----- Original Message -----

From: Yaritza Brinker

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU

Sent: Monday, June 15, 2020 10:39 AM

Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Demonstrations

Let me tell you a bit about myself, and why I think videos and demos should both be used in education.

 

I attended a very small rural high school in PR (class of =E2=80=9896). The science budget was non-existent and the school didn't have any labs. The biology dissection was a single frog the teacher pre-dissected and presented for us to look at. The physics experiment was the egg-drop. The chemistry experiment was Elmer's glue and borax. Yes, 3 experiments/demos in 4 years of high school.

 

The first time I ever stepped into a lab, I was attending a month long summer camp at UPR Rio Piedras. The university recognized the disparity between low-income and high-income schools. The camp was intended to help incoming freshmen get up to speed by providing the lab experience we were not afforded in high school.

 

Not all school districts have the funds to do labs. Thus, videos do have a place in modern education. We do need well produced modern videos to replace the un-safe old ones and you-tube. We also do need low cost experiments/demos and demo training for teachers.  If we don't strike a balance between experiments, demos and videos, eventually high schools will do away with labs all together in the name of increased safety and reduced liability. Our students won't have anything but videos.

 

I started college thinking of going into genetics or medicine. It wasn't until after I got the chance to step in a lab that I truly considered chemistry as a career. Demos may not be the reason we go into science nor the reason we stay in it, but the lab experience just might be it.

 

Thanks,

Yaritza Brinker

260-827-5402

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Richard Palluzi
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2020 9:25 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Demonstrations

 

** External Email **

I would encourage the membership to read Chapter 12 of NFPA 45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals in its entirety before doing any demonstrations. The number of accidents this has caused led the committee to add significant restrictions and responsibilities.

 

On a personal opinion note, it is 2020 and why can't you show a video instead of creating a needless hazard. While I am sure we all have vivid memories of these type demonstrations, particularly the less well planned and executed ones, how many of us can truly say this is what made us decide to go into  science? I suspect few if any. These things, particularly the larger and more spectacular scale ones, are just not worth the risk. With all due respect to Michael Faraday and all the other greats who came before us, times have changed and I don't see anyone suggesting that we should all throw out hot plates and ovens for Bunsen burners or get ride of our cars for horse drawn carriages. I think it is time to rethink the need for hazardous demonstrations and consider if new technologies can't allow us to do something a lot safer.

 

Richard Palluzi

PE, CSP

 

Pilot plant and laboratory consulting, safety, design,reviews, and training

www.linkedin.com/in/richardppalluzillc/

 

Richard P Palluzi LLC

72 Summit Drive

Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

rpalluzi**At_Symbol_Here**verizon.net

908-285-3782

 

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