Chemistry Disciplines Research Articles

Molecular CaseNet: Developing case studies using molecular representations for use in introductory chemistry, biology and biochemistry classes

Understanding “Structure and Function” relationships is foundational to learning biology, chemistry, and biochemistry. However, exploring and using biochemical data resources, especially the Protein Data Bank, to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between structure and function are not common practices, especially in introductory courses. This project brings together biology and chemistry educators to develop case studies centered around molecular representations of biomolecules. We hope these studies, at the interface between both disciplines, will facilitate deeper understanding of structure/function in biology and chemistry and reduce conceptual barriers that hinder a common understanding. This presentation will focus on a hemoglobin case study that was developed and used in introductory chemistry and a one‐semester biochemistry course. Discussion will focus on implementation of using the same case at different levels of instruction, ideas for other content that could be used to bridge the disciplines of biology and chemistry using molecular representations and how you can get involved in the Molecular CaseNet.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation under award #1827011. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Book Interview: Where now for chemistry?

I DIDN'T WANT to write a simple history of chemistry in the 20th century, says Bernie Bulkin. I believe we engage people by telling stories. That's what makes us human beings. Bulkin is discussing his latest book, ‘Solving Chemistry: A Scientist's Journey’: in effect part biography of the discipline of chemistry and part autobiography of a chemist, both presented through tales of the problems he worked on as a professional chemist.

THE CHEMISTRY TEACHING AND THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: A CASE STUDY IN THE STATE BASIC EDUCATION OF ESTEIO CITY, BRAZIL.

It is the constant object of discussion and reflection in the academic environment the students' difficulties in understanding the contents and concepts of the chemistry discipline in basic education and the pedagogical practice itself develop in a contextualized way. Considering this premise, this study aimed to investigate and understand the factors that hinder the teaching process of Chemistry in the 2nd and 3rd years of high school of a state public school in Esteio / RS, emphasize the methodology adopted by the teacher the active participation of students in the classroom and their relation with chemistry teaching. For this exploratory research, a qualitative and quantitative field study was conducted through on-site observation of 15 hours/class and subsequent application of a questionnaire to students. The data, interpreted and reflected based on the observation and authors of the area, were exposed through percentage charts, considering the total of respondents (15 students in the second graders and 8 students in the third graders in high school). At the end, the results of the analysis of the answers given by the students reveal aspects that indicate that there is a great nonconformity in the teaching process of this subject and an inconsistency in the pedagogical saying and doing, corroborating the current educational system, which is not consistent with an expressive learning in chemistry teaching, deserving a deep reflection. Therefore, the new teaching methodologies, as well as philosophical and epistemological theories, emerged in recent decades, still failed to bring about changes in the old pedagogical practices.

Development of a Highly Flexible, Interdisciplinary Program in Chemical Commerce and a Capstone Course in Commercial Chemistry

Higher education is faced with the challenging problem of preparing students for their careers while developing them to be well-rounded, life-long learners. Employers report they desire candidates who use a broader set of skills and have higher levels of learning and knowledge to meet the increasingly complex demands of today’s workplace. At Mercer University, the Department of Chemistry offers a traditional ACS-certified B.S. degree in Chemistry, but for some students, this course of study does not address their desire for the interdisciplinarity that is becoming more common in today’s work environment. The department has developed a program in Chemical Commerce that focuses on developing students’ foundational knowledge in several of the chemical disciplines while also providing them with a business curriculum. The program provides a high degree of flexibility for students, with B.A. and B.S. tracks and three areas of focus in business to choose from (Accounting, Business Management, and Economics). An upper-level chemistry course titled “Traditions in Commercial Chemistry” was developed for advanced Chemistry, Chemical Commerce, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors and served as a capstone experience for these students. This course focused on the application of advanced chemistry and its associated principles in a variety of business sectors. With the broad skills students have acquired in the program, they have gained employment in industry and matriculated into medical, pharmacy, and business-administration programs. Though not intended to replace a full chemistry degree, this program is in high demand and is experiencing exceptional growth from students who seek components of a chemistry degree while gaining business acumen. Approaches used in developing these degrees and course are highly transferrable to other institutions and may provide more options for students interested in a wider variety of career paths.

