ERIC Number: EJ1184729
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jul
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Teaching Polymer Chemistry through Cultural Heritage
Journal of Chemical Education, v95 n7 p1118-1124 Jul 2018
Polymers are present in most organic materials in the field of cultural heritage science and art conservation. This makes the study of polymer chemistry necessary in art conservation graduate training programs. Given each program approaches this important topic in different ways, the present paper describes areas of common ground and problems we, as faculty in two of the programs in North America, have found, and how we have addressed them: from stressing the importance of polymer science as part of a holistic educational model to emerging art conservators, to addressing the characterization and degradation of polymers in cultural heritage. While they are seemingly different, both approaches successfully accomplish our overall goal: instill scientific curiosity and problem solving using the extremely ubiquitous class of materials we know as polymers. Consequently, our strategies and the practical exercises we are describing can be easily applied to other areas where polymers are present.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Plastics, Graduate Study, Cultural Maintenance, Interdisciplinary Approach, Art Products, Science Process Skills, Problem Solving, Science Activities, Preservation
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York; Delaware
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A