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A documentary history of biochemistry 1770–1940
242 quality of teaching so as to improve it, and the application of this evaluation to the whole process of educational development, respectively. Just as there are deep and surface approaches to learning by students, so there are deep and surface approaches to learning about teaching (and about student learning) by lecturers and professors. If we understand the former, we will also understand and be able to do something useful about the latter. This is the simple (deceptively so, in fact), consistent and powerful conclusion Ramsden draws in this clear and erudite book. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to all involved in higher education related to biochemistry or any other domain of human knowledge. F Vella
Words, Science and Learning by C S u t t o n . p p 118. O p e n U n i v e r s i t y Press, B u c k i n g h a m . £10.99 ISBN 0-335-09956-4 The biographical information on this book's back cover states that Sutton has taught school science in England and India, is currently Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Education of the University of Leicester (UK), and has written extensively about language in teaching and in learning science. His little book reflects a high level of scholarship, is clearly expressed and is organized with masterly economy. It compels, charms and delights the reader interested in how knowledge is constructed by scientists and in the mind of learners who, to really understand scientific knowledge, have to de-construct and then re-construct it - - or something very close to it - - in their minds. The book's major emphasis is on science teaching in secondary schools in the UK, although Sutton's message is applicable elsewhere and to university-level science teaching around the world. He argues coherently and strongly that this teaching places excessive emphasis on practical work at the bench (ie, doing, the manual or technical aspect) while downplaying words (except usually as labels) and word-based activities (ie, the talking, thinking or conceptual aspect). As a consequence, it concentrates on science as a method of doing (important as this undoubtedly is in the training of scientists) at the expense of science as a way of seeing (with the eye as organ of vision, and with the mind's eye for conceptualizing, figuring out, and active perception) and as a way of talking. He sees science teaching (and the same is specifically valid, I would argue, of the teaching of introductory courses in Biochemistry) as inducting students into new ways of seeing and of talking about a topic. This way of understanding science is as important for the educated person as it is for the professional scientist. The imbalance between "bench work" and "word work" may be the reason many students (including many at university-level) experience science as cold, impersonal and remote from human concerns, and as dominated by complex and awe-inspiring technology. His approach reminds me of the one that gave rise to the "Vee heuristic for understanding knowledge and knowledge production", developed by Novak and Gowin in their book, Learning How to Learn (Cambridge University Press, 1984). Some four-score words - - ranging from acid, burette, cell, energy and enzyme, to protoplasm, 'selfish' gene, theory and virus - - are discussed in the twelve chapters (most of which are 4-8 pages while five are 10-13 pages, long including end-ofchapter notes), whereas the "Afterword: How we talk about school learning" briefly discusses five metaphors which inspire and guide approaches to teaching. Through text, diagrams, questions and photographs, Sutton draws the reader into his argument with the power of a skillful writer of thrillers.
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 20(4) 1992
This is a fascinating and stimulating book which should be required reading not only for science teachers in schools, but for all university teachers especially of the physical and natural sciences and for all those who aspire to either of these careers. I would recommend it especially to all biochemistry teachers who are responsible for laboratory-based components of introductory courses. I believe that it will be cited extensively by science educators and that it is likely to influence science education for years to come. F Vella
A Documentary History of Biochemistry 1770-1940 b y M T e i c h with D o r o t h y N e e d h a m . p p 579. L e i c e s t e r U n i v e r s i t y Press. 1992. £90 ISBN 0-7185-1341-X The author is an Emeritus Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge who worked on this history of biochemistry with Dorothy Needham until her death in 1987. The volume contains a selected collection of reprints over half of which have been translated into English for the first time. In most cases only short extracts of the chosen papers are given but in a few cases the whole paper has been reproduced. Each paper is preceded by a short commentary on its significance at the time of publication so that the papers are set in a historical perspective. In the Foreword the author justifies starting at 1770 by the emergence at that time of the concept of a "vital force" which accounted for the production of organic compounds by plants and animals. Then the authors had to decide on a cut off date and picked on 1940 for it was around that time that the chemistry of life attained the status of an independent branch of science. The book has the following sections: I Enzymes (a) From the 1780s to c 1880: fermentation and digestion. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: nature of action and chemical nature. II Photosynthesis (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: discovery and groundwork. (b) From c 1900 to c 1940: elaboration. HI Respiration (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: The concept of slow combustion. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: intracellular respiration and oxidizing-reducing systems. Citric acid cycle. IV Carbohydrates (a) From c 1800 to c 1860: analysis and identification. Synthesis in the animal body. (b) From 1880 to c 1940: configuration. Anaerobic and aerobic breakdown, and phosphorylation. V Proteins (a) From the 1770s to c 1890: analysis. Nutritional and biological relationships. (b) From c 1890 to c 1940: nature and structure. Size and shape. Metabolism. VI Lipids (a) From the 1780s to c 1890: analysis. Saponification and absorption. Lipase. (b) From c 1900 to c 1940: fatty acid metabolism, lipase action and cholesterol. VII Conceptual and disciplinary issues (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: vital force. Chemistry of plant and animal life. Cell theory and evolution theory. Chemistry, physiology, and biochemistry. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: biochemistry as an independent discipline. Static and dynamic biochemistry. Unity of biochemistry. Origin and nature of life. Biochemistry and morphology. I cannot claim to have read all the text but found it inspiring and the matters with which I have some familiarity well treated. It was a pleasure to be reminded of the work of Braunstein on transaminases (p 341), and of Borsook and Keighley (p 339) and Schoenheimer and Rittenberg (p 347) on the dynamic state of proteins. I was, however, surprised to see no reference to Krebs on the discovery of the ornithine cycle of urea synthesis. Students will surely find the volume useful when preparing the historical sections of their theses. I can thoroughly recommend that each department of biochemistry has a copy in their departmental library. P N Campbell
