Modern Russian higher education and the role of federal subject Olympiads for schoolchildren

A discussion and comparison was presented for the current trajectories of gaining admission to a higher educational institution: the traditional entrance examinations combined with USE, high-level subject Olympiads for schoolchildren, and subject Olympiads for applicants, organized and conducted by universities. It was noted that, despite recent changes in the forms and methods of attracting students to higher education, the “geography” of students enrolled in the first year at the Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, does not significantly vary and remains fairly wide. The academic quality of the students admitted has been declining steadily. It was shown that the strategy of attracting students to the university through Olympiads is well justified. Under conditions of the ongoing modernization of the entire national education system, the combination of the three methods of selection of applicants allows the leading Russian universities to admit new students more effectively.     

The bologna process and the Russian system of higher education

The basic principles and objectives of higher education, declared in the Law of the Russian Federation on Education, as well as in the Magna Charta Universitatum, the Lisbon convention, and the Bologna and Sorbonne declarations, are analyzed along with the measures undertaken by the European Union in order to reorganize the sphere of higher education. The Russian system of higher education is shown to meet all the main requirements specified in the European documents and to completely comply with the concept of continuing education prompted by the modern rapidly developing high-technology world; hence, there is no need for reorganization and introduction of the bachelor—master—doctor of philosophy scheme instead of the specialist—candidate of science system. At the same time, there is a need for such state-guaranteed financial support of teaching and scientific research activities that would provide the necessary conditions for solving urgent problems in closely interrelated fields of fundamental science and engineering.     

Problems of higher and secondary school interaction

Conventional methods and techniques of effective interaction between higher and secondary school have been analyzed. This effective interaction has developed successfully until present and has ensured teaching continuity from school to university. It has been shown that introduction of the External Independent Evaluation (EIE) in 2007 led to revolutionary-evolutionary losses of the connection between secondary and higher school. Therefore, a possibility to teach high quality professionals capable of solving non-standard problems and accumulating new ideas has deteriorated significantly. Ways to restore the relationship between higher and secondary school have been proposed in order to save the high scientific potential of the country. These options included introduction of a general chemistry course in higher educational institutions, preservation of chemistry as a natural science subject in secondary schools, and renewal of universities’ work with applicants based on their positive experience in the past.     

Training of specialists in chemistry at classical universities in the context of higher education reformation in Ukraine

The authors consider crisis phenomena in higher education of Ukraine of the last two decades and discuss necessary measures for improving the existing situation. It is stated that the role of chemical education in classical universities is to provide integrity, quality, and fundamental character of education. Information about Ukrainian higher education institutions training specialists in chemistry is given; distinguishing features of the existing two-level system of higher chemical education are described. The authors note that admission of students on the basis of external independent evaluation (testing) has a contradictory influence on the quality of education. Activities implemented by classical universities in order to select gifted and well prepared students are described.     

有机分子荧光光谱中的AIE和ACQ现象

基础化学实验室主要开设基础类、大面积通识课程,开课对象以非化学专业、低年级本科生为主。基础化学实验室在实践教学活动过程中往往涉及危险化学试剂以及高温、高压等危险操作,加之新形势下大类招生不断扩大,基础类课程教学任务与日俱增,基础化学实验室的安全运行管理面临的挑战更加严峻。以西安交通大学基础化学实验室为例,介绍了我校基础化学实验室现状及在安全运行与管理方面存在的问题和解决对策,为同类型化学实验室的安全运行与管理提供借鉴与参考。     

Efficient system of higher education: The role of state

It is proposed to define efficiency as the productivity, which means creation of the necessary and useful products of due quality in the necessary and sufficient amount, at the optimal result/cost ratio. Criteria proposed by the ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation for the estimation of the efficiency of universities are analyzed, as well as the methodological basis of the Thomson Reuters university ranking. It is noted that the efficiency of not only universities, but also the ministry can be estimated only when infrastructural and financial conditions for the efficient work of the university staff are provided and the state goals in the sphere of education are formulated. The ministry should determine the state demand in the sphere of specialist training and provide universities with everything necessary for that, while the universities should duly teach and train those specialists to be. A conclusion is made that national priorities in the field of education and science should be shifted.     

