Educacion Quimica Magazine Online

THANKS TO DGAPA-UNAM

PAPIME PE200406

"Educación Química" thanks to the Direccion General de Asuntos del Personal Academico de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México for the support granted by the PAPIME Project PE2004406 named “The 20th aniversary of the Journal Educacion Quimica”, partially used to built this new page for the electronic sale and control of the to the on line journal Educacion Quimica.

Intuitive thinking and chemistry learning

Por Alejandra García Franco, Keith S. Taber
In this article we present exploratory results from an interpretive research project in which we asked secondary students (12-18 yrs) to explain and describe phenomena related to the particulate nature of matter. Answers are analyzed from a ‘conceptual resources’ perspective, rather than from the more common ‘alternative conceptions’ perspective. We present some potential ‘phenomenological primitives’ for chemistry learning that could be used by teachers to advance students’ knowledge in this topic, rather than trying to challenge and modify them as usually suggested from the alternative conceptions framework. Keywords: chemistry learning, secondary science, particulate nature of matter, conceptual resources, phenomenological primitives
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Ionic, Covalent and Metallic

Por Guillermo Salas-Banuet, José Ramírez-Vieyra
This study presents the history of the conceptual development of a model which integrates and distinguishes three types of primary bonds. A triangle is obtained by plotting two of any different variables of the electronegativity for binary compounds. This allows the segregation of the well defined ionic, covalent and metallic compounds into three regions. The aims of this work are: 1. To popularize the model and to encourage its use among the students; 2. To display its advantages and limits; 3. To infer the impact of the model on: a) The classification of the compounds primarily covalent, ionic and metallic; b) The concept of the intermediate bonding between covalent and metallic for homonuclear compounds and among covalent, ionic and metallic for heteronuclear ones, and c) The definition of a criterion to divide between ionic and covalent compounds. Keywords: bonding triangle, electronegativity, ionic, covalent, metallic.
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The processes of teaching and learning the language of chemistry for university students

Por Pilar Montagut B.
This article presents the results of an investigation of the understanding and application of the language of chemistry by a sample of undergraduate chemistry students at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. In this study, opinions were sought from students from different generations regarding the problems they faced in advancing towards their degrees. Based on their responses to open-ended questions, a survey was generated on chemistry teaching methods, topics covered in General Chemistry, and students’ thoughts and suggestions for eliminating roadblocks in obtaining a degree in this field. The conceptual framework and design of the survey is described and the results are analyzed and discussed. Key words: didactics, sciences, language, survey, obstacles
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