Other Analytical Techniques

Link to Real Applications

[Analytical chemistry] is probably one of the things that’s easiest to tie back to their own experiences.  Because it’s very easy to link the idea of the importance of chemical measurement, is actually pretty easy to get across.

The Bigger Picture

I want them to get the big picture about what analytical chemistry is about in terms of solving an analytical chemistry problem.  They need to know the big picture rather than just focussing on the measurement step.

Focus on Actual Problem

Too often I think students and others think that analytical chemistry is just that measurement step.  When you use the AA, when you use the ... and doesn’t take into account, well all of the other stuff, what’s the actual problem you’re trying to solve?  What are you actually trying to do, sampling, measurement, validating your results? Because only then when you’ve got a result, only then does it actually become information.

Story Telling

And it’s taken me a long time to discover what sort of teacher I actually am.... I had a colleague who said to me, ‘oh you’re a narrative teacher’.  I said, ‘I’m a what’? ..... I tell stories, essentially.  I tell stories.  I turn everything into a story in some way...

Forensic Case Studies

When teaching forensic science you can make use of case studies, which is nothing more than story telling really.

Contextualize Practical Course

Contextualize the practical component of the course and ask students to justify why a technique can be used for a particular sample.

The Analytical Approach

Rather than focusing on techniques, you need to look at the big picture - a holistic big picture of the analytical approach. That’s not going to change, but over time the techniques do change. For example, radiological techniques such as scintillation counters are not used much anymore.

Story Telling

You can turn everything into a story in some way.  Analytical chemistry lends itself to that. You can link it to stories that are in the media, personal experiences, your own personal research experience or the student’s own experience. 

Read the full quote here

 

 

Subscribe to RSS - Other Analytical Techniques