers and programmers.
May 30-Jun. 1, 1996 in Philadelphia, PA
Apply: TUCC
Did Venus ever have oceans or did Mars once have flowing rivers? Why is the far side of the Moon different from the side we can see? Where in the Solar System might life exist? What causes ice ages? How stable is the atmosphere of Earth? Many questions such as these have been at least partially answered through the past 30 years of space exploration and they provide an outstanding opportunity to teach not only about our Solar System, but also about the ongoing process of scientific discovery and how it works.
Using the latest information on the origin and evolution of the Solar System and the geological processes that formed it, and with a variety of the many teaching materials on the Solar System that are available, we will examine not only the discoveries and current state of knowledge about the planets and satellites in our Solar System, but we will discuss how this knowledge was obtained and how accurate it is.
Starting with the exploration history of the Solar System, we will look at the geologic processes that form and shape planets and satellites, and then take a Solar System tour from Mercury to Pluto. From the rocky inner planets to the gas giants and icy moons of the outer Solar System, we will discuss the history of these worlds, their evolution, and the processes that made our Solar System into the diverse and exciting place that has been discovered over the past 30 years by the Pioneer, Viking, Venera, and Voyager spacecraft.
For college teachers of: all science disciplines. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Yoder teaches Earth Sciences at Syracuse University. She has offered courses in Planetary Geology and Geology of the Solar System to both main campus and adult education programs there. Her research interests are in studying mass extinctions and the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary, and particularly the environmental effects of the impact of a large asteroid on the Earth.
Jun. 24-26, 1996 in and near Anchorage, AK
Apply: DAY
Note: This course is co-sponsored by and offered at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Applications should be sent to the DAY Field Center. This course has a participant fee of $210 (in addition to the application fee), which covers boat, train and van travel on field trips, admission to certain sites, and other course-related expenses. Optional reduced rate lodging will be available.
This course is a three-day field study of glaciers in southcentral Alaska. It includes an introduction to glacial processes and landforms, and a viewing of different types of glaciers including small cirque glaciers, valley glaciers, and glaciers calving into lakes and tidewater. Locations to be visited include Portage Lake, Prince William Sound, and Matanuska Glacier.
Approximately the first half-day will be spent in classroom discussion of glacial processes. The remaining portion of the day will involve a trip along the scenic Turnagain Arm fjord to Portage Lake and a boat tour to the terminus of the iceberg-calving Portage Glacier. The second day will be a trip to Matanuska Glacier. It will include light hiking on good trails. There will be hiking along the terminus of the glacier and onto the ice itself to view ice structures and modern glacial processes. For walking on glaciers, warm clothes, daypacks, and hiking boots are required. The third day will be a full-day boat trip out of Whittier to view fjords and tidewater glaciers in Prince William Sound (College Fjords). This trip includes a combined two hours each way by van and train. Some modification to this schedule may be made at the time of the course.
Those interested in a fourth day on Thursday can take a commercial trip from Anchorage to Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Details of this trip will be discussed at the course.
For college teachers of: any discipline. Prerequisites: none, beyond an interest in the natural sciences.
Dr. Crossen is Chair of the Department of Geology at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has offered a number of short courses on glaciers. Her current research involves surveys of Alaskan glaciers.
Jun. 20-22, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA
Apply: CAL
This short course will focus on earthquake phenomena. The course will begin with a brief discussion of the design and capabilities of different seismographic systems. Various examples of the types of waves that travel in the earth (e.g., P waves, S waves, Surface waves, etc.). Participants will be shown examples of these different wave types as seen in seismograms recorded at a wide range of distances from earthquakes.
The second part of the course will describe earthquake phenomenology. Where, when and how large are earthquakes? Methods for measuring the size of earthquakes (magnitude scales) will be described. The global distribution of earthquakes will be discussed. Where are the largest earthquakes? What are the statistical properties of earthquakes, such as number of earthquakes versus size? What is the nature of foreshocks and aftershocks?
The third part of the course will focus on the problem of potentially damaging ground motions. How does the ground move in close to large earthquakes and what types of buildings are most vulnerable? How do engineers design a tall building to survive earthquakes? What are the probabilities of strong shaking for different regions?
The final part of the course will discuss the basic physics of earthquake ruptures. What is the nature of slip on a fault during an earthquake? What is the stress and strength of the crust? And finally, are earthquakes in any way predictable?
