How to teach chemistry? Is Chemistry a new universal language

Chemistry has been developed greatly throughout the 20th century. Chemistry is included in the curriculum of elementary and secondary education. In general, students are not interested in science, and because of this ,students tend not to make an effort to learn and understand the meaning of concepts and the chemistry language that are being taught to them. If we consider that there is a little bit analogy between chemistry and foreign languages, we should learn the sym bols of the Periodic Table as symbols of an alphabet. The first knowledge that one needs to know when we are learning a second language is the new symbols of our new alphabet. It is necessary to learn more than 103 symbols, the chemical alphabet. After that, the students are ready to begin the formation of chemical words. In this case, learning the compounds names is easier when only two elements are involved, but when there are more than two, the chemical language is more complex. The proposal of this study is intended to design and implement a teaching strategy for teaching and learning the chemical language, first of all the chemical alphabet, the Periodic Table and then, the language which it is built the chemistry. For this proposal, we will use some m ultimedia application (Information and Communication Technologies (ITC)), which consists in an interactive periodic table. Students will be able to push one element and they will be able to see the properties of this element and which other element will be able to combine with it, and furthermore, if this element will be able to combine with itself. When they know properly the simple language, they will be able to continue studying more complex words, in this case, the reactions. With this multimedia application, the students will be able to watch how the atoms will change, one atom changes to a new atom during a whole reaction. And finally, they will be able to watch how these new atoms have new properties, and they combine each one. With this Periodic Table, the students learn chemical formulas and equations. 2. Experimental. This study was created as a descriptive study in which the survey technique was used. The study was carried out during the course 2013 /14. The sample consisted of 35 volunteer studen ts from two different classes, at the first course of Mechanical Engineer degree at University of Málaga. But the vast majority of them were there, they did not love chemistry. Each student made one questionnaire about the utility of our multimedia application. The scale of the test was a five point Likert type scale with a range of five options. The positive items range from 1= Certainly Agree to 5 = Certainly Disagree. 3. Results and Discussion. Mostly the average of these statements showed an overall positive response statements .The majority of the each student average of the response statements shown are positive, more than 2.5. After this study, we studied if there was some difference between the two groups studied and it can be seen that the mean an d the standard deviation for the different variables according to the two investigated groups demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the level of interest or utility that they give to the multimedia application. 4. Conclusions. The results of this study are based on a survey purpose after the use of an interactive application in order to improve the learning process of the chemistry language. This information is valuable since students could watch these animations on a computer. This is based on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, which assumes that learners process information through a dual coding capability involving a auditory/verbal channel and a visual/pictorial channel. Nevertheless, the vast majority of students recognize that chemistry knowledge is useful to interpret aspect of their everyday life, but not many of them express their wish to continue chemistry studies.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Chemical language, a language that you need to know if you want to learn Chemistry

There is a little bit analogy between chemistry and foreign languages. One reason why people find Chemistry as a language is because of the orthography, the systematic way it is written. In order to learn a second language, one needs to know the new symbols, In chemical language, it is necessary to learn 103 symbols, the chemical alphabet, this is the periodic table. After knowing the alphabet, the students are ready to begin the formation of chemical words. In this case, learning the compounds names are easier when only two elements are involved, but when there are more than two, the chemical language is more complex. As a language, students can build a huge amount of chemical formulas and reactions from finite components. After a few classes of chemistry, the students are ready to attempt intelligent conversation by combining the chemical alphabet words into sentences, the reactions. They can translate between Spanish and Chemistry. Actually, every chemist in every language refer to the same concept using the same word. It is true that in a subject as Chemistry, the language is laden with a specific vocabulary. As a foreign language, chemistry demand hard work in the form of many hours of repetitions examples and problems, but why not easy the burden by beginning. Chemical education researches have recognized that students often have difficulty learning chemistry concepts, language and so on. Researchers have proposed several suggestions as to the reasons for this difficulty, including frequent overloading of student working memory [1-3]. One of the major goals in teaching chemical language with a contextual approach is that students will develop the ability to understand a make decision about issued they may face in their everyday lives outside of the classroom [4,5]. In this work, we report a study that employed computer simulations. The proposal of this study is intended to design and implement a teaching strategy for teaching and learning the chemical language, first of all the chemical alphabet,the Periodic Table and then, the language which it is built the chemistry. For this proposal we will use some multimedia application (Information and Communication Technologies (TIC)), which consists in a interactive periodic table. Student will be able to push one element and they will be able to see the properties of this element and which other element will be able to combine with it, and furthermore, if this element will be able to combine with itself. Whenn they know properly the simple language, they will be able to continue studying more complex words, in this case, the reactions. With this multimedia application, the students will be able to watch how the atoms will change, one atom changes to a new atom during a whole reaction. And finally, they will be able to watch how these new atoms have new properties, and they combine each one. [1] Carlson, R., Chandler, P., Sweller, J., J. Educ. Psych., 95, (2003) p. 629. [2]. Johnstone, A. H., Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 7, (2006) pp 49. [3]. Johnstone, A. H., J. Chem. Educ., 87, (2010) pp 22. [4] King, D. 2007. Teacher beliefs and constraints in implementing a context-based approach in chemistry. Teaching Science- the Journal of the austalian Scinece teacher association, 53 (1), 14.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The use of simulations and videos in order to improve the learning of REDOX reactions in Engineering Degrees

