Polymers, plastics, & more – educating post-secondary students from different disciplines with polymer science
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Jimmy Lowe
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John P. Canal
Abstract
Polymers are excellent materials that provide concrete examples of concepts and learning objectives covered in different post-secondary level courses. Modules focused on polymer science can be used for teaching general, organic, material and green chemistry. These modules can be tailored to build on the students' prerequisite knowledge. Science 300 is a course offered at Simon Fraser University (SFU) to non-science, post-secondary students focused on the impact of science in society. Prosthetics and Orthotics (PROR) is a diploma program offered at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Both programs have incorporated polymer science as part of the curriculum. Design of the modules illustrates polymers as an important class of materials that possess both beneficial and environmental unfriendly properties. A variety of learning strategies are incorporated within the courses to aid students with understanding polymer science.
Funding source: Department of Chemistry at SFU and BCIT
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank the Department of Chemistry at SFU and BCIT for financial support and the students of SCI 300 and the PROR program, who participated in the modules and provided feedback. We would also like to thank the PROR faculty Loren Schubert, Yvonne Jeffreys, Jason Goodnough and Desmond Cook for their collaborations.
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Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
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Research funding: The study was financially supported by the Department of Chemistry at SFU and BCIT.
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Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
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- Evaluation of the Chemistry curriculum at the lower secondary level: feedback from educators
- Polymers, plastics, & more – educating post-secondary students from different disciplines with polymer science
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Reviews
- Evaluation of the Chemistry curriculum at the lower secondary level: feedback from educators
- Polymers, plastics, & more – educating post-secondary students from different disciplines with polymer science
- Quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and sector field ICP-MS: a comparison of analytical methods for the quantification of As, Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn, and U in drinking water
- Development of reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for determination of selected antihypertensive active flavonoids (rutin, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol) in medicinal plants found in Botswana
- Accumulation and health effects of metals in selected urban groundwater
- Phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Cadaba farinosa Forssk stem bark extracts
