Chemon_84
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distant lessons on chemistry
Hello!
I am a college teacher. I took a PhD degree on chemistry and molecular biology in Germany. Since 2012 I have been carrying on courses in chemistry for
senior high school children in Russia. The main aim of the courses is a preparation to the Unified state exam. The lessons are arranged both in person
and distantly so the school children who are from remote (rural) areas are able to take the part. During the classes we spend most of the time on
solving practical problems (investigate various reactions, calculate reactants and final products, chemical kinetics and others). The classes have
tangible effect on the school results of the children who are involved in ones.
Now I plan to arrange such courses for foreign school children. At first the amount of participants would not be more than ten. My primary aim here is
taking a practice experience and to understand differences between Russian and foreign study programs.
I would like to take answers on the following questions:
1. Is there a demand in such lessons outside Russia?
2. What is your personal attitude to the distant education?
3. How can I find participants?
Thank you in advance!
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DraconicAcid
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I occasionally find myself teaching a similar distance course, either for adults in rural areas, or those who work and can't attend classes during the
day. It is not my favourite mode of course delivery. There is a demand for it. However, I suspect that you will only get students from
Russian-aligned countries. I can see Georgian and Belorussian students signing up for that, but most European students would prefer to get their
education from the west (Putin's policies have done quite a number on European Russophilia).
Please remember: "Filtrate" is not a verb.
Write up your lab reports the way your instructor wants them, not the way your ex-instructor wants them.
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MrHomeScientist
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Personally I hate distance learning for chemistry. 98% of the excitement in the subject is actually doing the reactions. The bookwork is definitely
necessary for a complete understanding, but people can't get excited about chemistry without actually doing it or at least seeing it in person. It's
one thing to watch a video on a thermite reaction but an entirely different experience to actually feel the heat from one. I understand the need for
distance learning for some people, but I feel that chemistry can't be effectively taught this way. If it must be done, at least include video
demonstrations of the subjects and reactions you are dealing with. Without making the connection to actual reactions, it's all just memorizing letters
and numbers. It's enough to pass tests, but they won't really get into it as much as they could.
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XeonTheMGPony
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Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist  | | Personally I hate distance learning for chemistry. 98% of the excitement in the subject is actually doing the reactions. The bookwork is definitely
necessary for a complete understanding, but people can't get excited about chemistry without actually doing it or at least seeing it in person. It's
one thing to watch a video on a thermite reaction but an entirely different experience to actually feel the heat from one. I understand the need for
distance learning for some people, but I feel that chemistry can't be effectively taught this way. If it must be done, at least include video
demonstrations of the subjects and reactions you are dealing with. Without making the connection to actual reactions, it's all just memorizing letters
and numbers. It's enough to pass tests, but they won't really get into it as much as they could. |
Nore will they have any real skill! this is true in trades too, when I did Hvac we had a guy who was flawless on the books, but when he put his hand
onto a real machine it would end in flames!
best I could imagine is make a very basic kit you could mail to them.
Some test tubes with some basic fairly inert chemicals that can do precipitation reactions and then use indicators on them.
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blogfast25
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| Quote: Originally posted by XeonTheMGPony |
Nore will they have any real skill! this is true in trades too, when I did Hvac we had a guy who was flawless on the books, but when he put his hand
onto a real machine it would end in flames!
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Much of chemistry teaching on the secondary level is theoretical with corroborative experiments as illustrations. No amount of colourful
experimentation alone will give you the theoretical basis needed to grasp basic/intermediate level chemistry. I know 'theory' tends to be a
dirty word on sites like this but that's how it is. So while distant learning courses aren't ideal, in some circumstances they can work quite well.
Basic distance learning chemistry courses aren't trades courses: you're not being taught any actually useful techniques yet, that come later.
| Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid | | I can see Georgian and Belorussian students signing up for that, but most European students would prefer to get their education from the west (Putin's
policies have done quite a number on European Russophilia). |
Not quite convinced by that either: there are plenty of people who deplore the actions of both the West and the Russians in this new
Cold War.
Present them with a competitive product and they'll probably buy it, no matter where it came from. And why punish ordinary Russians for the behaviour
of their Dear Leader anyway?
[Edited on 13-9-2016 by blogfast25]
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