A Preliminary Study on the Difficulty of Certain Chemistry Topics

Abstract

mechanics as an approximate theory adequate for the description of the motions of large scale bodies, but admittedly inadequate for atomic and sub-atomic motions. Too much attention to conclusions based on advanced research is to be deprecated as confusing, but an occasional glimpse of the problems and results of the new physics will surely be stimulating to interest and imagination.The most important connection between the new physics and secondary school teaching is probably the indirect effect which study of the quantum theory should have on the mental attitude of all teachers of elementary physics toward their work. We should all relearn the necessity of approaching nature with an open mind, sharply differentiating theory from fact, and following the evidence wherever it leads without regard to our preconceptions. Physics taught in this spirit, whether in school or college, will be the truly cultural subject which it ought to be.The last address was by Dr. Alfred V. Kidder of the Carnegie Institution. He spoke upon the Indians of North America and the Mayan Civilization. The talk was somewhat informal and illustrated profusely with beautiful lantern slides. Dr. Kidder told in detail of the restoration of some of the Mayan Temples and with his first hand knowledge gave us a most interesting insight into the trials and triumphs of this branch of historical research. The Secretary regrets that it is not possible to publish the address in full.The authors wondered if some of the chemistry topics that are usually presented to high school and freshman college students could be rated according to their degree of difficulty in understanding; and also if the topics ranked in the same order according to their degree of difficulty in presentation. Further, whether the boys would rate the topics the same as the girls, and the high school students the same as the college students.In order to ascertain the ratings twenty topics were submitted to more than five thousand high school and freshman college students of chemistry in seventy different schools. The students were asked to rate the topics according to the degree of difficulty they had in understanding them, and the teacher was asked to rate the same topics in the order of difficulty in presentation to students.The topics were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of fundamental ideas and theories of a broad character upon which the science of chemistry is built. The second group contained topics of useful ideas of a-more specific nature that support the general topics in Group I. It was impossible to make a clear cut distinction between the'groups, or to group, word, and select the topics in such a way that-everyone should agree.