LSnead+Log

Loraine Snead 9/23/11 First Class Introduction

10/13/11 I would like to use "keratin" as my chemical to find five independent sources. Is this appropriate? I know that it is a folded protein, but can I find out the constituent amino acids? >I decided to research menthol as my chemical.
 * [a protein would not be a good candidate for the properties assignment - pick a small organic molecule - you could do proline for example which keratin uses to cross-bind JCB]**

Also, I am teaching high school chemistry and I have an idea to introduce quantum mechanics to high school students through spectroscopy. I have to think about a FAQ in this area. I am currently writing a literature review on Spectroscopy and bond length, focusing on microwave, near infrared and photoelectron spectroscopy. Will this suffice for the final project? The focus is on how to determine bond length using those specific techniques
 * [Is your focus on the actual techniques or how they have been taught? Either is fine. JCB]**

Wondering if a good FAQ would be to find out if and how spectroscopy is taught in high schools within the past five years?
 * 10/27/11**


 * [Sure see question 10 in FAQ JCB]**
 * [Hit the wikitext view for this page to see the span tags - these should not be present in your final paper. JCB]**

**10/30/11 Gathering remainder of data for Chem Info Validation Sheet**


Q. I am not sure what the common value column means on the Validation Sheet. And, should I answer my FAQ on this log first and then when approved put it on the FAQ page of this wiki? We can answer our own question or another, so when it says that someone is answering the FAQ in progress, does that mean that I cannot answer it?

**Q. Can you tell me why my links to some of the sources on the validation sheet are not highlighted and some are? LS**
 * [The common value for mp is Kelvin (K) - start adding your data on cheminfo sheet and I'll comment there JCB]**
 * [Yes work on your FAQ here till finished. If someone has an FAQ already in progress you cannot answer it. JCB]**

Assignment 3 **FAQ List five online sources that incorporate visualization techniques to enhance teaching and learning chemistry.** **Visualization is the process of creating mental images that cannot be seen or may not exist**

1. The ChemCollective http://www.chemcollective.org The ChemCollective began in 2000 wit the Irydrium Projects Virtual Lab. It was recognized in 2003 with MERLOT's classic award in chemistry and editor's choice for exemplary software across all disciplines. Presently, ChemCollective is a project of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). The site provides engaging interactive activities in several general chemistry topics such as Thermochemistry, Acids Bases, Periodic Table, Chemical Equilibria and Stoichiometry. The activities are separated into four main categories; Virtual Labs, Tutorials, Scenarios and Simulations. There are several interesting and well thought out activities embedded in those categories such as solving a murder mystery, practice problems that are automatically graded and an interactive period table that shows electron arrangement in energy levels. Instructors are invited to submit ideas and or comment on the existing activities on the site.

2. World Index of Molecular Visualization Resources http://molvis.sdsc.edu/visres/index.html This site houses an impressive index of world molecular visualization resources for organic and inorganic molecules. There are fourteen categories listed, examples are Biochemical Structure Tutorials with Rotating Interactive Molecular Displays, K-12 Molecular Visualization Tutorials and Molecular Visualization in languages other than English. The K-12 site includes a link to Proteopedia a 3D interactive encyclopedia of proteins, DNA, RNA and other macromolecules. You can submit a resource and comments without a password or account by simply completing a form.

3. Visualization and Problem Solving in General Chemistry http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/ This academic site includes models showing the microscopic behavior of ions in the description of a solution, vapor pressure lowering, freezing point depression and boiling point elevation. In addition, if interested in spectroscopy,with the correct plug-ins you can visualize the vibrational modes of small molecules.

4. Demonstration of a Voltaic Cell http://content.blackgold.ca/ict/Division4/Science/Div.%204/Voltaic%20Cells/Voltaic.htm A flash applet was created by the Chemical Education Research Group at Iowa State University that shows how a voltaic cell works including the seeing the transfer of electrons from the anode to the cathode as well as the loss of electrons from the metal electrodes. You can choose the metals as well as the ionic solutions in the separate compartments.

5. Jmol: an open-source Java viewer for chemical structures in 3-D http://jmol.sourceforge.net/ This site demonstrates what Jmol can do for still images. Jmol is a free, open source molecule viewer for students, educators, and researchers in chemistry and biochemistry that can be embedded into website, wikis, etc. There is a gallery of screenshots (still images) of small molecules, macromolecules, crystallography, orbitals as well as reactions and vibrations that can be animated by Jmol. You can also see a few of the interactive applet demonstration pages.

=Chamizo, José. "Teaching Modern Chemistry through ‘Recurrent Historical Teaching Models." Science & education 16.2 (2007): 197-216. DOI =
 * Assignment 2: Title of article summarized**
 * [Full Marks JCB]**

Abstract
=**Introduction**=
 * Realizing the rapid rate at which new chemistry information is made available through technology, textbooks are becoming static and represent an incomplete way of teaching chemistry. An approach called the recurrent historical teaching model is the best approach to teach science literacy.
 * While history should be taught in the chemistry classrooms, it is taught based on a sequential design by textbook authors to use history to related facts relating to the concepts that they deem to be important. Chamizo suggests that another more social approach to teaching chemistry is warranted.

