REVIEWS Chemical Nomenclature and Balancing Equations Bergwall Educational Software, 106 Charles Llndbergh Boulevard. Uniondale, NY 11553 Hardware Apple II family Components: 2 disks and backups and manual Level and Sublect: Hlgh school or college general chemistry cost: $59 Summary Ratlngs: catwry Ease of Use: Sub1.m wner Contenc Psdagogic Value:
Very b o d Gad
Student Reaction:
Very Good
Excellent
Berewall's educational software is a twodisk &ekage which does an exceptionally good joh of helping students comprehend the essentials of chemical nomenclature and balancing equations. The first disk is designed as a tutorial or instructional program, while the second is used for drill and practice of the chemical principles described in the first disk. This product, which is appropriate for high schwl or beginning college students, demands only a minimal secondary level mathematies background end reading ahility. Its use would be most effective after the student had been introduced to these topics as part of a regular course of study. All in all, this educational option is well worth its modest price.
-Reviewed
These computer programs deal exclusively with the subjects of inorganic nomenclature and balancing simple equations. The nomenclature section does an excellent job of teaching Stock's method of formulanaming and formula writing for inorganic ionic compounds. Specifically, the student is first shown that elements may exist as positively or negatively charged ions and that groups of atoms may exist as charged radicals. It is then demonstrated that ionic compounds are formed when a positive ion rombine.i witha negative ion. Additiunally it isshown that the total positiv~ch~rgemust equal the total negative charge. he pragra& have over 600 examples of varying degrees of difficulty to illustrate these principles. The student gets substantial exposure to this type of chemistry. However, several important nomenclature topics, including inorganic acids, compounds with common names such as ferriclferrous, and nonmetalnonmetal compounds like phosphorus pentachloride, are not presented in this educational package. The second major part of these programs does an outstanding job of teaching the balancing of simple chemical equations. First, the student is instructed to recognize that the total number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation. Then the technique for finding the proper stoichiometric coefficients is illustrated. Fifty possible examples are available with these programs, but no samples are given in which the student must first predict probable products or first translate a word equation before balancing is tried. Also no onidation-reduction type problems are presented. This package does
an excellent ioh of teachine what it was designed to do; however, it is incomplete in its coverage of the topics. Bmh disks are effective in teaching chemical nomenclature and balancing equations. The tuturial disk is divided inw fiw mtd. ules: symbols, oxidation charts, formula naming, formula writing, end balancing equations. The oxidation chart module is merely a list of common ions for reference purposes. The other modules are developed in a lively, highly interactive, user-controlledmanner. After the disk is hooted, the student is asked to provide a first name to allow the computer to perwnalire the directions and explanations. The student i 3 then euided through the module. First, the rheory and hasicbrinciples of the topicare presented. Then specific examples are given that illustrate practical applications of the theory. Lastly, the user is given many ''quizzes" on the material. During these quizzes, there is instant reinforcement for CORRECT answers and immediate clarification for INCORRECT answers. The student may review the material a t many stages throughout each module, and a summary of important points is given after each lesson. Similarly, the drill and practice disk has several modules: oxidation charts, formula naming, formula writing, and balancing equations. It is assumed that the user has been introduced to these topics earlier. The oxidation charts are again only for reference. In these modules, the student is first asked to specify the number of questions
In This Issue
Reviewer
Computer Learning P a c k a g e s BergwaN Educational Software, Chemical Nomenclature and Balancing Equations Marvin Gold, Principles of Stoichiometry Richard Hallgren, Solubility
Timothy A. Kling
A41
Frank Montagnino Frank W. Darrow Jeanne M. Gizard
A42 A43 A44
Ralph A. Zingaro
A45
Wayne C. Wolsey
A45
Shelton Bank Vaneica Y. Young
A46 A46
George B. Kauffman George B. Kauffman
A47 A47
George B. Kauffman
A48
Books Kenneth W. Whitten, Kenneth D. Gailey, and Raymond€. Davis, General Chemistry, Third Edition Joseph D. Deleo, Fundamentals of Chemistry: General, Organic and Biological John C. Stowell, Intermediate Organic Hobart H. Willard, Lynne L. Merritt, Jr., John A. Dean, and Frank A. Settle, Jr., Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Seventh Edltion Ronald Hoffman, the Metamict State The ACS Committee on Professional Training, American Chemical Society Directory of Graduate Research American Chemical Society, Chemical Research Faculties: An International Directory, 1988
Volume 66
Number 1 January 1989
A41
that the software will generate in a given topic area. The computer then randomly selects questions from over 600 compounds or 50 equations. If a correct answer is entered, the student is immediatelv told this. If the response is incorrect, asecond chance is provided. A hint may even he given about why the first response was wrong. A percentage score is presented at the end of the session. Thus, I found the pedgogical approaches of hoth disks to be very effective. This software package also comes with a well documented courseware guide. The user has a detailed description of the followine: hardware reouirements.. oneratine" instructions, potential input problems, recommendations for product use, and goals and aims for each module Alma pretest and posttest are available for the instructor. Since the disks are copy protected, they may not be duplicated. However, a backup set of disks is supplied, and arrangements can he made with the company for more copies. In summarv.. all information needed to use the nackaee successfullv is nrovided ( h e r a l l y , there programs are very easy to use. No prwr wmputer erperlence 8s needed by a first time user. All important features are found on the screen. Any other problems may be resolved by consulting the manual or by calling the company. Several improper inputs, such as hitting the reset key or control key while pressing other keys, may disrupt the programentirely. The only way out of this situation appears to he to reboot the disk. Also one aspect of the input process seemed awkward a t first. The ESC key must be pressed before a capital letter is entered for a chemical symbol or formula. However, if the ESC key is used hefare a ~arenthesis or subscript, the screen will appear normal to the user, but the computer will not