For college teachers of: physics, geology, geophysics, engineering and physical science. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Heaton recently became a Professor of Engineering Seismology at the California Institute of Technology with a joint appointment in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science and the Division of Geological and Planetary Science. Prior to this appointment, he was a research geophysicist, with the U.S. Geological Survey in their Pasadena Office, responsible as Project Chief of the Southern California Seismic Network. He was also the Coordinator of the USGS earthquake program in southern California. He has written numerous research papers in the fields of strong ground motion modeling, earthquake source physics, earthquake hazards in the Pacific Northwest, earthquake warning systems, and tidal triggering of earthquakes.
Jun. 13-15, 1996 in Tallahassee, FL
Apply: TUCC
Note: This course is cosponsored by and offered at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL
Magnetism has been a part of nearly all aspects of human enterprise. Over a thousand years ago, lodestones, a magnetic mineral, became one of the first examples of applications of magnetism benefiting society, i.e., the compass. Since those early beginnings, magnetism has grown to the point where it impacts on broad areas of science and technology and most aspects of our life. For example, magnetic resonance imaging has become a major diagnostic tool for medicine with many new areas in functional imaging and chemical spectroscopy emerging in recent years. In addition, the magnetic force has become a critical tool in studying new materials including semiconductors, superconductors, polymers, and many other systems. While it is generally known that magnets are an essential component of electrical motors and generators, they are also used in a large number of new and emerging technologies. Today, magnets are impacting transportation, (for example, magnetically levitated trains and Lorentz force powered boats); energy storage; mineral separation; and the growth and processing of new materials, such as polymers and semiconductors. In addition to these subject areas, a discussion of the biological aspects of magnetism will be presented.
This course, which will be held in the NHMFL, will be taught by members of the laboratory faculty and staff and will focus on magnetism in science and technology. The course will include a review of materials development which is critical to advanced magnet technology, including an introduction to applied superconductivity. In addition, the course will explore science and technology areas where magnetic fields play a critical role. The course format will include lectures, small group meetings, and a tour of the facilities. A session will be set aside so that participants and members of the NHMFL faculty and staff can discuss ways to bring magnetism and its impact on new science and technology to the undergraduate classroom.
The NHMFL is open to qualified users in all areas of science and engineering. The NHMFL is supported by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida and operated by Florida State University, the University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The main facilities of the NHMFL are located in Tallahassee, FL, with additional facilities located at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
For college teachers of: physical and life sciences and engineering. Prerequisites: none. Graduate students may attend with the permission of their faculty supervisors.
Dr. Crow is Director of the NHMFL, a Professor of Physics, and a condensed matter physicist. Other course presenters will be selected from the research staff and faculty of the NHMFL and may include a few guest presenters from outside the NHMFL.
Jun. 16-18, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
From nuclear power generation to imaging the complex fractal texture of a malignant calcification in breast tissue, the controlled application of ionizing radiation- with its benefits and risks-has evolved with remarkable rapidity since its discovery. The development of predictive models and engineering controls in association with maximizing social benefit relative to risk of the utilization of radiation requires insight into dynamic physical and biophysical processes as seemingly diverse as nuclear transformations and target theory of irradiated cell activation. The elucidation of these processes-generally categorized as stochastic in nature-is still evolving, with significant uncertainties and challenges yet extant.
Chaology, particularly the study of deterministic chaos, has provided new insights into the behavior of certain "stochastic" systems within the radiological physics and biophysics framework which have in fact associated with them a strong deterministic- albeit nonlinear-component. In tandem with a basic review of the fundamentals of radiation physics and associated analytical tools, this course is designed to provide participants with an overview of the status of the science supporting current and future applications of natural and enhanced sources of radiation in medicine and biology in light of recent advances in radiation biology as it relates to radiation protection, as well as recent developments in "visualizing" chaos in pathology through texture analysis in radiological imaging.
For college teachers of: physical, biological and environmental science, statistics, applied mathematics. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Goodman Mumma is the Medical Radiological Physicist for the Radiology Division of Baptist Memorial Hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee. She has earned an M.S. degree in engineering (biomedical engineering) from the University of Washington, and an M.S. degree with doctoral work in radiological physics from the Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Her current research interests are in stochastic and deterministic modeling of observer-based radiological image quality assessment curves and the radioscintigraphic imaging of positron emitters.
