How we got on with the AS in 2001:
a report from the South West

Each summer a group of Nuffield Chemistry teachers in South-West schools meets to discuss the examinations and the teaching which led to them. This year the teachers pooled their impressions of the new course. Here are some of their comments and suggesions.

The new course was perceived as an evolution from previous versions. It was thought that much has been done to address difficulties in both teaching and learning. The new format of the Teachers' guide was particularly welcomed, though some thought that the material for lab technicians would be better on separate sheets from the teachers' material.
There was a general tone of approval amongst the teachers present, particularly the extent and quality of the practical work.

Topic 1
Thought to be much improved, more focused. The mole concept is something of a hurdle and there is a need for yet more repetitive questions. One teacher thought that the Topic was a good basis for expansion with students who have a weak background. This teacher made a practice of teaching it for one double period per week throughout the Lower Sixth year!
Some thought the double salt experiment was too complicated and confusing. On p7 in the TG, the apparatus etc list for Expt 1.1e is not the correct one for the present method.

Topic 2
Good, but many thought that the order of the experiments could be improved. The two dehydrations could be done together and the two oxidations (the core of the Topic) could be an experiment by themselves.
On p21 the last bullet point is not addressed in this Topic - it should be with Topic 3 (it's wrong in the specification, too).

Topic 3
This was thought to be a long and tedious Topic in which the role of the teacher was uncertain. Some pointed out the illogicality of spending so much time and effort on s,p,d etc notation only to go back promptly to dot and cross diagrams.

Topic 4
Some regretted the necessity for including the Group 2 elements; they are not particularly interesting!

Topic 5
A good short Topic - much better for not having to do the Born-Haber cycle. (The Born-Haber material is now developed in a different context in Topic 16.)

Topic 6
A stumbling block for some students because of the relatively large number of reactions which need to be learned. Some thought it important to apply the oxidation number concept to a wider selection of elements than just Group 7.

Topic 7
This is really three Topics:
- Heat of combustion (would this be better in Topic 5) - far too much is made of the convoluted argument about the differences between successive heats of combustion. This makes bond energy into a difficult idea whereas in fact it is a simple one!
- Details of covalent bonding (the order of this is not very logical at present - 'shapes of molecules' is tackled much too early).
- Equilibrium - one teacher said he left this to the end of the AS course and treated it as a separate Topic.
Most thought of Topic 7 as a tour de force with little remission for good behaviour!

Topic 8
A good Topic though many students seem to find the mechanisms difficult to understand and remember.

Topic 9
A good snappy Topic; it is better without the numerous and sometimes obscure descriptions of hydrogen-bonding situations. The absence of the mixing and solubility discussions makes this rather more accessible than the previous Topic 9.

Topic 10
Some were struggling to finish this one. Most thought it a very good idea to have it as a separate Topic - there is a surprising amount in it, in fact.

report compiled by Alan Furse