Rund ums Aluminium. Schülerlabor und Tandemfortbildung

The economic cycle of aluminium is a didactical concept both for school and university. The student laboratory project presented allows the concrete implementation. Based on the simultaneous education between industry and didactics of chemistry is the illustrated teacher education. This concept is easily transferable to other topics, so that school, university and industry can interact more often with each other.     

Reflections on the reform of education

Analysis of the Russian education reform results is given. Negative effects of the reform (an increase in the number of paid educational institutions providing low quality education, disproportion in training of specialists, an increase in the paid education sector etc.) and causes of these effects are described. A way to correct the situation in the field of national education is pointed out.     

从生活世界到科学世界——新课程理念下化学教学范式的重要转型

把化学带到生活中去,加强与社会生活的联系,使化学教学贴近学生的社会生活实际,让学生以社会生活为背景学习化学知识,并使其了解化学在现代社会生活中的价值,是20世纪90年代以来世界中学化学课程改革的重要趋势,也是当前我国基础教育课程改革中化学教学范式的重要转型。落实从生活世界向科学世界的化学教学范式的转变,完整地体现化学课程的价值,是当前我国中学化学课程改革所面临的一项重要任务。     

Education: A modular approach to microfluidics in the teaching laboratory

This article seeks to educate the reader about the role played by the microfluidics teaching lab in the education of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for students of all ages. The discussion is intended to serve as a general guide to educators about the lab philosophy, goals, lab experiments and required equipment and reagents necessary for a successful microfluidics teaching laboratory. We hope that this article will stimulate other groups and companies to describe what they are doing to encourage education in this sector. At LabSmith we have developed a modular approach for teaching and demonstrating microfluidics that allows the end user to tailor the laboratory to course goals without an impact on the package of experimental equipment required and available to them. Thus, it is possible to educate students either in the art of microfluidics or use microfluidics to educate students about fundamental physical, chemical, or biological principles. The laboratory experiments discussed here are for students with educational experience at high school, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels.     

初中学生血吸虫病检查结果与影响因素分析

目的调查和分析江西南昌地区血吸虫病流行区初中学生血吸虫病情况,及相关影响因素。方法 2015年8月至2016年8月,将江西南昌地区血吸虫病流行区中的19个重点县分为血吸虫病传播控制区和血吸虫病疫情控制区,其中传播控制区调查人数1 569名,疫情控制区调查人数1 723名,对所有的学生均采取问卷调查措施。结果疫情控制区初中学生血吸虫病检查率明显高于传播控制区初中学生血吸虫病检查率,数据比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);血防知识知晓及格率越高,检查率越高;学校血防教育频次越高,检查率越高;血防部分教育频次及格率越高,检查率越高,数据比较差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论江西南昌地区血吸虫病流行区初中学生血吸虫病检查率较低,需要加强对初中学生的健康教育,实现提高初中学生血吸虫病检查率的目的。     

浅析氨基酸代谢在生物有机化学与化学生物学教学中的重要性

从氨基酸代谢的基本内容出发,分析并整理了其在生物化学教学中的意义与教学要点,其中富有的各种生物化学过程也充满了趣味性,对于本科生教学是良好的素材。在举例阐述其多样性、复杂性、趣味性与启发性的基础上,讨论生物化学教学中氨基酸代谢相关内容,是一种将前沿科学融入基础生物化学教育的新探索。     

Conceptual thinking and metrology concepts

In introducing the term ‘concept’, the authors of the 2008 International vocabulary of metrology ‘Basic and general concepts and associated terms’ (VIM, 2008) recognize that in order to operationalize a globally accepted set of metrology terms, one requires to deal with a higher level of abstraction. Concepts are obviously not specific to metrology–handling complex tasks in any domain of knowledge that requires conceptual thinking abilities. In this short white paper, we discuss how to assess and develop conceptual thinking of professionals in service, business, and industrial environments. The approach builds on a proven methodology called MERLO that has been developed in the last 15 years by experts in psychology and education with adaptation to new interactive technologies such as clickers and internet-based formative assessments. MERLO pedagogy can be used to assess individuals’ inherent conceptual thinking abilities and train them to enhance their competence in analyzing complex conceptual situations. This is pertinent to the education of metrology, quality, and statistical thinking. We suggest that MERLO can be considered as a complementary enabler to VIM, so that this fundamental work can enhance its impact and applicability.     