Jun. 2-4, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is an extremely diverse and valuable research tool in medicine, biology and the physical sciences. The instrument has also proven to be very beneficial in the quality control segment of various industries, in particular those associated with the manufacturing of computers. In addition to the generation of visual images, the SEM, with the appropriate detector systems, is capable of providing qualitative and quantitative information on the elemental composition of samples.
This short-course is designed to familiarize participants with the fundamental concepts and techniques of scanning electron microscopy, including those associated with elemental analysis. The course will consist of structured lectures and a hands-on segment where the participants will be able to operate an SEM and observe the detection and identification of specific elements within a sample by means of an energy dispersive system. The lectures will concentrate on such subjects as chemical fixation of biological specimens, critical-point-drying, sputter coating, stereo images, and vascular casting. Discussions will also focus on the various operational components of the SEM, including the optical, vacuum and electrical systems. Information will be provided on the environmental scanning electron microscope, a highly modified instrument that permits the observation of wet specimens and dynamic processes in a gaseous environment and at pressures that approach one atmosphere.
For college teachers of: the biological and physical sciences. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Norton is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University. He is a former Fulbright Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health Research Fellow, Department of Defense Research Fellow, and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Microscopy Society of America. Dr. Norton employs the techniques of fluorescence microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy and cytochemistry in his NASA-funded research activities which concern the effects of mechanical stress on the structure and function of the cytoskeleton of cultured fibroblasts.
Jun. 20-22, 1996 in Cambridge, MA
Apply: PITT
Note: This course will be offered at Harvard University.
To the nonscience major, science, particularly the physical sciences, often seems inaccessible and unappealing. A science course for nonscientists on the chemistry of art focuses on a topic which is limited in scope and which capitalizes on the universal appeal of art. By showing how a knowledge of science can increase appreciation of art, science itself is shown to be accessible and appealing.
Participants in this workshop will share the experiences and expertise of two chemistry professors who have developed and taught courses on chemistry and art for several years to hundreds of nonscience majors. These courses explore the chemistry and materials science of artists' media and ask such questions as how works of art are made, how they deteriorate over time, how they may be restored and conserved, and how they may be authenticated and distinguished from fakes. Both courses rely heavily on laboratory experiences where students investigate topics such as 1) light and color mixing, 2) metals and the composition of coins, 3) natural and synthetic pigments and dyes, 4) glass, ceramics and polymeric materials, and 5) photochemistry of photography and fading.
These courses explore the scientific investigation of works of art for selected case studies, such as the Sistine chapel ceiling, the Getty kouros, the Bellini/Titian painting The Feast of the Gods, van Meegeren's forgeries of Vermeer, and the Shroud of Turin. In many cases, excellent visual material is available as videos or videodiscs.
In this workshop, participants will learn through selected mini-lecture, lab activities and case studies how chemistry and art can be used to enhance and broaden nonscience majors' physical science experiences. Time will also be provided for discussing various teaching strategies for getting students actively involved in this type of course. Course outlines, lecture notes, laboratory experiments (including suppliers of materials), an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive list of audio visual materials will be provided to workshop participants.
For college teachers of: chemical or physical sciences. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Henchman, Professor of Chemistry at Brandeis University, teaches "Chemistry and Art" for nonscience majors, including art historians and studio artists with support from the Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Hill, Associate Professor at Millersville University (Millersville, Pennsylvania), teaches "The Molecular Basis of Color and Form: Chemistry in Art," a laboratory-based general education physical science course for nonscience majors, primarily fine arts, art education, technology education, and industry and technology majors.
May 19-21, 1996 in Madison, Wisconsin
Apply: NIU
Note: This course will be offered at the University of Wisconsin.
This short-course aims to enhance the undergraduate chemistry curriculum for majors and non-majors by using chemistry demonstrations as principal vehicles for communicating chemical concepts and phenomena. The pedagogical value of planning lectures and discussion sessions around chemical demonstrations will be discussed. The effective use of educational technology in teaching chemistry and the recent major thrusts in undergrade chemistry will be reviewed. Cooperative learning approaches and the role of chemistry demonstrations in enhancing learning will be discussed. In addition, the course will deal specifically with making presentations in public spaces such as shopping malls, civic centers, and school gymnasiums.