Words, Science and Learning by C S u t t o n . p p 118. O p e n U n i v e r s i t y Press, B u c k i n g h a m . £10.99 ISBN 0-335-09956-4 The biographical information on this book's back cover states that Sutton has taught school science in England and India, is currently Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Education of the University of Leicester (UK), and has written extensively about language in teaching and in learning science. His little book reflects a high level of scholarship, is clearly expressed and is organized with masterly economy. It compels, charms and delights the reader interested in how knowledge is constructed by scientists and in the mind of learners who, to really understand scientific knowledge, have to de-construct and then re-construct it - - or something very close to it - - in their minds. The book's major emphasis is on science teaching in secondary schools in the UK, although Sutton's message is applicable elsewhere and to university-level science teaching around the world. He argues coherently and strongly that this teaching places excessive emphasis on practical work at the bench (ie, doing, the manual or technical aspect) while downplaying words (except usually as labels) and word-based activities (ie, the talking, thinking or conceptual aspect). As a consequence, it concentrates on science as a method of doing (important as this undoubtedly is in the training of scientists) at the expense of science as a way of seeing (with the eye as organ of vision, and with the mind's eye for conceptualizing, figuring out, and active perception) and as a way of talking. He sees science teaching (and the same is specifically valid, I would argue, of the teaching of introductory courses in Biochemistry) as inducting students into new ways of seeing and of talking about a topic. This way of understanding science is as important for the educated person as it is for the professional scientist. The imbalance between "bench work" and "word work" may be the reason many students (including many at university-level) experience science as cold, impersonal and remote from human concerns, and as dominated by complex and awe-inspiring technology. His approach reminds me of the one that gave rise to the "Vee heuristic for understanding knowledge and knowledge production", developed by Novak and Gowin in their book, Learning How to Learn (Cambridge University Press, 1984). Some four-score words - - ranging from acid, burette, cell, energy and enzyme, to protoplasm, 'selfish' gene, theory and virus - - are discussed in the twelve chapters (most of which are 4-8 pages while five are 10-13 pages, long including end-ofchapter notes), whereas the "Afterword: How we talk about school learning" briefly discusses five metaphors which inspire and guide approaches to teaching. Through text, diagrams, questions and photographs, Sutton draws the reader into his argument with the power of a skillful writer of thrillers.
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 20(4) 1992
This is a fascinating and stimulating book which should be required reading not only for science teachers in schools, but for all university teachers especially of the physical and natural sciences and for all those who aspire to either of these careers. I would recommend it especially to all biochemistry teachers who are responsible for laboratory-based components of introductory courses. I believe that it will be cited extensively by science educators and that it is likely to influence science education for years to come. F Vella
A Documentary History of Biochemistry 1770-1940 b y M T e i c h with D o r o t h y N e e d h a m . p p 579. L e i c e s t e r U n i v e r s i t y Press. 1992. £90 ISBN 0-7185-1341-X The author is an Emeritus Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge who worked on this history of biochemistry with Dorothy Needham until her death in 1987. The volume contains a selected collection of reprints over half of which have been translated into English for the first time. In most cases only short extracts of the chosen papers are given but in a few cases the whole paper has been reproduced. Each paper is preceded by a short commentary on its significance at the time of publication so that the papers are set in a historical perspective. In the Foreword the author justifies starting at 1770 by the emergence at that time of the concept of a "vital force" which accounted for the production of organic compounds by plants and animals. Then the authors had to decide on a cut off date and picked on 1940 for it was around that time that the chemistry of life attained the status of an independent branch of science. The book has the following sections: I Enzymes (a) From the 1780s to c 1880: fermentation and digestion. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: nature of action and chemical nature. II Photosynthesis (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: discovery and groundwork. (b) From c 1900 to c 1940: elaboration. HI Respiration (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: The concept of slow combustion. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: intracellular respiration and oxidizing-reducing systems. Citric acid cycle. IV Carbohydrates (a) From c 1800 to c 1860: analysis and identification. Synthesis in the animal body. (b) From 1880 to c 1940: configuration. Anaerobic and aerobic breakdown, and phosphorylation. V Proteins (a) From the 1770s to c 1890: analysis. Nutritional and biological relationships. (b) From c 1890 to c 1940: nature and structure. Size and shape. Metabolism. VI Lipids (a) From the 1780s to c 1890: analysis. Saponification and absorption. Lipase. (b) From c 1900 to c 1940: fatty acid metabolism, lipase action and cholesterol. VII Conceptual and disciplinary issues (a) From the 1770s to c 1880: vital force. Chemistry of plant and animal life. Cell theory and evolution theory. Chemistry, physiology, and biochemistry. (b) From c 1880 to c 1940: biochemistry as an independent discipline. Static and dynamic biochemistry. Unity of biochemistry. Origin and nature of life. Biochemistry and morphology. I cannot claim to have read all the text but found it inspiring and the matters with which I have some familiarity well treated. It was a pleasure to be reminded of the work of Braunstein on transaminases (p 341), and of Borsook and Keighley (p 339) and Schoenheimer and Rittenberg (p 347) on the dynamic state of proteins. I was, however, surprised to see no reference to Krebs on the discovery of the ornithine cycle of urea synthesis. Students will surely find the volume useful when preparing the historical sections of their theses. I can thoroughly recommend that each department of biochemistry has a copy in their departmental library. P N Campbell