Based on the Health Index Model to Research the Discipline Ranking and Discipline Construction Policy

Construction of the world first-class university and the first-class discipline, is a major strategic decision made by the CPC central committee and the state council, in this environment, study of the healthy discipline development in colleges and universities has a certain practical significance. This article with the healthy development of discipline as the research object, based on the InCites and ESI database, to construct First-level discipline evaluation index system, using PCA method determine the index weight in the DHI (Discipline health index) model, establishing the healthy development of discipline empirical formula ,Dividing the discipline health level standard. Researches show that: (1) Top 100 colleges and universities in the QS chemistry discipline ranking, The health level Presents pyramid shape, about 32% of the college distribution within the partition between 0-60 partition;(2)In the health level rating , American colleges and universities keep in the top three, the average score of the three institutions discipline health index is up to 96.17 points;(3)Some universities ranking in DHI model change is bigger, we need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the advantages and disadvantages of discipline in the colleges and universities. Keywords: Discipline ranking, PCA, DHI model,Health index, Policy analysis DOI : 10.7176/PPAR/9-3-02 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

O que diz o aluno sobre as aulas experimentais de química: uma análise das suas enunciações

É recorrente nos discursos oficiais, acadêmicos e também no espaço escolar sobre o protagonismo das aulas experimentais como motivadoras para a aprendizagem discente. Papel esse que é tido muitas vezes como essencial para a melhoria, mudança e transformação do ensino de ciências. Tendo em vista esse objeto e sua complexidade, a presente pesquisa reveste-se de relevância ao buscar interpretar as opiniões dos discentes do 2º ano do ensino médio profissionalizante sobre as aulas experimentais de Química. A abordagem escolhida para satisfazer esse objetivo foi uma pesquisa qualitativa, que utilizou de entrevistas com quatro questões abertas para a coleta de dados, essas que foram interpretadas à luz dos pressupostos bakhtinianos de enunciação e a discussão sobre o uso da experimentação no ensino. Os resultados mostraram a falta de contato dos discentes com experimentos, evidenciando a existência de uma dicotomia entre teoria e prática e, por conseguinte, que a atuação docente é descontextualizada. O que despertou uma visão confusa sobre a disciplina Química; de um lado, alguns alunos reconhecem a sua importância, e do outro, a dificuldade na sua assimilação. Tais desdobramentos expõem a trama de um fenômeno repleto de sentidos e significados que merecem ser discutidos.

Chemical Biology: Powerful Synergy Between Two Cultures

Chemical Biology: Powerful Synergy Between Two Cultures

Neighboring Protonation Unveils Lewis Acidity in the B3NO2 Heterocycle.

Boron serves a distinctive role in a broad range of chemistry disciplines. The utility of the element lies in its Lewis acidity, and thus, it is crucial to understand the properties of the boron atom in chemically different contexts. Herein, a combination of experiments and computations reveals the nuanced nature of boron in direct amidation reactions catalyzed by recently disclosed 1,3-dioxa-5-aza-2,4,6-triborinanes (DATBs). The most active DATB catalyst has been shown to bear an azaborine ring in its structure, thus having four boron atoms in a single molecule. Three chemically distinct boron atoms in the catalyst framework have been shown to serve different roles in the catalytic cycle, depending on their innate Lewis acidity. More specifically, the most Lewis acidic boron interacts with the amine, whereas the two boron atoms in the B-N-B substructure acquire Lewis acidity only upon protonation of the center nitrogen atom. Furthermore, although the least acidic boron atom in the azaborine ring did not act as a Lewis acid, it still plays an important role in the catalytic cycle by forming a hydrogen bond between carboxylic acid and the B-OH moiety. The mechanistic insights obtained from this study not only extend the knowledge on catalytic direct amidation but also provide a guiding principle for the further exploration of multi-boron compounds.

Editorial

Editorial

深度教学是促进初中化学学科核心素养落地的主要途径

深度教学是促进初中化学学科核心素养落地的主要途径

Mentoring and professional identity formation for teaching stream faculty

Purpose Peer-to-peer (P2P) mentorship has been identified as an important component of professional identity formation in higher education (HE). This may be especially true for education-focused or teaching stream (TS) faculty to thrive in times of changing organizational structures and work environments. The purpose of this paper is to present a critical reflection on the experiences in a faculty P2P mentoring for teaching program and considers the ways in which such programs can influence professional identity formation among TS academics. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a matched faculty mentorship pair from Nursing and Chemistry disciplines uses critical reflection as a process of inquiry to interpret their experiences of building and sustaining an effective mentoring relationship as part of the P2P program, and to consider implications for professional identity formation and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Findings Through the P2P program, the authors discovered that establishment of clear goals, a commitment to teaching and mentoring processes, and a mutual desire to build a relationship based on authenticity and reciprocity resulted in positive short- and long-term impacts on instructional practices. Professional identity was strengthened through intentional engagement and the opportunity to connect with like-minded peers, contributing to a renewed sense of confidence and commitment. Originality/value Interest in examining professional identity formation in HE has been growing over the past decade. This paper is novel in the critical reflection on a structured peer mentorship initiative through the lens of professional identity formation, with implications for planning and executing mentoring programs for TS faculty.

