Nuffield Advanced Science: Chemistry

The Nuffield Advanced Chemistry team set out to devise a course based on principles of the subject that were regarded as being of fundamental importance at the time. The authors adopted a teaching approach aimed at developing imaginative thinking on the part of students. The implications of this had been spelled out in detail in the O-level Handbook for Teachers which made the case for a fresh approach to chemical theory in school and college chemistry courses.

The approach: The course presented chemistry as an integrated subject. Four areas of integration were given prominence:

• Integration to break down barriers between the traditional division of the subject into inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.
• Integration of facts and concepts - with the teaching introducing new concepts to explain primary and secondary data - where possible derived from hands-on practical work.
• The integration of theory and practical work - a radical change at a time when many schools taught the theory in parallel with laboratory training in volumetric and qualitative analysis.
• The integration of 'pure' and 'applied' chemistry notably through the inclusion of special studies of areas such as Food science, Biochemistry, Chemical engineering and Metallurgy.

Publications: The complete course was divided into two sections, a basic course of nineteen topics and one special study chosen from a group of five.

The project published two student books – one for each year of the course. These maintained the spirit of developing understanding through practical investigation while providing sufficient guidance and support for students and teachers.

• The main Students’ Books were supplemented by:
• The Chemist in Action describing applications of Chemistry
• The Book of Data which was used for reference throughout the course and in some examinations.
• A series of Programmed texts
• A set of Special Studies in applied chemistry.