A LEVEL chemistry 复习概要.docVIP

PAGE PAGE 2 Review of A-level Chemistry Content David Read June 2007 School University Includes: AQA, Edexcel, Edexcel Nuffield, OCR and OCR Salters Current specifications only Comparisons with the new (2008-) specifications will follow. This edition was created on 15/06/07 with corrections Aim The aim of this review is primarily to show university academic staff what is taught at A-level. It will also form a useful starting point for ascertaining the impact of the new (2008) specifications on the material that will be taught to future A-level students. It should be pointed out that the review is based on exam board specifications. It should be recognised that although the exam board may not require a particular item to be taught, it is quite possible that it has been covered by teachers. Chemistry teachers do a brilliant job of motivating and enthusing students, and the recent increases in uptake at A-level and in university applications are in no small part attributable to the enthusiasm and hard-work of classroom practitioners. The depth of coverage in different schools will be variable for a number of reasons (I speak from my own experience as an A-level teacher in a comprehensive school with 20+ students doing chemistry), and academic staff should be aware of the following points: a) Unfortunately, teachers’ performance is judged on exam results, and it is sometimes in their interests to spend time preparing students to do well in exams. Furthermore, many students expect a degree of exam coaching in their lessons which puts more pressure on teaching time, and reduces scope for extending teaching beyond the syllabus. b) A majority of A-level chemists will not be doing chemistry degrees, so preparing students for a chemistry degree is not a priority for most chemistry teachers. c) Facilities for practical work (fume cupboards, equipment) are somewhat variable and some students will have very limited practical experience. d) In some cases, non-speci