World Journal of Chemical Education

A simple and high-yielding laboratory experiment that involves the boric acid catalyzed amidation of benzoic acid is described. The experiment makes use of recent chemistry, it is appropriate for advanced undergraduate chemistry students, and demonstrates several important concepts including homogeneous catalysis and green chemistry.

World Journal of Chemical Education. 2015, 3(1), 27-29. DOI: 10.12691/wjce-3-1-4
Pub. Date: March 17, 2015

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Concept Maps in Organic Chemistry Practicals

by Ram Babu Pareek

Original Research

Chemistry laboratories have played an important and effective role in chemistry education. However, students frequently lack the ability to associate their laboratory experience with the important chemical concepts. The objective of practical work and experimentation in science curriculum is universally accepted. Students can appreciate various concepts of chemistry through laboratory experiments. The main goal of this study was to investigate into students’ understanding of organic chemistry practicals through the use of concept maps in pre-lab and post-lab sessions. The study was conducted during field work in senior secondary school, using 40 chemistry students in class XII. The experimental group was given treatment based on pre-lab and post-lab sessions using concept maps, while the control group followed a traditional method in which instructions as to what to do were given and students performed the practical as per instructions. Concept mapping was developed to help students make conceptual connections while doing laboratory work. Both groups took 20-item achievement tests one week after each experiment. The students’ performance was evaluated after each experiment. Students were interviewed to get their perceptions regarding usefulness of pre-lab, post- lab sessions in chemistry practicals. Significant differences were found between experiment and control group with respect to students’ understanding as determined by achievement tests. Students responded very positively towards the use of pre-lab and post-lab sessions in the laboratory, and they felt strongly that using concept maps in pre-lab and post-lab sessions helped them understand the theory reasoning involved in organic chemistry experiments. Students’ perceptions concerning the usefulness of concepts maps in chemistry practicals were also explored. The use of concept maps in practicals are intended to stimulate the students’ interest in conducting organic chemistry practicals.

World Journal of Chemical Education. 2015, 3(1), 22-26. DOI: 10.12691/wjce-3-1-3
Pub. Date: March 04, 2015

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Understanding Complexometric Titrations of Metal Cations with Aminopolycarboxylic Acids (EDTA and Analogs) within the frame of the Notion of Reactions between Groups of Chemical Species

by Maria Michela SALVATORE and Francesco SALVATORE

Review Article

In spite of the apparent technical simplicity with which visual complexometric titrations of metal cations with aminopolycarboxylic acids titrants are performed, a complex chemistry takes place in the titrated solution during the titration, due to the chemical environment and to the insuppressible chemical properties of metal cations, aminopolycarboxylic acids and metallochromic indicators. This chemical complexity makes rigorous exposition and evaluations of complexometric titrations arduous. Nonetheless, by the introduction of the notions of groups of chemical species and reactions between groups of chemical species (with the connected concept of conditional formation constant), a frame is created within which complexometric titrations with aminopolycarboxylic acids can be collocated and which allows a reasonably simple presentation and evaluation of the analytically relevant aspects of this type of titrations. In a sense, the well known concept of conditional complex formation constant is updated in a way that facilitates understanding and use.

World Journal of Chemical Education. 2015, 3(1), 5-21. DOI: 10.12691/wjce-3-1-2
Pub. Date: February 16, 2015

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How Chemicals’ Drawing and Modeling Improve Chemistry Teaching in Colleges of Education

by Jamal Raiyn and Anwar Rayan

Original Research

Our assumption states that integrating chemical drawing and modeling tools in teaching could promote chemistry teaching at the college level, and therefore improve the ability of students in colleges of education to understand better chemistry. During the last academic year, we incorporated CHEMDRAW software and tested how it affects students’ performance in the exams. The improvement in the averaged score from 5.7 (prior CHEMDRAW incorporation) to 7.73 (post CHEMDRAW incorporation) clearly reveals that integrating modeling tools in chemistry education is helpful. The students’ feedback following the initiative was positive and very supportive. Most students stated that with CHEMDRAW, they experienced a challenging learning environment engaged with dynamic illustration & interactive visual and would like to see such software integrated in their chemistry studies from day one. In the future we aim to test other parameters, e.g. Students' attitude toward learning chemistry as well as in more depth students' conceptual understanding in chemistry.

World Journal of Chemical Education. 2015, 3(1), 1-4. DOI: 10.12691/wjce-3-1-1
Pub. Date: February 11, 2015

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23587 Views7381 Downloads53 Likes1 Citations