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DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL MIND THROUGH CHEMISTRY

DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL MIND THROUGH CHEMISTRY. Teachers ’ Conference 2014 irene_tan@moe.gov.sg. Concurrent Session 4, 11.45 am, Room 320. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CHEM TEACHING.

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DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL MIND THROUGH CHEMISTRY

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  1. DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL MIND THROUGH CHEMISTRY Teachers’ Conference 2014 irene_tan@moe.gov.sg Concurrent Session 4, 11.45 am, Room 320

  2. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CHEM TEACHING • is unpopular and irrelevant in the eyes of students (Kracjik et al., 2001; Osborne and Collins, 2001: Pak, 1997; Sjoberg, 2001; WCS, 1999; ICASE, 2003); • does not promote higher order cognitive skills (Anderson et al, 1992; Zoller, 1993); • leads to gaps between students’ wishes and teachers’ teaching (Hofstein et al. 2000; Yager and Weld, 2000; Holbrook and Rannikmae, 2002); and • chemistry curricula tend to put the subject first, and applications a poor second(Holbrook, 2005).

  3. TAXONOMY OF SIGNIFICANT LEARNING • Significant Learning Involves both cognitiveand affectivedomains. • It is characterised by “some kind of lasting change that is important in terms of the learner’s life”. (Fink 2003)

  4. When a learning experience has a profound effect on a student, it can result in agreater sense of caring for the subject, for themselves, others, or learning in general. Greater caring can lead to new interests, energy for learning, or a change in values. (Fink 2003)

  5. CATEGORIES OF SIGNIFICANT LEARNING (Fink 2003)

  6. INTERESTS ARE NOT CAST IN STONE • Interests can be acquired and they can change (Bandura, 1986, Wade, 2001) • This is helpful from the perspective of teaching chemistry… we can stimulate, maintain and stabilise our students' interests • Interest can be increased or intensified (Streller & Bolte,2012)

  7. CHEMISTRY TEACHERS COULD • inspire students to explore and discuss about chemistry by challenging them to create effective solutions for real-life problems; • incorporate scientific method, including how to make observations, collect and record data, interpret and draw conclusions; • infuse fun investigations, demonstrate chemical reactions, invite students to carry inquiry and presenting their learning; and • lead field trips to a local companies or places of scientific interests to help students understand how Chemistry impacts their lives.

  8. SOME EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENTS These will help the students appreciate what they learn in the subject and provide them an opportunity to delve deep into an area that matters to them.

  9. ASSIGNMENT: A GREAT CHEMIST Suggestion for implementation: at start of the subject at Secondary three • WHO is he (or she)? • WHAT was his or her work about? • WHAT was one of his or her greatest achievement? • WHAT was his or her philosophy? • Relate an interesting episode in his or her life. • WHAT have I learnt from this project?

  10. ASSIGNMENT: A USEFUL CHEMICAL Suggestion for implementation: at start of the topic “Acids, Bases & Salts” • Look for products people use in their daily life • Food: canned food, preserved fruits • Drinks: canned or bottled drinks • Toiletries: perfume, shampoo, detergent • Containers: bottles, foam cups, containers • Study the product label carefully and identify ONE chemical in it • Acid or Alkali or Base or Salt (NaCl: not to be used because it is too common)

  11. ASSIGNMENT: A USEFUL CHEMICAL Suggestion for implementation: at start of the topic “Acids, Bases & Salts” • In less than 300 words, explain the following: • WHAT is the product? • WHAT is the product used for? WHO uses this product? • WHAT is the chemical in this product? • What is the purpose of this chemical in the product? • WHERE do you get it from? • WHAT IF this product is not used? • WHAT have I learnt?

  12. ASSIGNMENT: A USEFUL CHEMICAL • In less than 100 words, write down what you have learnt from this mini-research. • Submit your assignment in • PowerPoint (max 5 slides); • Prezi; • Animated video (no more than 5 minutes); • Blog; or • Any other ICT means.

  13. ASSIGNMENT Suggestion for implementation: at start of the topic “Periodic Table” • Design a 1-page summary for each of the element assigned to you on an A4-sized paper • Essential information is shown on the right • Draw as colourfullyas you can • All info must be accurate • Hand in your draft for check http://elements.wlonk.com/Elements_Pics_Simple_200x153.png

  14. A SERIOUS CHEMICAL DISASTER Suggestion for implementation: at start of the subject at Secondary three • WHAT happened? • WHEN did this happen? • WHERE was this? • WHY did this happen? • WHO was/were responsible? • WHAT have I learnt from this incident?