For college teachers of: chemistry and related sciences. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Shakhashiri served as NSF Assistant Director for Science and Engineering Education from 1984- 1990 and formulated the plans for the annual NSF education programming of $600 million. He is the founding director (1983) of the Institute for Chemical Education and the founding director of the University of Wisconsin System Undergraduate Teaching Improvement Council (1977). Dr. Schreiner is a senior research associate with extensive experience in chemical demonstrations and undergraduate education; principal co-author of Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry, The University of Wisconsin Press, 114 North Murray Street, Madison, Volumes 1-4; co- producer of Once Upon a Christmas Cheery in the Lab of Shakhashiri as featured on PBS; and principal co-designer of the interactive chemistry exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
Jun. 2-4, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
Nonscience majors have long been a neglected population in the teaching of chemistry. Many courses for nonmajors tend to be simpler versions of the major course. Both the chemistry content and approach used for this population has long ignored the special characteristics and wealth of nonscientific knowledge that these students bring to the study of chemistry. Chemistry in Context: Applying Chemistry to Society, the American Chemical Society's new college chemistry curriculum for nonscience majors attempts to tap this knowledge by imbedding chemistry in a cultural, societal, economic and political context. Here, chemistry is introduced on a "need-to-know" basis that provides students with an informed understanding of critical science-based contemporary issues.
In this workshop, participants will have an opportunity to work with two of the authors of Chemistry in Context. The unique philosophy of the curricular approach along with an overview of the chemistry content, sample activities and evaluation techniques will be presented. Participants will be able to experience several of the laboratory and decision-making activities that characterize Chemistry in Context. Discussions in the workshop will focus on the "nuts and bolts" of implementing the curricula in both large and small classes. Participants will be encouraged to share their own innovations in teaching chemistry to nonscience majors. The workshop leaders are particularly eager to elicit ideas for new kinds of homework assignment, testing strategies, lab and writing assignments and grading practices. Time will be provided for discussion of these topics.
For college teachers of: chemistry. Prerequisites: none.
Drs. Stratton and Stanitski are two of the co-editors of Chemistry in Context. Dr. Stratton, a Professor of Chemistry of Earlham College, is active in environmental chemistry research and teaching. Dr. Stanitski is a Professor of Chemistry at Central Arkansas University who has co- authored chemistry textbooks for science and allied health majors.
Jun. 6-8, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA
Apply: CAL
Why should you consider using at least some small scale experimentation in your first-year chemistry laboratories? Perhaps you are intrigued by one of or more practical considerations such as cost, safety, and speed. Small scale experiments are much less costly up front for chemicals and supplies and for waste disposal when they are carried out. Since only small quantities of reagents are needed and they are mostly handled in small plastic containers, safety problems are greatly reduced. Small scale experiments are fast. A titration analysis good to 2% can be carried out in triplicate in ten minutes.
The low cost of materials and disposal, the safety, and the speed of this experimentation allow students to carry out experiments, rather than validation exercises, in your first-year courses. We will illustrate the possibilities by having you work with other participants in the workshop to design ways to solve chemical problems you can introduce into your courses. The course will include qualitative explorations of solubility and oxidation-reduction patterns. We will continue with quantitative redox and acid-base studies, including potentiometric titrations and (reduced-scale) calorimetric analyses, and factors affecting reaction rates. Participants will use a range of instrumentation, from thermometers to low cost digital multimeters to calculator and computer-interfaced probes, to show how small-scale techniques are compatible with many approaches to laboratory design and mission.
This workshop will be useful to two - and four- year college and university faculty and staff members who are designing and/or implementing the laboratory work for a first- year chemistry course. Among the experimental problems posed will be ones that are useful for courses for non-science majors as well as for the highly quantitative courses taken by science majors. We think you will find that small-scale techniques and equipment coupled with a problem-solving approach, in which students are more responsible for designing their experiments, are applicable in any chemistry program.
