Forensic Educational Tool as a Teaching Strategy to Face the Growing Alcohol Consumption in the Student Population

Abstract

Excessive alcohol consumption in adolescence is a worldwide concern because of its numerous negative consequences. It also increases the chance of accidents and may lead to significant impairment of part of the brain, causing learning difficulties. The present work aims to present the development of a forensic educational kit composed of a breathalyzer produced with low cost materials and a colorimetric palette for use in science classes for high school students. The kit’s function is to estimate the ethanol concentration in alcoholic samples. The methodology is based on applied research with a qualitative and quantitative nature guided by an experimental procedure that presents all steps from the construction of the kit to its functionality. It also describes three didactic-pedagogical strategies on how this instrument may be used in the teaching-learning process. The results of this proposal show that, during the operation of the device, it is possible to observe a correlation with physical, chemical, biological, and mathematical concepts involving relations between science, technology, society, and environment (CTSE), which may be approached in a contextualized way and arouse student curiosity. In addition, the topic of this study provides an educational action since it enables a discussion of the impacts of ethanol on the body, raising awareness about the alarming use of alcoholic beverages. The implementation of interdisciplinary activities on the topic here is a fundamental strategy for the education of a citizen capable of developing a critical view of social events and the use of technologies.

The Variability of the Blood/Breath Ratio and Its Impact on the Results of Breath-Alcohol Analyses: A Rejoinder

“…A paper published in Journal of Chemical Education (JCE) by Carmo, Miranda, and Silva suggested that breath alcohol analysis might be a useful educational tool to teach students about the dangers of overconsumption of alcohol. The authors mentioned that the blood/breath ratio (BBR) of alcohol, with high probability, was somewhere between 1900 and 2400, which is in good agreement with the results from several blood vs breath correlation studies. − Labianca’s letter to JCE challenges this conclusion and maintains that variability in the BBR of alcohol is much greater, and this undermines (invalidates) the use of evidential breath-alcohol instruments in forensic science and legal medicine as a way to estimate the coexisting blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) …”

The Variability of the Blood/Breath Ratio and Its Impact on the Results of Breath-Alcohol Analyses

“…In a recent issue of this Journal , Carmo, Miranda, and Silva focus on the timely and pedogogically significant topic of the consumption of alcoholic beverages by school-age adolescents . In this regard, several issues are addressed by the authors.…”

“…It must be emphasized that Carmo, Miranda, and Silva have produced a fine piece of work. I have only one recommendation: they might consider supplementing their teaching efforts with an added emphasis on the limitations of breath-alcohol analysis addressed here.…”