High Reliability Organizations and Engaging Education

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27, 2003, or at NSTA in Philadelphia (March 27–29, 2003). Literature Cited. 1. ... example is Linda Ford, this year's Conant Award winner (p · 369). A sense of ...
Chemical Education Today

Especially for High School Teachers by Diana S. Mason

High Reliability Organizations and Engaging Education Air traffic control, U.S. nuclear-powered facilities, naval aircraft carriers, and highly organized enterprises are classiSecondary School Featured Article fied by the military as high reliability organizations (HROs). HROs are so named because people who hold these posi䊕 JCE Classroom Activity: #53. Apple Fool! tions in the workforce are trained by instructors committed An Introduction to Artificial Flavors, p 408A. to “failure-free” operating systems. Instruction is based on procedures that provide for constant reinforcement and redundant systems. The staff is authorized to observe the system and act on small breakdowns before critical parts are Highlights for April endangered. One of the hallmarks of the training module is that the staff are carefully recruited, extensively trained, and In this issue, there are more than 15 articles that present empowered to assess a situation and bring in the expert (regames, challenging puzzles, and novel approaches to enhancgardless of rank) to correct it before serious problems arise. ing the chemistry curriculum. Check out the new faces Does this sound like an organization committed to the of organic chemistry—my personal favorite is the education of our students? (Somewhat.) However, eduNanoTexan (p 395). Play cards with a deck highcation has been tagged as a “failure-tolerant” system. lighting organic functional groups (p 426). If you Not to disparage our educational system, but when need even more organic fun, see the spiral puzzle comparing it to military training, we’re not in the same (p 428). You might also want to spend a few league. The military has a captive audience for other reaentertaining minutes vicariously living through sons than the sheer joy of learning. Also, common goals are Sherlock Holmes’s latest case (p 401), or delve more easily identified in a military setting than in the diinto more forensics when you try to solve the versified environment of the classroom. However, we can mystery of the crash of flight 1023 (p 407). For learn from military trainers that appropriately prepared use with our younger audience, you might want teachers—those who are allowed to make decisions in a to try the Elemental ZOO (p 409) or practice timely manner—will foster and cultivate a learning enterminology solving word-search games (pp 414, vironment that is conducive to an empowered staff. An © James Tour 417, and 419). Other interesting puzzles include example is Linda Ford, this year’s Conant Award winner (p the use of letter matrixes (p 411) and The Name Game (p 369). A sense of collegiality is the advice she offers for both 421). If you need a new twist on building models, you will new teachers and seasoned veterans. The whole interview is really enjoy The Molecular Model Game (p 423). Also, check really a must-read. You will come away with an insight into out the online trivia game regarding laboratory safety (p 425). her world that will energize you. If you ever need a good resource to document why we do Besides empowering teachers (well-trained classroom exclassroom demos then you need to read the article on page perts) to produce a highly reliable curriculum, we must also 431. provide our trainees (students) with the skills necessary to This issue is full of activities and ideas that are dedisucceed. Hull (1) stated that “the average student seems coolly cated to enhancing the classroom with engaging education. indifferent, even cynical, toward the idea of learning” (1, p Have fun with it! 27) and that “what needs to be cultivated in students is a healthy recognition of their deficiency” (1, p 29). These comSpring Meetings ments certainly support the notion that education is a “failureTwo important conferences are imminent: I hope to see tolerant” system. However, there is something that we can you in New Orleans at the National ACS meeting March 23– do about this. This issue of the Journal is one of my favorites 27, 2003, or at NSTA in Philadelphia (March 27–29, 2003). of the year. It is loaded with wonderful ideas and classroom exercises that give you fun ways of challenging your students. Literature Cited If you can capture the imagination of a student, the cynical attitude mentioned above will disappear. 1. Hull, K. Thought & Action 2001, 28, 19–31.

JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 80 No. 4 April 2003 • Journal of Chemical Education

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