Designing White Space for Chemistry Education With the Inspiration of Chinese Artistry

Abstract

White space is an artistry concept widely used in Chinese painting and calligraphy. It conveys useful information for the readers while retaining certain imagination space for them. Inspired by this artistry, we probe into the white space designing in chemistry education and scientific training in colleges/universities. A few examples are illustrated for the utilization of white spaces in scientific knowledge teaching with detailed discussions. These include half-life time of dynamic studies, mathematical derivation of chemical calculations, equilibrium of chemical reactions and phases of thermodynamics, as well as data processing in scientific studies & developments. Designing white space in lectures/presentations aims to rhythmize the teaching process and to prevent fatigue from both the lecturer and students by cutting off lengthy talking. Moreover, leaving suitable white space in the teaching content may arouse the curiosity of students, stimulate the desire for their exploration, and therefore enrich their learning experiences. We herein propose the designing of appropriate white space in college chemistry education with pernitent examples to promote further discussions on this issue.