An initial goal of chemistry laboratory courses is almost always the “proper” use of laboratory resources including glassware and instruments. The proper use of glassware encompasses many topics, such as laboratory safety, technical proficiency, and recognition of function. However, as many chemical educators can attest, at both the K−12 and university-level students often have a poor understanding of what makes a particular piece of glassware appropriate for a given task. In particular, student ignorance of the role and use of volumetric glassware may be quite pronounced. Compounding this concern is the fact that exercises or demonstrations designed to introduce this topic are frequently dry, dull, and uninspired. We seek to reverse these circumstances by sharing a popular interactive demonstration based on the television show The Price is Right that has been successfully implemented in diverse educational settings including analytical and general chemistry courses at the undergraduate level, high school chemistry and introductory physical science courses, and in middle schools.
An in-service teacher program held during the summers of 2004 and 2005 is described. This program, sponsored with state funds, drew a varied group of participants to learn Modeling Instruction in physics. The workshop leaders used the state science proficiency standards and physics education research (PER) results to guide many of the workshop's activities. In 2004, the participants experienced the Modeling mechanics curriculum while pretending to be students; in 2005, the teachers worked in small teams to develop Modeling-consistent units in other areas, often utilizing PER-based materials. Indications are that the experience was valuable to the teachers and that the workshop series should be offered for a new cohort.
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