  15. REFLECTION QUESTIONS • Who was responsible for the disaster? • What could have been done to prevent the disaster from happening? • If you were there, what would you have done? • How can you apply what you have learned to your daily life as a person?

  16. AN EXAMPLE OF STUDENTS’ WORK This is the presentation by a group of 5 secondary three students. Their work was so outstanding that they were invited to share at the school’s assembly.

  17. A Chemical Disaster http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1984/1101841217_400.jpg

  18. WHERE DID IT HAPPEN? • India, Bhopal (Central India) • Roughly 580 km south of India’s capital, New Delhi • Population of 1.5 million • Pesticide Plant owned by Union Carbide Corp, a US company http://www.theinnovationdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/bhopal-gas-disaster.jpg

  19. AT A PESTICIDE PLANT OWNED BY UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION http://subversify.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bhopal01.jpg Before the Disaster

  20. FORMULA FOR DISASTER… • Factory built in a densely populated area • Union Carbide Corporation chose to cut cost in two major areas: • Staff • Reduce Staff — no. of staff was too small • Reduce Training — staff not sufficiently trained in safety procedures • Maintenance • Critical equipment was not properly maintained or repaired

  21. Flare Tower Designed to turn off gas but a connecting pipe was removed for maintenance A DISASTER BREWING… http://www.lenntech.com/images/bhopal.gif Vent Gas Scrubber Leaking gas could have been detoxified but scrubber was turned off to cut production cost Water Curtain Not high enough to reach gas MIC Storage Tanks Over 40 tonnesof MIC & water leakage caused excessive production of heat Refrigeration System Cooling system was shut down in June 1984 to cut cost of production

  22. Bhopal, 2nd Dec 1984 Night of Death Life was calm and normal before the “Night of Death” http://kaw.stb.s-msn.com/i/F2/4A97FB2BBFE9C61D9878CB1E8811C7.jpg

  23. Mushaira: A community performance Restaurants were packed with people Wedding ceremonies all round the city

  24. Night of Death • That night, people of Bhopal retired as usual… • Little did they know they would wake up to breathlessness, burning eyes & a toxic cloud • Panic, fear, horror and death were to fill the night http://kaw.stb.s-msn.com/i/F2/4A97FB2BBFE9C61D9878CB1E8811C7.jpg

  25. DISASTER STRUCK… • The air inside the factory was charged with panic and fear • The under-trained staff knew that there was a leak in one of the tanks which held more than 40 tonnes of toxic chemical • The city was asleep… • They switched off the siren… for fear of “waking people unnecessarily” • Over half a million people was to be subjected to one of the most horrific events in the history of industrial disasters • There was no where to run…

  26. Toxic gas escaped into the air and blew over the city by wind… The entire sky of Bhopal was covered with deadly chemical gases Death descended from the night sky

  27. …water flowed into the MIC tank (E610) Senior staff were alerted 2 Dec 1984: from a corroded pipe… Decision: switch off the siren Nov 1984: Safety systems shut down Did not want to alarm the community Cut down on regular maintenance Exposure to water = uncontrolled reaction UC wanted to cut production cost Increased temp & pressure Factory owned by UC was running at a loss MIC tanks exploded

  28. WHAT IS MIC? • Methyl isocyanate (MIC) • Formula H3C-N=C=O. • Hazardous organic compound • Used in the making of pesticide

  29. Eyes  severe pain, may lead to blindness Vomiting & breathing problems Lung  permanent damage Stomach  pains leading to shock Reproductive problems Skin chemical burns & sores Increased infant mortality, cancer, genetic defects, liver & kidney failure http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9gvDVOHC9g8/SrN2ghG5U5I/AAAAAAAAACY/3Qiwhfum-3U/s400/bhopal.jpg.gif

  30. THE AFTERMATH • The release of MIC into the air killed thousands of people • 8000 had died from direct toxic exposure • 500,000 others were injured • Making Bhopal a huge graveyard

  31. THE MORNING AFTER… http://www.srai.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/pic21.jpg Dead on the street… There was nowhere to run The toxic fumes covered an area larger than 20 km2

  32. On the roadside, near hospital… Hundreds of bodies lying in the open http://www.srai.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/pic11.jpg

