Subject: CCL: High school students and the CCL.

From: "S. Kent Worsnop" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 11:08:31 AST

I know this isn't strictly about computational chemistry but I feel 
that I have to answer Dr. Topper's message:

 Robert Topper wrote:
:That said; I realize that Dan and his friends are getting a lot of 
:useful information without having to hit the library by asking about 
:their assigned elements on the CCL...but is this a good thing?  
:Last year, no less than 20 students (all in the same class) logged 
:into NEWTON asking for enough information to write 3-page reports 
:on their assigned elements...tungsten, chlorine, cadmium, etc....
:In the end, we (the volunteers working the chemistry section) 
:determined that we could not, and would not, honor such requests.

  I read this message and liked a few things Dr. Topper wrote but 
have to disagree strongly with the above.  True there are the 
traditional sources of information which one can find information on 
the elements.  However due to the age of information many new non-
traditional sources of information are now opening up.  The CCL is 
one of these new forms.
  
  The CCL might be more convenient than a library true but it allows 
people from all around the world to gather knowledge.  Students 
should be encouraged, not discouraged, to use these types of sources. 
It is true that we shouldn't forget the use of libraries however 
usually for a 3 page report a student can't wait the 1-4 weeks it 
takes to get an interlibrary loan.  Also by saying that you cannot 
give out information because you don't believe the CCL a valid form 
of research I would say you are being hypocritical.  If it is not a 
valid form then why does the CCL exist at all?  You don't need a 
Ph.D. or M. Sc. to do research on the net.

  As I was reading Dr. Topper's message another irony hit me.  
He told about a project he had done where he went out and interviewed 
professionals in a field for information.  What does he think the 
students who use the CCL are doing?  They are interviewing 
professionals.  True they don't have to leave the comfort of their 
own home yet they are doing the exact same thing Dr. Topper did 
earlier in his career. 

  So I must strongly disagree with alot of Dr. Topper's suggestions.  
If a student uses the CCL or something else for a project I encourage 
you to give them some information.  However do not just give them 
knowledge also suggest to them books that might be valid or articles 
they can look up.  This way we allow a symbiotic relationship between 
the research done on electronic media and that done in the print 
media.

  With that said I must say though that the CCL is not a place to 
find information about certain elements.  It is a list for 
computational chemistry and I am sure if students had projects on 
this aspect of chemistry they would be welcomed.

Kent Worsnop, B.SC. (Graduate Student)
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS.
Canada

---

From: Dongchul Lim <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 12:58:23 EDT

S. Kent Worsnop writes:
[...]
> Ph.D. or M. Sc. to do research on the net.

I do not agree with Mr. Worsnop's oppinion.
The Computational Chemistry Mailing List is not meant to be abused by
high school students to do their homework. They can get much better
information from encyclopedia. Asking simplistic questions like "what
is cesium?" only reveals that those students have not made any efforts
before they went to a computer terminal.
In order to maintain the list as a forum for professional chemists
to exchange their ideas and information, I suggest that any improper
use of this list should be strongly discouraged.
-D.L.