DESCRIPTION
The prerequisites
The prerequisites depend on the simulation chosen, but, considering that the simulations reflect a high school course, it is necessary a general knowledge of fundamental chemistry (concepts such as particle model, solutions, concentration, reactions).
The contents
The site provides essentially:
- six simulations about acid-base titration, Brownian motion, simulation of gases, kinetics, thermodynamics, light-matter interaction
- an interactive periodic table
- two lessons on the nomenclature of compounds, with exercises (name-matching formula)
- a page dealing with balancing equations of reactions
- a page that performs exercises on moles, grams, particles and concentration of solutions
- definitions of units of measure, various tables which may serve to integrate the books- A voice "exercises done": only part of them are actually completed, some others are explanations of the method to solve the exercises, without the example
- "Games of chemistry" with 1998 Edition quizzes resolved and a link (PianetaChimica.it) where there are other quizzes related to other editions
- other material to be consulted (articles, lectures, etc.).
The aims
The material available aims to train students about fundamental chemistry enabling the user to choose between different topics and different tools.
Task Description
- In the simulations, the user must set one or more parameters: for example, in the case of acid-base titrations, the kind of titrant, its molarity, the quantity to be added, the indicator are the parameters to be set. Then, the result of the setting is calculated by the computer and viewed.
- Nomenclature and balancing exercises are also interactive: the computer asks to balance a reaction or to name a compound and checks the answer.
How to use it in class
The site provides tools to be used autonomously by the students (i.e. the nomenclature exercices), in class or as homework, and others that should be used with the supervision of the teacher. In this case, the teacher could divide the students in small groups and assign different values of the parameters to each group; eventually, the results could be compared and discussed collectively.
COMMENTS
Points of strength
The site can be used by the students individually, or in group under the supervision of the teacher, depending on the objectives- It is not too difficult, it seems appropriate to a medium level of high school
Points of weakness
- Some simulations (i.e. equilibrium) do not work well.
- The introductory explanations of the simulations are too synthetic and, at the same time, they do not evidence the aim of the exercise
Scientific reliability
Not high
Pedagogic value
Exercises, simulations and information provided by the site do not follow a logic or a pedagogic order, they seem to have been inserted randomly. For this reasons it is essential the guidance of teacher that can use the material available as tool to integrate his own lessons.