Chemistry and History

 * According to Nina Hall, most research chemists look at modern chemistry from the approach of synthesizing new molecules.
 * Scientometrics provides one indication of the growth of science.
 * Based on the exponential growth of new papers publishing new substances in the Chemical Abstracts database, it is estimated there will be eighty million synthesized substances by 2025.
 * It would be overwhelming and not realistic to believe that chemistry teachers can keep up with (read) the vast number of documents published in chemistry per day.
 * Table 1 indicates that the same primary sources, papers, books and patents published three million more pages of abstracts from year 200 to 2004.
 * Traditional handbooks (including textbooks) once the primary source of chemical information gave way to electronic databases.
 * Chamizo discusses the rapid growth of technology and the switching from essentially web 0.0 and 1.0 (static browsing) to web 2.0 (the social web).
 * As the access to chemistry information exponentially increases, deciding what to include in education becomes increasing difficult. That said, knowledge of isolated facts and concepts in chemistry without the real world connection to those facts and concepts is poor education at best.
 * With the exception of a few sources, chemistry education during the last three decades do not reflect the growth of new scientific knowledge, but reflect past descriptions.
 * If the majority of chemistry teachers only use textbooks as their main source of information they are essentially becoming history not chemistry teachers.

Chemistry and education

 * Research has shown that chemistry curricula are universally similar.
 * Normal science (chemistry) education research by Kuhn (2000) was summarized in ten statements and then summarized in Van Berkel et al. 2000. The conclusions were that normal chemistry education is based on teaching and learning algorithms and so-called facts instead of explanations and more importantly application of chemical phenomena. The methodology leaves out those students not interested in pursuing training to become a chemist.
 * An example of research not showing up in textbooks is the absence of the huge amount of research done on identifying misconceptions of students in chemistry but not used to improve chemical education.
 * One link between chemistry education and using new research is through the construction of "stories" that use a modeling approach to teach chemistry.

History and education

 * Coll and Taylor in 2005, summarized the difficulties and new goals for scientific education as shown in Table 3.
 * Current "chemistry" language used in instruction prevents the student from learning and integrating the threefold representation of matter - macroscopic, particulate and symbolic levels into their psyche.
 * Izquierdo and Aduriz (2003) asserts that science classes should integrate real world knowledge that is constructed by the student.
 * Van Aalsvoort (2004) maintains that logical positivism as currently used to teach chemistry prevents students from being imaginative, creative citizens of the world.
 * In 2003 Hodson published a paper proposing an issue or societal based curriculum that includes more environemental learning and social responsibility.
 * Characteristics of several science models have morphed into what is known as a "hybrid model" which lacks the coherent explanatory "story" which led to those "hybrid models." These hybrid models include only pieces of the story and can leave students with alternative conceptions about the information being taught.
 * Kragh (1987) categorized three different approaches to the history of science; diachronic, anachronic and recurrent.
 * The diachronic approach is to study history in its time, disregarding any current views on the subject, whereas anachronism approaches the study of history in context of present and up to date information.
 * That in fact, the history of science is not a relationship between the historian and the past, but should be a relationship between the historian, the past and the current science student.
 * This author, Chamizo's preference between the three approaches to the history of science falls into the recurrent approach. Here he describes the recurrent approach as the way in which concepts are an integral part of the history upon which they emerge, but that concepts are taught as a outcome of learning more or being able to more accurately explain the concept in light of new and current information. The recurrent theme addresses the issue of error in science.
 * The recurrent approach appreciates the kinds of problems that a model was designed to solve (Toulmin, 1972), but also rationalizes why and how if the model is not correct, it needed to be abandoned.
 * The models that caused the design of a recurrent approach as a teaching model are explained by Chamizo as first the G.N. Lewis cubical atomic model, Langmuir's extension of the small cubic cells to outer spherical layers, and Sidgwick's effective atomic number (EAN or 18 electrons rule).
 * The Lewis-Langmuir-Sidgwick or LLS model became a simpler way other than the quantum mechanical model to explain chemical bonding.
 * From these models, Chamizo proposes three research ideas that include transforming the LLS model into a recurrent historical teaching model where the limitations of the models and scientific disputes are recognized and explained in recent context.

Chemistry, History and Education

 * Because we live in such a dynamical technological world we have to change our didactic approaches to teaching chemistry which includes the nature and process of science as well as isolated and so-called "truths".
 * Realizing and accepting the exponential growth in chemistry knowledge as well as the incompleteness of the current chemistry textbooks are justifications for the need for recurrent historical teaching models.
 * The recurrent model will allow students to learn the about the "past science" of say astrology, alchemy, or craniology and realize that at one time that knowledge was deemed exemplary and "true."

Summary

 * With the knowledge of how and why some of the "past science" was discarded, students will realize that the current science concepts and thought have room for growth, and the understanding of science in this context is important to the future of our world. Thus, the educators should be using the recurrent model in chemical education.


 * Final Project** - see LSnead Final Project page