interpret the response properly. Thus, a correct response may be marked as being wrong. Lastly, I felt that the needed input was inflexible occasionally. For example, a positive three for e charge must be entered as 3s:3 is not accepted. Likewise the formula for acetate muor be entered as CHQCOOand not C2H302. This software was tested with a group of about 30 elementary chemistry students over a three-quarter period. This course is designed for college students who have never had high school chemistry. AU participants were students who had volunteered their time to help evaluate this software package. Generally, these students reported that they enjoyed using these programs and said that the software helped them to learn the material. Many commented that these computer programs were more interesting than their textbook! On the average, each module took about 15-20 minutes to complete. Most of these above average students drd well when evaluated over these topics. Their b~ggesrcompla~ntwas the use of the o n also cumESC kev tor c a ~ ~ t a l ~ z a t iSome mented-that they wished that the program would give acids and nonmetal-nonmetal compounds far examples. In summary, I will continue to use this package for our beginning students, because
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it helps me to teach them these important topics. However, I feel that the content of the disks could he expanded to make the package even more useful. Timothy A. Kling Lakeland Carnmunlty College Mentor, OH 44060
Prlnclples of Stolchiometry Marvin Gold. COMPress. P.O. Box 102. Wentworth, NH 03282 Hardware: Apple II famlly Components: 1 disk, Teacher's Manual Level and Subject: High school or college general chemistry Cost $40 ($100 for a LabPack of 5 copies) Summary Ratlngs:
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2
A42
ca1egory Easa of Use: Sublect Matter Content: Pedagogic Value: Student Reaction:
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Journal of Chemical Education
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Average Average Average Average
The program is contained an a single double-sided disk and is most appropriate for students enrolled in a second year of high school chemistry or a first-year college chemistry course. I t is primarily a tutorial supported by nonrandom generated prohlems which require user input. The program is copy protected and cannot he adapted to meet local needs. The software is accompanied by a 12-page teacher's manual that adeouatelv describes the programs and establisies tde objective for each unit of study. A student's manual is not nroviderl ~~- .. . -. -. The program is menu driven. Instructions throughout the program are unambiguous, easy to follow, and require a minimum of computer competency. Program structure is semi-rigid but does allow the user to return to the main menu at appropriate times. Withineach section a previous page of information cannot he reviewed without returning to the main menu and restarting the section. This structural arrangement presented some difficulty to the students, who frequently wanted to review a previous page of information. The program's weU-written introduction defines stoichiometry, lists the program objectives, describes how the program is designed to accomplish the author's goal, defines the protocol for user-computer interaction, outlines the program, and provides practice entering values from the keyboard. Error trapping of keyboard input is generally effective. However, the DrOEram asks the user to type in +25 and late; -25 and accepts values like +25.9 and -25.9; whereas, it rejects 25, in place of +25. Similar mishandling of user input also occurs in the last unit of study. The program is partitioned into two analogous parts, each with six study and two testingunits. Part 1, on side one of the disk, ~
employs a sandwich analogy, and part 2, on side two of the disk, uses ammonia produetion to present the principles of stochiometry. The six units of study are balanced equations, limiting reactant, value table, ork (mole) concept, arks and slices (moles and molecules), and orks and grams (moles and ersms). " ~ a ; h study unit includes a short tutorial followed by several problems. The problems are relatively easy but do require pencil and paper. Correct answers produce s variety of brief approbations whereas incorrect answers produce conteat-sensitive responses. Students operating at the main level are usually given two opportunities to answer a question correctly. The first incorrect response results in a suggestion of how-to-proceed and the second usually in remediation. Two chemistry teachers, three students who had completed one year of regent's chemistry and were currently in regent's physics, as well as two students currently in regent's chemistry reviewed the programs on the disk. The analoe" on side 1 - involves . eonstmrting a sandwich from 2slicesof bread, 3slices of ham, and 1dice of cheese. Theequatiun is 2H + 3H + C = S. The ch~mistryequivalent is the formation of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen according to the equation Nt +3H2=2NH3. The unit on balanced equations considers the usual quantitative relationships hetween the coefficients of a balanced equation. The user is not required to balance any equations. The tutorial section is well-written. However, in part two, the nitrogen molecule is represented as N-N rather than N=N. Student users were not aware of this misrepresentation. Remediation in this unit, as in other sections, ignores units of measurement. Equations often take the form, 96 X 113 = 32. Dimensional analysis would enhance the effectiveness of this program. The balanced equation study unit on side two was unfriendly. Two incorrect responses to the first question terminated this unit of study. The user is required to return to side one or reboot the disk. A better solution would he to hranch the user automatically to the start of the study unit or allow the user to continue. The limiting reactant study unit included a well-written rutorial, s dictionary page with the definitions of limiting end exress reactant, and a nondancing "dancing analogy." Frequent access to the dictionary page and the dancinganalogy were the highlights of this unit. Suhject matter presentation was standard. Four errors were encountered. First, the user was asked to enter B, S, or C where the author clearly meant B, H or C; second, two incorrect responses to Question Two resulted in incomplete clearing of the screen and new text overlaying old; third, at one place "n" and "h" used to represent nitrogen and hydrogen; and fourth, a misprint occurred in a remediation message. The value table unit presents a standard bookkeeping method for tracking the reactants consumed in a reaction. Terms used in the unit were defined and a protocol for entering values re-established. The tutorial section was very good. Continuity with the previous unit was established hy using values determined previously in the example ~
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