Creative teaching methods which go "beyond lecture" were featured at the Committee on Education's 1997 workshop. In addition to activities designed for undergraduate and graduate students, materials developed for precollege students were also presented.

Most of the methods and materials could be adapted for a wide range of levels and courses. Session organizer Barbara Becker opened the program with MindWorks, a NSF supported project to develop historically based activities and materials for physical science students. Focusing on the "Light and Color" unit, Becker showed how to make science concepts "come alive" with demonstrations, historical readings, and audio-visual materials that she has developed, including a video which reenacts Isaac Newton's reactions to criticisms of his theory of light.

Michael J. Crowe engaged the audience in his popular "white can" experiment, designed to divest students of the misconception that the inductive method will readily reveal the ways of nature. Crowe then demonstrated his psychic powers to an initially dumbfounded but skeptical audience. He uses this activity to a) debunk psychics; b) to debunk philosopher Carl Hemper's view on the significance of historical factors in evaluating scientific theories. An unexpected result of Crowe's presentation was the random appearance of suspected psychic phenomena during the course of the evening.

Phlogiston next became the center of attraction as Lisa Rosner demonstrated its existence in her presentation on eighteenth century chemistry. Supported by a college NSF grant, and drawing on James B. Conant's Harvard Case Histories and other sources, Rosner has adapted eighteenth century experiments for a history of science lecture course. Crediting last year's "Beyond Lecture" workshop with supplying useful material, she characterized the class as "a treat," the best fun she's had in ten years of teaching. Rosner also summarized some of the historiographical and pedagogical problems involved.

Barbara Welther enchanted and amused the audience with an overview of her Smithsonian-sponsored project for astronomy students. This project culminated in a video, "Annie and the Stars of Many Colors: A Portrait of Astronomer Annie Jump Cannon, 1843-1941." In addition to the story of Cannon's life, the video shows middle school students eagerly examining Annie's photographs, albums, and laboratory journals and handling glass prisms from the same candelabrum that once fascinated Annie herself.

A spirit of fun pervaded the workshop, reflecting the obvious delight creative teaching methods and materials gave to presenters and audience alike. As part of its outreach, the CoE again invited local teachers to the workshop. Many educators attended, thanks to the efforts of Barbara Becker. The CoE plans to continue its tradition of presenting exciting new methods and materials at the 1998 HSS annual meeting in Kansas City.

All presenters brought informative handouts, which were available at the CoE display in the book hall. Some of this material will be included on the CoE Web page soon. Members may also contact any of the presenters directly.

This page last modified: 4 December, 2001