Rabindra Dave Ramkirath

February 3, 2013

Assignment #1

Course # SEYS 753/12184

 Name of Web 2.0 application: ChemCollective (Chemistry Collective)  (Actually  a Web Site but still a great Review!)

URL: www.chemcollective.org

          ChemCollective is a Web 2.0 application (A Web Site actually) that serves as an online resource for teaching and learning chemistry. It is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials and concept tests designed to provide interactive, engaging materials that link chemistry concepts to the real world.

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.