Newsletter

Director's Corner

Welcome to the second issue of the MDITR education newsletter. Things have been busy in the Education Office with the rolling out of new projects, further development of existing projects and ongoing efforts in evaluation and planning. Speaking of new projects, we want to extend our congratulations to Dana Riley Black, our Executive Director of Education and Partnership Programs, on the birth of her daughter, Carmen, on December 9. Carmen was a healthy 8 lbs., 5 ozs. Mother and baby are doing fine.

Some of the programs we think you ought to know about include the development of an on-line training program in Responsible Conduct of Research. This new program is being designed in response to the NSF mandate that all Center personnel receiving training in the areas of ethics and responsible conduct. We hope to have the first wave of personnel certified by April with the entire Center certified before the upcoming NSF site visit (June 22-23). More information will be coming soon.
--Jasmine Bryant

Program Updates
Summer Research Experiences

Although the internships are open to all students, one goal of the program is to provide opportunities for undergraduate research to students who otherwise might not have access to this experience. With this in mind we are encouraging applications from minority and community college students. If you know of any interested students, please direct them to our website for more information and an application. We also have posters available if you would like to post one in your area.
For more information visit: http://stc-mditr.org/getinvolved
Or send e-mail to: EHRDO@chem.washington.edu

Education Digest

In the last issue of Education Digest we shared some of the findings from recent research into how students learn. One key finding was that compared to experts, novice learners are less able to “access and organize information in novel and creative ways”. How can learners gain this important skill? Research shows that the use of concept maps may provide an answer.

What is a concept map? Broadly speaking, it is an organizational tool that can be used to visually represent the core ideas of a discipline and how they are connected. The two examples below, originally published in J. Chem. Ed. (2), both cover isotopes and atomic structure. Notice, however, that the “expert” is better able to make connections between the concepts.

Researchers are investigating the possibility of training students to make concept maps as a way of helping them discover important connections within the material they are studying. Other interests include using concept maps as an alternative or supplement to standard testing in order to assess students understanding of course material.

But concept maps are not just for students. In fact, the STC’s own Neal Armstrong is working on a concept map that covers the entire research area of the STC. See the work in progress. When completed, Neal’s concept map will be a valuable legacy of the important work of the STC.

The Center has also invited former NASA astronaut George "Pinky" Nelson to speak at the STC Annual Meeting in February about his work with concept maps as director of Project 2061 at AAAS. If you are interested, take a peek at The Atlas of Scientific Literacy.

For further reading:

1. The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How To Construct Them, by Joseph D. Novak, Cornell University

2. Robinson, W.R., J. Chem. Ed, 1999, 76, 241179-1180.

A Few Moments With...
Dr. Neal Armstrong

Dr. Neal Armstrong is a professor of chemistry and optical sciences at the University of Arizona. He also serves on the education team as the director of the web modules development program (among other things, see above).

Who was your most influential teacher and why?

There were several who were quite influential, but the one who got it started was my sixth grade teacher. He taught a block of chemistry that year (remember this was the post-Sputnik, science/engineering crazed U. S.). Among other things he taught us how to balance reactions, and gave the oxidation of glucose on the exam. I got it, and he made me get up and show the rest of the class. I was so puffed up by the experience, and the fact that I could do it, that I made my parents get me a chemistry set (in those days they were real chemistry sets), set up my own laboratory in my bedroom, and proceeded into a life of science. (In those days it was primarily making new forms of gunpowder and making metal slugs to use in the Coke machines at the nearby supermarkets -- good stories, but probably too long to tell here.)

How would you explain your work with the Center to your grandmother?

I no longer make gunpowder (this was a big concern to both grandmothers). I work with a large team of young scientists trying to understand how to take rather simple dye molecules and get them to self-organize into thin film materials which will subsequently show up in new technologies such as solar cells, light-emitting displays, and cheap, disposable computer logic. We worry a lot about the molecular composition of the surfaces that these thin films are deposited on, since that composition plays a very important role in how they organize, and how electrical charge is transported through the thin film.

Because these thin film materials are so thin (much less than a human hair thickness), the interface between the organic dye and these surfaces may be the most critical part of each of these new technologies. The study of these materials therefore requires very sophisticated technologies, which are themselves very expensive. Therefore, it is safe to say that I have all of the tax dollars you have given the government in my laboratory!! Thanks! It is being well taken care of.

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not working?

Talking to my kids (this is becoming more of a treat for Julie and I, since we are becoming increasingly superfluous to our teenagers, except when they need money or transportation), cooking, eating out, reading (especially the sports page, during baseball season), commuting to/from work on my bike. Sounds boring but it's a pretty rich life.

Comments / Questions / Suggestions?