Relevant initiatives

Chimicamente

University of Genova

National

No

Online course, Video, On-line Game, Didactical resource

Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Science

Italian

Teachers, Students

The site provides essentially:
- six simulations about acid-base titration, Brownian motion, simulation of gases, kinetics, thermodynamics, light-matter interaction
- an interactive periodic table
- two lessons on the nomenclature of compounds, with exercises (name-matching formula)
- a page dealing with balancing equations of reactions
- a page that performs exercises on moles, grams, particles and concentration of solutions
- definitions of units of measure, various tables which may serve to integrate the books- A voice "exercises done": only part of them are actually completed, some others are explanations of the method to solve the exercises, without the example
- "Games of chemistry" with 1998 Edition quizzes resolved and a link (PianetaChimica.it) where there are other quizzes related to other editions
- other material to be consulted (articles, lectures, etc.).
The material available aims to train students about fundamental chemistry enabling the user to choose between different topics and different tools.
In the simulations, the user must set one or more parameters: for example, in the case of acid-base titrations, the kind of titrant, its molarity, the quantity to be added, the indicator are the parameters to be set. Then, the result of the setting is calculated by the computer and viewed.
Nomenclature and balancing exercises are also interactive: the computer asks to balance a reaction or to name a compound and checks the answer.
The site provides tools to be used autonomously by the students (i.e. the nomenclature exercices), in class or as homework, and others that should be used with the supervision of the teacher. In this case, the teacher could divide the students in small groups and assign different values of the parameters to each group; eventually, the results could be compared and discussed collectively.

Like the titel suggests, the initiative is dedicated to the chemistry world.
Maybe the look isn’t so captivating but it’s essential and especially functioning.
Even if the chemistry subject is tight, lot of materials are available.
Inquiring students and teachers, who are searching for new ideas for innovative and technologic lessons will be satisfied. Some example of the available materials are: online tools for reaction trade-off (http://www.chimicamente.it/didattica/balance.htm),
exercises (http://www.chimicamente.it/esempioacidobase.htm) and also didactic suggestions (http://www.chimicamente.it/catalizzatori.htm).