厚基础、强交叉、重创新：精细化工新工科专业课程体系的构建

In the context of building innovative and higher educational powerful country, the theory research and practice of emerging engineering education (3E) are carried out in China. Depending on the first-class disciplines of chemistry, chemical engineering and materials, the curriculum system of fine chemicals 3E major is constructed in ECUST: thick foundation of scientific chemistry; strong integration of multidisciplinary modules such as biomedical, molecular engineering, functional molecular engineering, engineering foundation and chemical engineering; emphatical innovational curriculum. The system will serve to train talents with thick foundation, strong engineering ability and higher comprehensive quality, thus an ECUST model of 3E construction can be formed in the context of double first-class discipline construction, which may be helpful for other majors to construct 3E courses.     

影响中学生化学模糊观念改变的因素及其权重分析

学生模糊观念的产生有着根本原因,且影响其变化的因素主要有 5个维度。我们通过层次分析法得到 5个维度的权重值。这 5个维度的权重值分别为:认知方式:021元认知:018　认识论:022　社会环境 /动机 /情感:013本体论:026。     

加强消防安全教育提高紧急应对能力

加强中学生的消防安全教育,提高学生的紧急应对能力,是学校素质教育的内容,也是中学化学教师的责任.介绍了火灾的分类、灭火的方法、灭火剂的性能与应用以及紧急逃生技巧等消防安全常识,旨在充实消防安全教育的内容.     

以标准为风向标的化学与生活课程教学设计

公共选修课是高等教育课程体系的重要组成部分,在大学生综合素质的教育和培养方面发挥着重要作用。化学与生活是面对非化学专业开设的一门公共选修课程,其主要内容包括与衣、食、住、行等相关的化学知识。本文将国家标准应用于化学与生活课程的教学设计中,以标准为载体设计教学情境,引导学生了解国家标准中的相关规定,掌握使用标准文件分析问题的方法。促使学生客观地认识化学学科,了解化学学科在生活中的作用,规避化学产生的危害,培养学生的科学素养,使学生学会利用化学知识改善自己的生活,提高生活质量。     

Application of stable isotopes in Russian Federation

The increased use of enriched stable isotopes in Russian Federation resulting from the demand of medical diagnostic techniques, fundamental physical research, and the development of new materials is considered. The most perspective technology for producing wide spectrum isotopes of middle and heavy masses seems to be the gas centrifuge.     

What chemistry should be taught in modern schools?

The goals of school education and the role of lessons in natural sciences, particularly chemistry, in intellectual development of school children are analyzed. The reasons for the negative attitude to chemistry from the young people and the society are determined. The problems arising from the forthcoming reform of school education are discussed. The structure of the chemistry course for modern general schools is presented.     

Use of ion chromatography for monitoring microbial spoilage in the fruit juice industry

Fruit juices and purees are defined as fermentable, but unfermented, products obtained by mechanical processing of fresh fruits. The presence of undesired metabolites derived from microbial growth can arise from the use of unsuitable fruit or from defects in the production line or subsequent contamination. This involves a loss in the overall quality that cannot be resolved by thermal treatment following the start of fermentation. With these considerations, together with microbiological control, the analysis of different metabolites, which can be considered as microbial growth markers, such as alcohols (i.e. ethanol, etc.), acids (i.e. acetic, fumaric, lactic, etc.). is fundamental in order to achieve a better evaluation of product quality. Enzymatic determination and other single-component analytical techniques are often used for the determination of these metabolites. When the microbial spoilage is not well known, this results in a long and cumbersome procedure. A versatile technique that is capable of determining many metabolites in one analysis could be helpful in improving routine quality control. For this purpose, an ion chromatographic technique, such as ion exclusion, for separation, and diode array spectrophotometry and conductivity, for detection, were evaluated. Both different industrial samples and inoculated samples were analyzed.