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CM . . .
. Volume X Number 5 . . . . October 31, 2003
Specific Summary: Ease
of Use: **** This series of CD-ROMs addresses the spectrum of topics that would likely be included in introductory, general and organic chemistry courses at a foundational level. The software package is designed to support texts commonly used at these levels. All three have similar formats and installation requirements and procedures. The instructional packages and Chime 2.6 plug-in for animations install easily. The introductory session describing the format of presentation and mechanics of operation is succinct. Each screen has icons providing quick movement to a main menu; table of contents for the tutorial; volume switch; and note pad. As well, a Utilities drop-down menu provides access to a calculator; interactive and comprehensive periodic table and reference data; glossary; and 3D visual molecule library. The tutorial screens are visually uncluttered and present concise, logically sequenced and appropriate amounts of information. Spoken commentary accompanies most screens providing auditory support to students. Each screen is printable but, as might be expected, not copyable. The combination of Chime plug-in and 3D visual library, in itself, is worth the cost of the software package. They provide a variety of visual structural representation (e.g., ball & stick, spacefill) and manipulation options for a wide variety of simple and complex molecules. Accessing this library from the tutorials is straightforward and convenient. A great inclusion! Unlike much of the chemistry education software developed over the past two decades, the software package provides for a large amount of student interaction. By so doing, the software is, overall, quite engaging and supportive of student learning. Students can input data to see the effect statistically and graphically of changing variables. They can, amongst other things, determine slopes; obtain the coordinates of a point on a graph; answer questions, if necessary, with prompts; manipulate apparatus; and build molecular structures. The interaction is both authentic and responsive. The tutorials are supported with test items that are representative of the tutorial focus. As well, the level of difficulty of the questions is commensurate with the level of the tutorial outcomes. Prompts encourage students to focus on key ideas that support student learning. In terms of directing student learning, the tutorials and test items are very well articulated and sequenced. Students are required to think and, thus, as a vehicle for promoting active learning, the software is very good. But how does the software stack up as an instructional tool in terms of promoting learner understanding of chemical phenomena? Over the past decade, chemical educators have become increasingly aware of the importance of ensuring that students, in an effort to promote understanding, are exposed to and understand the relationships amongst the three dimensions of representation of chemical phenomena. That is, the connections amongst (1) what is evidenced at the macroscopic level; (2) how these changes are understood through a representation of what changes are happening at the particulate level; and, (3) how these particulate changes are represented in abstract form symbolically and computationally. Traditionally, chemical instruction ignores the particulate representations and jumps from the evidential to symbolic, which, for students, becomes a cognitive leap limiting understanding of phenomena. Chemistry instruction traditionally occurs at the most abstract level, the symbolic and computational. An effort to improve chemical instruction has increasingly, over recent years, worked towards making these connections explicit. The development of software that clearly makes these connections, especially a representation of what is occurring at the particulate level, would be a welcome addition to improving instruction. When we apply these considerations to the software, they are adequate and make an attempt to address these considerations but not to the extent that is necessary for students to make these connections in the topics addressed. Wonderful efforts are made to simultaneously support these multiple dimensions of representation on the same screen. The Equilibrium tutorial, in particular the NO2 - N204 dynamic equilibrium presentation screen, is a superb example of how students can be assisted in their learning by experiencing all three forms of representation in a concept area traditionally acknowledged as difficult to both teach and learn. Students are asked to change the pressure within the syringe and, by so doing, simultaneously observe the color changes macroscopically and the reaction equation symbolically as the reaction shifts between reactants and products as the pressure in the syringe is changed. I was excited to see the thoughtfulness by which this integration of dimensions was represented. I have seen no better example of software attempting to address this phenomenon. Unfortunately, this very slide is inaccurate in its content! Under high pressure, the screen represents a clear vessel of NO2 despite a particulate representation and equation favoring N204 formation! A further wonderful attempt is made to integrate these three levels of representation in the Galvanic cell section of the Electrochemistry tutorial. Students are able to visualize the movement of ions and electrons and link this movement with a symbolic representation. The macroscopic representation, again, does not capture the reality of the changes that would be observed. This theoretical framework for supporting student learning assists in evaluating the software even further. The majority of the Introductory Chemistry program addresses chemical phenomena at the most abstract and algorithmic level, the symbolic. It primarily supports students in their learning of symbolic and algorithmic representations and calculations. Thus, it would be expected that this introductory software program, unfortunately, would have little positive consequence in developing a student’s intrinsic interest in chemistry as the majority of the tutorial content is at an algorithmic and symbolic level. It is imperative that students develop mastery of the often mechanical aspects presented, but presenting it with little emphasis on meaningful contexts, applications and macroscopic visuals (reactions) is disappointing. Although
the software tutorials may not foster student interest in chemistry,
they engage students. They make students think and cover chemical
concepts in a supportive, coherent and succinct manner that is essential
to academic success and further study in senior high school and undergraduate
introductory, general and organic chemistry. The criticisms I make
would be commonly voiced by any chemical educator interested in seeing
an increased emphasis in software on developing student interest and
understanding of chemical phenomena. I congratulate Bryan Sanctuary
on setting an example as to the possibilities of not only engaging
students but, also, of considering the integration of the multiple
representations of chemistry in a software tutorial package in fostering
student understanding of chemical phenomena. A great foundation has
been established by some of the tutorials in the package. I look forward
to future developments further that take into consideration the current
research of chemistry educators. Overall, each of these tutorial packages
is a very worthwhile purchase for teachers and students. If buying
one, I’d suggest the General Chemistry. Brian E. Lewthwaite is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, where he teaches courses in the teaching of General Science as well as science Chemistry Education.
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