Many students from secondary schools to universities in many countries struggle to learn chemistry and many do not succeed. Many high school and university students experience difficulties with fundamental ideas in chemistry [1]. Despite the importance of the foundation of chemistry, most students emerge from introductory courses with very limited understanding of the subject [2]. Chemistry had been regarded as a difficult subject for students by many researchers, teachers and science educators [3-4] because of the abstract nature of many chemical concepts, teaching styles applied in class, lack of teaching aids and the difficulty of the language of chemistry. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of teaching Chemistry at University Degrees. In general, the use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centred learning settings. Furthermore, and due to the fact that the globalization is becoming more and more important, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more essential. The presence of ICT in the interactive educational environment can help to develop thinking skills and make classrooms an environment for educational growth. ICT also helps students to develop new thinking skills which may transfer to different situations which may require analysis and comprehension skills, and consequently critical skill development. ICT has become an increasingly popular technological tool within an educational context. Even though, the potential of ITC use in increasing student interactivity and collaboration has been explored by many educators, the research conducted on the effectiveness of these tools use in an educational context is still quite limited. In this work a study to investigate the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of Chemistry at Malaga University was conducted between 2015/16. The study participants were two classrooms of the 1º level of Mechanical Engineering Degree. In the present work, a positive attitude towards learning has been accompanied by a motivated behaviour. This could be seen as the use of the simulation and some videos (ICT). The present study investigated whether computer assisted instruction, simulation and videos were more effective than face-to-face instruction in increasing student success in chemistry. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness ICT as an educational tool in an undergraduate course for students. The results of the Mechanical Engineering Degree study is based on surveys purpose after the use of an interactive application and videos in order to know, if they think the use of these ITC have improved their learning process. On average, the students find the use and application useful, overall because they are able to transfer from macroscopic level to microscopic or/ and symbolic level. Several concepts and conceptual relations covered in the chemistry or science courses were provided in a concrete way, the help of computer simulations improved the student success significantly. [1] Carson, J. , & Watson, E. M (2002). Undergraduate students’ understandings of entropy and gibbs free energy. University Chemistry Education, 4, 4-12. [2] Ochs, R.S. (1996) Thermodynamics and Spontaneity, Journal of Chemical Education, 73(10), pp 952-954. [3] Carter, C.S. and Brickhouse, M.W. (1989) What Makes Chemistry Difficult? Alternate Perceptions, Journal of Chemical Education, 66(3), 223-225 [4] Nakhleh, M.B. (1992) Why Some Students Don’t Learn Chemistry, Chemical Misconceptions, Journal of Chemical Education, 69(3), 191-196.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Motivation to learn Chemistry in massive open online courses

One of the key factors for any educational proposal to achieve success lies in the motivation of students. The disposition that the students have before the learning is fundamental to be able to obtain the objectives. MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) has emerged strongly in the context of university education. The use of MOOC offers time in the classroom that can be used to do active learning activities in which teachers' role is essential, and students can review learning materials at their own pace. The objective of this paper was to evaluate a course about concepts. The use of a MOOC named Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions. It is a course for students with limited background in chemistry; basic concepts involved in chemical reactions, stoichiometry, the periodic table, periodic trends, nomenclature. The evaluation of the proposal was made by students of Electrical Engineers at University of Malaga, with satisfactory results.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Foreclosure by Arbitration?

