Rabindra Dave Ramkirath
February 3, 2013
Course # SEYS 753/12184
2.
The target audiences for this software are college and
high school teachers who are interested in using, accessing, and/or creating
engaging online activities for chemistry education.
3.
The purpose of this software is to provide interactive,
engaging materials that link chemistry concepts to the real world. The software
works by direct access to the web. It can run from the web, from a CD, or
directly be downloaded and installed on the computer.
4.
This software (found on ChemCollective Web Site) has a web-based user interface that is
customizable so that the instructor can vary the nature of the activity. This
user interface is easy to use since the viewer of the quantity or substance
being studied can be turned off by the instructor so that students cannot see
the unknown. With these tools having to ability to be turned off, the activity
resembles what would occur in a physical lab.
5.
The virtual lab will run on the following operating
systems: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 or Mac OS 10.5 and higher. The minimum
requirements are: 512 MB of RAM, 50 MB hard drive space and 800 x 600 screen
resolution. Computers with Java is required to view virtual lab.
6.
This software can be used with browsers that have Java
and ActiveX controls.
7.
The software strengths include the ability of the
instructor to set up real world lab experiments that the students can solve
without the physical need of being in the lab. This will result in a safe and
healthy studying environment.
8.
The weakness of this software is that not all
experiments are covered and some experiments still have to be performed in the
physical lab until new improvements and lab experiments can be included in this
software. Also, the hands-on approach of gaining practical experience in the
lab is eliminated.
9.
Three examples of how this can be used in my chemistry
teaching class are:
1.
To determine the stoichiometric coefficient
2.
Stoichiometry and
3.
Solution preparation problems where students solve
chemical puzzles.
10.
Science teachers should implement this software in
their classrooms so as to serve as a visual aid for students to understand the
theoretical concepts presented in class and for better preparation of their lab
experiments.
11.
This is a useful tool in communicating the theoretical
concepts to students in a more practical form that will aid the students’ learning
more effectively.