IUPAC

- To update the methods of teaching and learning chemistry at the tertiary level in the Philippines.
- To promote a learner-centered curriculum in the B.S. program for Chemistry.
- To facilitate the adoption of innovative schemes in laboratory instruction towards reducing the costs and hazards associated with the laboratory courses.

The curriculum for the B.S. program for Chemistry has been recently assessed, and revisions have been undertaken for the updating of the various courses in the curriculum international benchmarks were employed in the evaluation of the content of the courses to ensure their up-datedness. However, concern has been expressed about the delivery of these courses, particularly the approaches to classroom and laboratory instruction and the use of information technology. Indeed, the updating of the contents of the B.S. Chemistry curriculum has to be matched with an updating of the teaching methods employed, and the foregrounding of learner-centered approaches in chemistry education.

The project will involve the following activities:

1. Preliminary discussions of the Technical Committee for Chemistry with resource persons from CCE. These discussion will consider the following areas:
   - a. the existing curriculum for the training of chemists;
   - b. schemes for improving the quality of teaching and learning chemistry;
   - c. research training of chemistry students;
   - d. the hands-on training and practical work experience of chemistry students;
   - e. partnership programs with industry and government
2. Organization of a conference on "Upgrading Chemical Education in the Philippines". This conference will highlight important topics covering chemical education in the secondary and tertiary levels. It will feature lectures and workshops to be presented by the CCE resource persons and other identified speakers.
3. Formulation of follow-up activities, which will focus on specific areas of chemical education.

   [more about the Flying chemists program]

The program of the 2-day conference "Improving Chemical Education in the Philippines", to be held 17-18 April 2008
at the University of Santo Tomas, in Manila, Philippines, is the following:

Day 1
7:30 - 8:30 Registration
8:30 - 9:00 Opening ceremonies
9:00 - 9:40 Talk 1: Educating the chemist, Prof. Peter Atkins, Oxford University, U.K.
9:40 - 10:00 Open forum
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 11:10 Talk 2: New technologies and new approaches in chemistry education, Prof. Peter Mahaffy, King's University, Canada P.M.
11:10 - 11:30 Open forum
11:30 - 12:00 Picture taking
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:10 Talk 3: Microscale chemistry and Green Chemistry, Prof. Jorge Ibanez, Universidad Ibero-americana, Mexico
14:10 - 14:30 Open forum
14:30 - 15:10 Talk 4: Low-cost Instrumentation, Prof. Fortunato Sevilla III, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
15:10 - 15:30 Open forum

15:30 - 16:00 Break
16:00 - 17:30 Workshop / demonstration - 1
· Microscale chemistry
· Low-cost instrumentation
· Visualization in chemistry

Day 2
8:00 - 8:40 Talk 5: Pedagogical evaluation of the chemistry integrated laboratory Program, Prof. Mei-Hung Chiu, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
8:40 - 9:00 Open forum
9:00 - 9:40 Talk 6: Industry as stake holder in chemistry education, tba, Philippines
9:40 - 10:00 Open forum
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 12:00 Group discussion session
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 15:00 Workshop / demonstration - 2
· Microscale chemistry
· Low-cost instrumentation
· Visualization in chemistry

15:00 - 15:30 Break
15:30 - 16:30 Plenary session: Report of discussion groups
16:30 - 17:30 Plenary session: Plan of action
17:30 - 18:00 Closing ceremonies

For inquiries, contact

Kapisanang Kimikang Pilipinas
Telefax No. 920-5427
Email: ivillase@yahoo.com

project completed - a conference report has been published in Chem. Int. July 2008, p. 29.