  33. Innocent children dead from over-exposure to the toxic gases http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PWUEZOcqjCY/TBousQPR83I/AAAAAAAABbc/PEEyrStPlqg/s1600/Bhopal%2BRaghu%2BRai%2Bchildren.jpg

  34. Skulls of the unclaimed dead at the local hospital left uncollected http://static.environmentalgraffiti.com/sites/default/files/images/Bhopal_India.jpg

  35. THE AFTERMATH… • Factory was shut down • 3 senior staff arrested • Warren Anderson, • Chairman of Union Carbide at the time was charged in court for HOMICIDE • The charge: “cost-cutting at the factory is alleged to have heavily compromised safety standards” http://subversify.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bhopal2.jpg

  36. TODAY… 23 YRS AFTER THE GAS LEAK • Bhopal is still a toxic site • the old factory hasn't been cleaned up • 20,000 more died as a result of the disaster through the years • 3 to 5 people die of related illnesses each month • Bodies keep piling The old factory is still sitting in Bhopal, deteriorating over the years. No one is cleaning up. http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?sa=X&biw=1024&bih=712&tbm=isch&tbnid=3kU3QHWFqms36M%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.de%2Fbhopal-gas-leak-25-years-on

  37. TODAY… 23 YRS AFTER THE GAS LEAK • > 25,000 tons of contaminated material remain • Poorly stored in bags & buried in unmarked pits • Toxins have seeped into the underground water source The child here is seen pumping underground water contaminated by toxinsbut this is all they have http://mmdocumentary.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/alex_masi_bhopal_2009_all_rights_reserved181.jpg

  38. ANGER… TILL TODAY • 1989: UC’s paid $470 million to the Indian Government for damages • $370 to $533 per victim… Too little for medical bills • 2001:Union Carbide merged with Dow Chemicals • Since the merger, Dow Chemicals hasrefused to assume responsibilities

  39. http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/india-bhopal1-e1259358102803.jpg%3Fw%3D300%26h%3D240http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/india-bhopal1-e1259358102803.jpg%3Fw%3D300%26h%3D240 People staged protests every year on 3 Dec

  40. http://bhopal.net/wp-content/uploads/2004/12/candlelitvigil%2Bportraits.jpghttp://bhopal.net/wp-content/uploads/2004/12/candlelitvigil%2Bportraits.jpg People staged protests every year on 3 Dec

  41. I think thischemical disaster could be avoided if the company had been responsibleenough to put in place aneffective safety system. If it (Union Carbide) had thought about those poor, innocent people and not just about makingprofits,nothing like this would have happened.

  42. Some victims only received their compensations in 2004.20 yrsafter the disaster. It wastoo little, too lateand it hadkilled many, many people. I learnt that observing safety precautions is the most important of all. I feel really sorry for those who have died in the disaster.

  43. I think this chemical disaster can be avoided if the company had put in effort in building up the safety system… and not be just think about making profit. SAFETY PRECAUTION IS STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL!!!

  44. http://lalitkumar.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Bhopal_Gas_Tragedy.jpghttp://lalitkumar.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Bhopal_Gas_Tragedy.jpg The research on this disaster has taught me many things. The most important is RESPONSIBILITY I do not understand why companies like Union Carbide can risk so many lives just to cut costs. I feel that if they were responsible, this disaster would not have happened. I felt a deep anger & hurt when I saw this photo.

  45. This statue was placed in the town centre of Bhopal, Date, unknown. Sculptor, unknown. To every mother of Bhopal who lost a child on the Night of Death http://files.earthday.net/earthdaycurriculum/environmentaljusticefiles/images/pics/image009.jpg

  46. DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL MIND THROUGHSTORIES AND DISCUSSIONS

  47. Sadker & Sadker(1977) • I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness… Concentration camps built by engineers… Infants killed by educated physicians… • Help our students understand to become human… • Shared by Keynote Speaker Professor Berowitz (TC, 2014)

  48. Haber, Fritz1868 - 1934, German Chemist

  49. He was a Professor of Physical Chemistry at Karlsruhe and the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute at Dahlem in 1911. • During World War I he directed Germany's chemical warfare activities, which included the introduction of poison gas (chlorine); and supervised its initial deployment on the Western Front at Ypres, Belgium, in 1915.

  50. His promotion of this frightening chemical weapon triggered the suicide of his wife, who was herself a Chemist. • Many in the Science community condemned him for his war time role. • There was great concern when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1918 for the synthesis of ammonia from its elements.

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