The recession and the drastic decline in home values have combined to trigger a wave of foreclosures. Predictably, legislators, policymakers, scholars, and consumer advocates have responded with a wide range of proposals designed to protect distressed mortgagors from losing their homes

Dinámica Social y Contenido Fenomenológico de la Expresión y Significación

El objetivo de este trabajo es responder la pregunta: ¿qué relación existe entre dinámica social y contenido fenomenológico de la expresión y significación? Para ello, se procederá con una exposición de los contenidos fenomenológicos de la expresión y significación, desarrollado en laInvestigación Primaria de Husserl, para continuar con un caso de dinámica social. Esto permitirá mostrar cómo se aplican las vivencias de significación fenomenológicas al tema de la dinámica de las "barras bravas". Los límites de la argumentación están dados por la consideración de dos textos, la Investigación Primaria de Investigaciones Lógicas (Husserl, 1929) y Diagnóstico Antropológico de las Barras Bravas y de la Violencia ligada al Fútbol (Recasens, 1996)

The cloud hovering over the virtual campus

The Virtual Campus has been around for about 20 years. It provides an online environment that mimics the processes and services of the physical campuses and classrooms. Its adoption is almost complete in countries where Internet access has become ubiquitous. For a time seemed like the innovation in education was happening in the Virtual Campus, but this is no more. Personal Learning Environments, Life Long Learning, MOOCS, Open Educational Resources, Mobile Apps, Gamification, Social Networks, free Cloud based services... al of the above and even more hint that not all the learning today is happening at school or in the Virtual Campus.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Impact of microstructure on protein hydrolysis and acid uptake during in vitro gastric digestion of egg white protein gels

[EN] Scientific interest in evaluating the effects of food on human health has increased in the last few years, but the underlying mechanisms of digestion still need to be better understood. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of food microstructure on protein hydrolysis, acid and moisture uptake during in vitro gastric digestion of egg protein gels. Dispersions prepared with 11.26% egg white protein were adjusted to pH 3, 5 or 7.5 and heated at 90 ⁰C for 1 hour to form different gel microstructures. Gels were cut into cubes (12 x 12 mm) and underwent in vitro oral digestion for 30 seconds (0.2 mL saliva/g gel, pH 7, 194.7 U/mL α-amylase) and in vitro gastric digestion for 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 or 240 minutes (6 mL gastric juice/g gel, pH 1.8, 2000 U/mL pepsin) in a shaking water bath (37⁰C, 100 rpm). Free amino groups during digestion were quantified using the o-Phthalaldehyde (OPA) method. Acid penetration was measured by potentiometric titration to pH 8.2, and moisture uptake was measured gravimetrically. Changing the microstructure of the gel (due to different initial pH) impacted protein hydrolysis (p < 0.05). The amount of free amino groups present in the gel after 240 minutes digestion was 22.66 mg glycine eq/g dry mass in pH 3 gels, 1.03 in pH 5 gels, and 6.44 in pH 7.5 gels. The acid uptake was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by gel microstructure. The moisture uptake during gastric digestion was significantly (p < 0.05) greater in gels at pH 3, but similar in gels at pH 5 and 7.5. Egg protein gel microstructure influenced protein breakdown and uptake of moisture and acid. The influence of initial food structure on acid uptake and subsequent protein hydrolysis may help predict nutrient release and inform design of new food products.[ES] El interés científico en el análisis de los efectos de los alimentos en la salud humana ha aumentado, pero los mecanismos subyacentes de la digestión todavía necesitan una mayor comprensión. El objetivo de este estudio consiste en determinar la influencia de la microestructura de los alimentos en la hidrólisis proteínica y en la absorción de ácido y humedad durante digestión gástrica in vitro de geles de proteína de huevo. Las dispersiones preparadas con un 11.26% de proteína de clara de huevo y ajustadas a pH 3, 5 o 7.5 se calentaron a 90 ⁰C por una hora para formar geles con diferentes microestructuras. Estos geles fueron cortaron en cubos (12 x 12 mm) y sometidos a una digestión oral in vitro por 30 segundos (0.2 mL saliva/g gel, pH 7, 194.7 U/mL α-amilasa) y a una digestión gástrica in vitro por 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 o 240 minutos (6 mL jugo gástrico/g gel, pH 1.8, 2000 U/mL pepsina) en un baño de agua con agitación (37⁰C, 100 rpm). Los grupos amino libres formados durante la digestión fueron cuantificados usando el método o-Phthalaldehyde (OPA). La penetración acida fue medida mediante valoraciones potenciométricas a pH 8.2, y la absorción de humedad fue medida gravimétricamente. Cambiar la microestructura del gel (dada por el pH inicial) ha afectado a la hidrólisis de proteínas (p<0.05). La cantidad de grupos amino libres presentes en el gel después de 240 minutos de digestión fue de 22.66 mg equivalente de glicina/g masa seca en geles a pH 3, 1.03 en geles a pH 5, y 6.44 en geles a pH 7.5. La absorción de ácido fue influida de manera significativa (p<0.05) por la microestructura del gel. La absorción de humedad durante la digestión fue considerablemente (p<0.05) mayor en geles a pH 3, pero similar en geles a pH 5 y pH 7.5. La microestructura del gel de proteína ha afectado la descomposición química de las proteínas y la absorción de ácido y humedad. La influencia de la estructura inicial de los alimentos en la absorción de ácido y la posterior hidrólisis proteínica puede ayudar a predecir la liberación de nutrientes y conformar el diseño de nuevos productos alimenticios.[CA] L'interès científic per avaluar els efectes dels aliments en la salut humana ha augmentat en els últims anys, però els mecanismes subjacents a la digestió encara han no són del tot compresos. L'objectiu d'aquest estudi va ser determinar la influència de la microestructura alimentària en la hidròlisi de proteïnes, l'absorció d'àcids i humitats durant la digestió gàstrica in vitro de gels proteics d'ous. Les dispersions preparades amb 11,26% de proteïna blanca d'ou es van ajustar a pH 3, 5 o 7,5 i es van escalfar a 90 ⁰C durant 1 hora per formar diferents microestructures de gel. Els gels es van tallar en cubs (12 x 12 mm) i es va realitzar una digestió oral in vitro durant 30 segons (0.2 ml de saliva / g de gel, pH 7, 194.7 U / ml d'α-amilasa) i digestió gàstrica in vitro de 15, 30, 60 , 120, 180 o 240 minuts (6 ml de suc gàstric / g de gel, pH 1,8, 2000 U / ml de pepsina) en un bany amb agitació (37⁰C, 100 rpm). Els grups amino lliures durant la digestió es van quantificar utilitzant el mètode o-Phthalaldehyde (OPA). La penetració àcida es va mesurar mitjançant una valoració potenciomètrica fins al pH 8.2, i es va mesurar la absorció d'humitat gravimètrica. Canviar la microestructura del gel (a causa del pH inicial diferent), va afectar a la hidròlisi de proteïnes (p <0,05). La quantitat de grups amino lliures presents al gel després de 240 minuts de digestió era de 22.66 mg de glicina eq / g de massa seca en pH 3 gels, 1.03 en pH 5 gels i 6.44 en pH 7.5 gels. La captació d'àcids va ser significativament (p <0,05) influenciada per la microestructura del gel. L'absorció d'humitat durant la digestió gàstrica va ser significativament (p <0,05) major en gels a pH 3, però similar en gels a pH 5 i 7,5. La microestructura de gel de proteïnes d'ou va influir en la descomposició de proteïnes i l'absorció d'humitat i àcid. La influència de l'estructura alimentària inicial en la captació d'àcids i posterior hidròlisi de proteïnes pot ajudar a predir l'alliberament de nutrients i informar per al disseny dels nous productes alimentaris.García Guerrero, M. (2019). Impact of microstructure on protein hydrolysis and acid uptake during in vitro gastric digestion of egg white protein gels. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/120734TFG