Conversion Reactions of Atomically Precise Semiconductor Clusters.

Clusters are unique molecular species that can be viewed as a bridge between phases of matter and thus between disciplines of chemistry. The structural and compositional complexity observed in cluster chemistry serves as an inspiration to the material science community and motivates our search for new phases of matter. Moreover, the formation of kinetically persistent cluster molecules as intermediates in the nucleation of crystals makes these materials of great interest for determining and controlling mechanisms of crystal growth. Our lab developed a keen interest in clusters insofar as they relate to the nucleation of nanoscale semiconductors and the modeling of postsynthetic reaction chemistry of colloidal materials. In particular, our discovery of a structurally unique In37P20X51 (X = carboxylate) cluster en route to InP quantum dots has catalyzed our interest in all aspects of cluster conversion, including the use of clusters as precursors to larger nanoscale colloids and as platforms for examining postsynthetic reaction chemistry. This Account is presented in four parts. First, we introduce cluster chemistry in a historical context with a focus on main group, metallic, and semiconductor clusters. We put forward the concept of rational, mechanism-driven design of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals as the primary motivation for the studies we have undertaken. Second, we describe the role of clusters as intermediates both in the synthesis of well-known material phases and in the discovery of unprecedented nanomaterial structures. The primary distinction between these two approaches is one of kinetics; in the case of well-known phases, we are often operating under high-temperature thermolysis conditions, whereas for materials discovery, we are discovering strategies to template the growth of kinetic phases as dictated by the starting cluster structure. Third, we describe reactions of clusters as model systems for their larger nanomaterial progeny with a primary focus on cation exchange. In the case of InP, cation exchange in larger nanostructures has been challenging due to the covalent nature of the crystal lattice. However, in the higher energy, strained cluster intermediates, cation exchange can be accomplished even at room temperature. This opens opportunities for accessing doped and alloyed nanomaterials using postsynthetically modified clusters as single-source precursors. Finally, we present surface chemistry of clusters as the gateway to subsequent chemistry and reactivity, and as an integral component of cluster structure and stability. Taken as a whole, we hope to make a compelling case for using clusters as a platform for mechanistic investigation and materials discovery.

Creating meaning for science teaching in an experimental class / Criando significado para o ensino de ciências em uma aula experimental

We present, in this text, the partial results of a study that analyzed the construction of meanings in a Science teacher training class, with qualification in the discipline of Chemistry. The proposal was based on the students' role, in which they could teach classes to their classmates, after a series of reflections and theoretical studies on the elaboration of concepts. For this, we chose to present, as part of a larger study, one of the episodes given by the students. The data allowed us to consider that the episode taught has characteristics that closely represent the teacher's intention to create problems, but still characterized by the traditional approach, with little appreciation of the participation of students in the process of building their own knowledge.

Molecular Modeling with Augmented Reality (MMAR)

Learning about molecular structures often becomes abstruse, due to its complex compositions, being aggravated by the restricted interactivity provided by the software commonly used. This difficulty can also be attached to the fact that most of the students do not present the necessary knowledge to work with biomolecular systems, affecting also the motivation in the object of study. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the influences related to interactivity, usability and motivation, provided by a web system called MMAR (Molecular Modeling with Augmented Reality), designed to support the learning of three-dimensional (3D) molecular structures. The system was applied to twenty-five students in the Chemistry discipline, from a technical course in a public school from basic education in Brazil. The results show that it was possible to assist students in the gain of knowledge, while simultaneously allowing them to enjoy themselves, providing unconventional learning, by increasing attractiveness, curiosity, attention, enthusiasm and relevance of such a complex subject in Chemistry.