For college teachers of: chemistry. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Bell is Director of the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Programs, in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Professor Bell has recently completed a distinguished teaching career at Simmons College. His major professional interests have focused on science (chemical) education at all levels, especially the use of hands-on approaches to teaching. He is a national workshop leader and has published extensively on small-scale chemistry and use of demonstrations as a most effective classroom technique. Maureen Scharberg is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at San Jose State University. Her major interests are in chemical education and bioinorganic chemistry. She has focused much of her research efforts in how non-science majors learn and perceive chemistry and how to effectively integrate information technology and molecular graphics into the chemistry curriculum. Professor Scharberg has received awards for her undergraduate teaching performance.
Jun. 13-15, 1996 in Memphis, TN
Apply: CBU
The catalogue of human history is indexed by materials and technology: Stone Age; Bronze Age; Iron Age. In each, new materials advanced our technological capacity, allowing humankind to improve the value of its equity in the game of survival. But it is only within the last century that synthetic polymers have been known at all, and still more recently, that technology has advanced their application beyond nonstructural uses where their strength and durability under stress were not at issue. Since the discovery of nylon fibers that were stronger and more durable than any natural counterparts, structural applications have increased significantly, and engineering plastics - synthetic materials of great strength and durability - have begun to replace traditional materials of construction and protection, namely wood, metal, and glass, in the most profound ways. Today, we find ourselves walking a narrow path between the continuing need to develop and use new materials of greater value in the increasingly competitive marketplaces of the world, and the fuller recognition of the cost and impact of these activities on our lives.
Using transportation, protection and construction technologies, an introduction and review of current themes in the materials science and polymer chemistry of engineering plastics will be presented. General features of some new materials and applications will be described along with questions relating to post-manufacturing and post-consumer plastics wastes, recycling and recovery.
Participants can expect to take back to their own classrooms ideas for new and novel lecture demonstrations and laboratory experiments, suggestions for livening up general and organic chemistry lectures, and relevant case studies that can be used to stimulate interest among scientists and engineers, liberal arts students, and the general public. The emphasis is on building bridges between instruction, technology, and discovery in real world environments.
For college teachers of: chemistry, physics and engineering programs, and for those involved in technology/humanities interface programs. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Fine is Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry at Columbia University, New York. His special interests include polymer chemistry and materials science, industrial inorganic and organic chemistry, engineering plastics, problems in solid waste management and the recovery and recycling of post-consumer plastics. Among his recent publications are two practical manuals on principles and practices of infrared spectroscopy and a general chemistry textbook for engineers and scientists. Along with his industrial experience, the history of science and technology has played an important role in the development of his educational philosophy and teaching.
Apr. 10-12, 1996 in Rio Piedras, PR
Apply: TUCC
Note: This course is cosponsored by the Resource Center for Science and Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico and is offered at the Rio Piedras Campus. Applications from the mainland should be sent to the TUCC Field Center. Applications from Puerto Rico should be sent to the UPR Satellite Center.
A tremendous research effort has been dedicated to the development of chemical and biological sensors. This is the consequence of real needs for measuring devices in industrial processes and in food, clinical and environmental samples. These sensors should meet the demands imposed by the particular application including its use in-vivo or in- vitro and in continuous monitoring. Since the use of these sensors is widespread in different scenarios, it is important that teachers and students learn the basics of this field.
This course will provide educators with a basic knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of chemical and biological sensors. The course will include both lectures and laboratory exercises. Lecture topics will include: classification of sensors, their construction including discussion of the specific requirements as dictated by the intended application, and their analytical characterization. Both optical and electrochemical sensors will be discussed. Hands-on experience will include the construction of various sensors including those for pH and glucose. Special topics: in-vivo monitoring, screen-printed technology, electropolymerization and microelectrodes.
For college teachers of: chemistry and biology. Prerequisites: none.
Dr. Guadalupe is an Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She teaches analytical chemistry, instrumental analysis and electrochemistry at both the graduate and undergraduate level. She is also an active researcher in bioanalytical chemistry and electrochemistry. Dr. Guadalupe is also the Coordinator of the Chemistry Graduate Program. She is an active member of the American Chemical Society and the Electroanalytical Chemistry Society.
May 30-Jun. 1, 1996 in DeKalb, IL
Apply: NIU
The focus of this workshop is to introduce college instructors to biotechnology concepts and "hands-on" laboratory techniques which will enable them to begin incorporating biotechnology in biology and chemistry curricula. The workshop includes theoretical presentations with emphasis on "hands-on" experimental activities which can be directly imple