Chemical Education Journal (CEJ), Vol. 4, No. 1 /Registration
No. 4-8/Received February 8, 2000.
URL = http://www.juen.ac.jp/scien/cssj/cejrnlE.html
E-Mail: toiar@usfca.edu, macdonaldt@usfca.edu
Abstract: Most
of us who have studied in the traditional university lecture/laboratory
based system can recall particular professors whose teaching methods
and whose personalities not only gave the subject a certain character
but also inspired interest in learning. For some, these considerations
were also significant factors in the decision to make chemistry
a career pursuit. In addition, the peer interactions that occur
naturally in lecture, seminar and tutorial meetings, and especially
in laboratory classes are, for many, also a crucial part of the
learning process. And in the reverse sense these interactions,
especially for small classes, allow faculty to have a better perspective
on a student's overall academic abilities. A fundamental question,
therefore, is how to incorporate these elements into a distance
learning course such that degree programs which include these
types of courses are judged equivalent to their traditionally-delivered
counterparts.
One option in designing a distance learning course is to see a portion of it as being internet-driven, as opposed to the Internet providing the sole approach. Thus, it is logical to use the Internet for things that it can currently do well without venturing into technology that is not yet reliable, since multiple failures in a class room setting are frustrating to students and instructors alike. Thus, assuming that the course material is provided "on-line" and in a sophisticated way, some of the interactive aspects from a regular classroom setting may be provided by chat rooms and bulletin boards. However, in addition to the Internet, other possibilities should also be considered. For example, if geographical considerations allow for it, bringing the class together at the beginning and perhaps towards the end of the course could allow for initial interactions, and for group projects to be established with a view to later live presentations to the class as a whole after completion. In addition, tutored-video presentations offer further possibilities. With regard to laboratory work, some experiments might successfully be simulated via the Internet, but this will not allow for the acquisition of actual laboratory skills. Thus, the feasibility of satellite laboratories with supporting instructors should also be considered. As our first step toward distance education this paper focuses on initial efforts at providing Internet support for traditionally taught courses and on student reaction to this.
CEJ Vol. 4, No. 1, Contents