OPTIMISATION OF SELECTION OF ELECTRONIC LEARNING RESOURCES ACCORDING TO STUDENT GROUP COMPOSITION

The technology of integration of learning methods, forms and means of information and communication technologies is described with due regards for psychological and pedagogical characteristics of student groups. The results of theoretical and experimental research conducted on the basis of two Ukrainian universities with the participation of 341 students in the "Chemistry" training area and 18 lecturers of basic chemical disciplines are highlighted. Both students and lecturers were polled in a specially designed questionnaire to show their attitude to the use of various electronic learning resources in learning and teaching basic chemical disciplines. Students’ preferences in learning styles were estimated on the basis of a self-scoring questionnaire for assessing preferences on four complementary dimensions, such as perception (sensitive or intuitive), input (visual or verbal), processing (active or reflective) and understanding (sequential or global) of chemical information. Such an approach is known as the method of Felder-Soloman, and it allows one to calculate Indices of Learning Style which assess qualitatively available preferences of all respondents in each of the four available directions. The developed technology allows lecturers to qualify an optimal set of electronic learning resources for the teaching of individual sections of chemistry, taking into account preferences in their use of students with different learning styles. The technology under development is based on the calculation of average resource scores as assessed by all students in the group, as well as on the expert evaluation of the feasibility of their application in the teaching of basic chemical disciplines. The taxonomy of the optimal selection of electronic learning resources and teaching methods is developed for each type of students’ learning preferences. Advantages and disadvantages of all available variants of the application of the developed technology are discussed for student groups of different compositions. An example of the application is given for studying the discipline "Inorganic Chemistry".

EFFECTIVENESS OF E-LEARNING RESOURCES IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY TEACHING

Implementation of electronic learning resources into the teaching of chemical disciplines in higher school does not always lead to an improvement in students' mastery of the material. Therefore, the optimal choice of effective electronic resources for the teaching of basic chemical disciplines is an urgent task. The purpose of the work was to identify the resources that are relevant to the teaching of physical chemistry from the point of view of both teachers and students. Specific questionnaires were developed to achieve the goal, and a survey of pedagogical process participants (students and faculty members) was conducted, followed by statistical processing of the survey results. The expediency of usage of 41 e-resources was investigated, and 21 resources were identified as suitable for the study of a university course in physical chemistry. Among them, eight e-resources were found to be important for teaching most topics of the discipline, and so are attributed to universal resources. Another thirteen resources are important for teaching some topics and ineffective for others (specific resources). At the same time, only five universal and eight specific resources are currently used in the practice of the Faculty of Chemistry of Olesj Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University. Some discrepancies have been identified between teachers and students concerning resource preferences that create the preconditions for the loss of effectiveness of the use of such resources. Since the use of some electronic resources is sensitive to learning styles, existing styles for faculties and students were analysed. The main differences consist in the explicit preferences of the faculty for reflective and global styles, while students are characterised by predominantly active and sequential learning styles. The results obtained regarding the effectiveness of e-resource usage are discussed from the viewpoint of preferences in learning styles characteristic of students and teachers of natural sciences.

UTILIZAÇÃO DE JOGO DIDÁTICO NO ENSINO DE QUÍMICA NAS ESCOLAS DE REFERÊNCIA ATRAVÉS DO CICLO DA EXPERIÊNCIA KELLYANA (CEK)