Does Colombia participate in the law of the sea?

From many years ago, the sea and the oceans had served the human beings for different uses such as communication and commerce between cities, discovery and knowledge, the increase of the military potency of the cities, the coast defense and territory, fishing, and after some years, the use of other economic resources

“Zombie attack” a new way to teach Chemistry

The Higher Education requires new models which allow training people able to adapt and survive in changing environments. It is based on the use of technologies and the adaptation of knowledge to people. It is about an education according to circumstances, which is adapted to context and virtual behaviour of people. One of the main difficulties that lecturers find in the classroom is how to maintain students' attention and interest in their subject, especially when students also think that the subject is not important for their training. In order to motivate these students, innovation in educational techniques and methodologies, such as experiential learning, are progressively being imposed to and/or coordinated with the traditional ones. Escape Room is a very modern concept in education, based on the development of mental skills for the solution of enigmas and problems. It is a tool to develop the cooperative, cognitive, deductive and logical reasoning skills of the students. In this work, an educational gamification experience based on the escape room concept is presented. The students have 1 hour and 30 minutes to carry out this activity. They will have to solve four puzzles and enigmas that will give them the key to open a treasure chest and finally let them escape from the classroom. Logic, ingenuity and teamwork will allow participants to develop not only chemical competence, but also other basic skills. The story that is told throughout the escape room is a zombie attack: the city has been infected (with a virus) and only the occupants of the room where the activity takes place have not been infected. In addition, they can all protect themselves if they are able to open the chest where the antidote is located. The aim of this activity is to enhance the knowledge acquired throughout the semester as well as the development of skills.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec