[ale] [OT] Software and file formats for on-line/correspondence chemical education

[Jay Lozier]

On 01/21/2012 10:37 AM, Tom Freeman wrote:
>
> On Fri, 20 Jan 2012, Wolf Halton wrote:
>
>>   On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 10:20 AM, Tom Freeman
>> <tfreeman at intel.digichem.net>  wrote:
>>        I have accepted the job of teaching an on-line
>>        chemistry course for majors
>>        next fall, with the requirement that the course be
>>        written this spring.
>>        I for see an issue which I could use a whole heaping
> <<snip/chop>>
>> What kind of thing are they doing?
>> OpenOfficeDraw can let them make sketches
>> Dia can let them make more organized diagrams (replaces visio)
>> What MafiaSoft product are you attempting to substitute?
> Wolf
>
> Basically, as I understand their suggestions (at this instant),
> the suggestion is to use Office 2010 exclusively. Apparently,
> the ability to take a document and use a  stylus and touchpad
> for annotation exists in the package. I cant't swear to that, as
> I don't use it.
>
> As for what the students will be doing - this is freshman
> chemistry. There will be a limited number of cases where graphic
> structures (orbital orientation, crystal structure, 3-D molecules,
> fisher structures for example) are useful in this course. More
> important to me is the ability to structure a calculation
> argument for  tasks such as conversions, stoichimetric calculations,
> dilutions, and the like. Of course, there is also the relatively
> simple task of getting a nicely laid out reaction equation.
>
> I should point out, that I'm getting old enough to still expect some
> old school skills. "Google that" for a conversion doesn't cut it.
> I want somebody to be able to recognize a conversion type problem,
> and how to set it up, document the set up, and get an informative
> result. One demo which I can only wish will survive transmission.
>
> Convert 75.2 inches to kilometers. (Work with me here please.
> I know it is an absurd problem, but we all know absurdity is all
> through the work place and life.)
>
> I try to enforce writing down the conversion facts you plan to use.
> Hence: 2.54 cm = 1 in (exact), 100 cm = 1 m (exact),
> 1000m = 1Km (exact).
>
> There are _at_least_ three structurally different formating
> aproaches, and may be a few others. Algebraically creating a ratio
> then computing, computing three different conversions in sequence,
> something called units analysis which is set up and compute.
> Working with people who are having difficulties just wrapping their
> minds around conversions, let alone formating them for posterity...
>
> To continue with a sequence of conversions:
>                      _75.2 in_ = _?_ cm_
> convert in ->  cm      1 in       2.54 cm  ===>  191.008 cm
>
>                      _191.008_cm   = _?_m_
> convert cm ->  m      100 cm         1 m   ===>  1.91008 m
>
>                      _1.91008_m_  = _?_Km_
> convert m ->  Km      1000 m        1 Km   ===>  0.00191008 Km
>
> sig fig ===>  0.00191 Km
Many will not know there is formula editor in Word (and LO) nor be able 
to use it. Sig figs will be a mystery to many because they will not 
grasp that the measurements limits the sig figs and the calculator 
display has nothing to do with sig figs.
>
> (sorry about having to use ASCI art style formatting, those
> entries are fast attempts to show ratios)
>
> Hopefully this shows a little bit of what I'm trying to
> accomplish. I'm trying to get students to create documentable
> solutions for their future work, not to rely on "Google". Their
> employers are not hiring "Google".
>
> FWIW - I'm using "Google" in the sense of "look it up via computer
> on-line" rather than the corporate entity we all know and many
> love.
>
> Hope this makes sense, and I apologise for the rather OT use
> of innocent bandwidth.
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>


-- 
Jay Lozier
jslozier at gmail.com