Geralmente, em um meio escolar encontramos discentes com dificuldade na disciplina de química, esse fato pode ser atribuído às estratégicas tradicionais de ensino, que aliadas aos conteúdos complexos tornam as aulas monótonas e desestimulantes. Visto que, o jogo, aliado ao aprendizado de determinados conteúdos e atividade lúdica, desperta o interesse dos estudantes nos conteúdos discutidos, proporcionando uma aprendizagem eficaz, divertida e empolgante. Por esse motivo, foi realizada uma pesquisa através do Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (TCC) defendido em 2017, no curso de Licenciatura em Química do IFPE (Instituto Federal de Pernambuco) – Campus Vitória, essa pesquisa buscou investigar as contribuições dos jogos didáticos no aprendizado em conceitos químicos através do Ciclo de Experiência Kellyana (CEK) pelos bolsistas do PDVL (Programa Internacional Despertando Vocações para Licenciaturas). O presente trabalho foi realizado nas Escolas de Referencia do Ensino Médio (EREM) no Município de Vitória de Santo Antão, essas escolas foram escolhidas por possuírem a concepção de escola inovadora, possibilitando assim, estratégias didáticas que facilitem ou dinamizem as aulas de maneira atrativa para os alunos. Ao realizarmos uma análise preliminar nessas escolas constatamos que os professores que lecionavam a disciplina de química não utilizam jogos didáticos em seu planejamento escolar. A partir disso verificando que nessas escolas possuíam o PDVL onde participam alguns estudantes do curso da Licenciatura em Química do IFPE (Instituto Federal de Pernambuco) – Campus Vitória e que esse programa possui o Grupo de Trabalho (GT) de Jogos Didáticos que realizam intervenções com os estudantes da disciplina de Química do ensino médio nas Escolas de Referência parceiras do programa, o nosso foco se voltou para as suas ações nas referidas escolas. A pesquisa se estabeleceu nas seguintes etapas: (i) Análise da proposta do programa; (ii) Observação das intervenções através do CEK (Ciclo da Experiência Kellyana) realizadas pelos bolsistas do PDVL - GT de Jogos Didáticos. Os resultados encontrados validaram nossa pesquisa, em vista que o PDVL - GT Jogos Didáticos vem a contribuir nas Escolas de Referência em Ensino Médio através das intervenções que os bolsistas realizam, utilizando como base metodológica o CEK, possibilitando aos estudantes um jogo didático que concilia o aprendizado de determinados conteúdos e a atividade lúdica, assim conseguindo despertar o interesse dos estudantes pela disciplina proporcionando uma aprendizagem diferenciada. A partir das investigações propostas nesse trabalho observamos que jogo didático não é utilizado em sala de aula como auxílio didático para aulas da disciplina de química, com isso, o PDVL vem desempenhando intervenções de maneira atrativa e estimulante na contribuição de saberes químicos para os alunos das EREM, conseguindo auxiliar no Ensino e Aprendizagem dos estudantes. A aplicação dos jogos didáticos no processo educativo promove a integração, a sociabilidade, o despertar lúdico, da brincadeira e principalmente do aprendizado. É importante frisar também, que os jogos devem ser sempre utilizados como ferramentas de apoio ao ensino e que este tipo de prática pedagógica conduz ao estudante à exploração de sua criatividade, dando condições de uma melhora de conduta no processo de ensino e aprendizagem.

ДІАГНОСТИКА СФОРМОВАНОСТІ ДОСЛІДНИЦЬКОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ТОВАРОЗНАВЦІВ-ЕКСПЕРТІВ


 
 
 In the article features are considered and the analysis of practical experience of professional training of future commodity experts. The problem of forming the research competence of future commodity experts in the process of studying chemical disciplines is outlined. Taking into account modern requirements of the labor market and social order, considerable attention is paid in the article to the formation of students of research qualities. It is proved that the involvement of future commodity experts in the research activity is a prerequisite for the formation of their research competence. A set of methods for diagnosing the level of formation of research competence of future commodity experts is proposed. Characterized by criteria and indicators by which the diagnostics of the formation of research competence of future commodity experts was conducted.The results of estimation of the level of formation of research competence of future commodity experts by the application of the proposed diagnostic toolkit are highlighted. According to the obtained data, further research prospects and expected results are determined.
 
 

Proposal of an interdisciplinary test involving the disciplines of physics, chemistry, geography and biology

Proposal of an interdisciplinary test involving the disciplines of physics, chemistry, geography and biology

O uso de mapas conceituais como ferramenta metacognitiva no Ensino de Química

O presente artigo tem como objetivo propor o uso de mapas conceituais (MCs) como ferramenta metacognitiva no processo de ensino e aprendizagem em química. A pesquisa envolveu estudantes do curso de licenciatura em química, durante a disciplina de química geral teórica II, na Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), campus de Belém. Os dados foram obtidos por meio da coleta de MCs construídos pelos discentes. As análises foram realizadas a partir da observação do contato dos estudantes com o objeto de estudo, da forma como os discentes compreendem o conteúdo e da externalização do conhecimento expressa através dos mapas. Os resultados obtidos indicam que através dos MCs é possível compreender melhor as manifestações metacognitivas dos indivíduos, pois os mapas tornam as informações mais acessíveis e permitem perceber a forma como os estudantes compreendem o conteúdo em estudo e como eles relacionam os conceitos em sua estrutura cognitiva. Atualmente é crescente o uso de ferramentas alternativas para o ensino, inclusive na área de ciências da natureza. Desse modo, o uso de MCs foi bem aceito pelos discentes, o que contribuiu significativamente com a formação de futuros docentes, demonstrando a importância desse instrumento para o processo de ensino e aprendizagem.