A importância do método de Hartree no ensino de química quântica

Hartree's original ideas are described. Its connection with electrostatics can be explored in order to decrease the gap between teaching of Physics and Chemistry. As a consequence of its simplicity and connection with electrostatics, it is suggested that Hartree's method should be presented before the Hartree-Fock method. Besides, since the fundamental concepts of indistinguishibility of electrons along with the antissimetry of the wave function are missing in the Hartree's product, the method itself can be used to introduce these concepts. Despite the fact that these features are not included in the trial wavefunction, important qualitatively correct results can be obtained.

Da génese ao ensino da química verde

An analysis of the activities that contributed to the birth of Green Chemistry (GC) about twenty years ago has shown that it emerged in response to the problems of pollution and wastes felt by the Chemical Industry. This close connection between GC and the Chemical Industry is similar to that found earlier between Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry before they separated. It was also found that since its very beginning the Chemical Industry has occasionally practiced GC. Broad implications of these findings to the teaching of GC are discussed.

Formação docente no ensino superior de Química: contribuições dos programas de aperfeiçoamento de ensino

The literature on the challenges of teacher education in undergraduate chemistry teaching is limited. In the present study, the application of didactic proposals elaborated by two authors of this paper, graduate students and teaching assistants of the teaching improvement program at University of São Paulo, was investigated in terms of their contribution to the teaching assistants' education and undergraduate students' receptivity toward them. Such proposals were based on the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy and applied in two undergraduate courses. The results indicate students' good receptivity and suggest their importance to teaching assistants' education.

Estatística aplicada à química: dez dúvidas comuns

Ten common doubts of chemistry students and professionals about their statistical applications are discussed. The use of the N-1 denominator instead of N is described for the standard deviation. The statistical meaning of the denominators of the root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) and root mean square error of validation (RMSEV) are given for researchers using multivariate calibration methods. The reason why scientists and engineers use the average instead of the median is explained. Several problematic aspects about regression and correlation are treated. The popular use of triplicate experiments in teaching and research laboratories is seen to have its origin in statistical confidence intervals. Nonparametric statistics and bootstrapping methods round out the discussion.

Percepção dos pós-graduandos em química da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais sobre a própria formação docente

The pedagogic training of university professors has been overlooked in institutions of higher education. In the second semester of 2009, students of the Graduate Chemistry Program at the Federal University of Minas Gerais participated in an investigation that aimed to evaluate the students' perceptions of their own training to become professors. It was found that a large number of students felt prepared to teach at institutions of higher education, despite their lack of experience at this education level. A significant point in this work was the finding that most students do not acknowledge the need of associating the teaching practice with teaching-learning theories, but instead consider the knowledge of scientific content important.

A problematização das atividades experimentais na educação superior em química: uma pesquisa com produções textuais docentes

Through the analysis of articles with proposals for experimental activities and with current pedagogical, epistemological and environmental discussion on experimentation by Chemistry professors, this paper investigates ways of highlighting relevant methodological characteristics that can be incorporated in experiments. Based on analysis of the suggestions for experiments it appears that of particular importance are: a concern for students' physical welfare and for the effects of residues; the need to confront an impoverished infrastructure that hinders experimentation; and the valorisation of clarifying student knowledge. It argues in favour of the need to set out the problems of experimentation in educators' professional development.

Aprendizagem baseada em problemas: uma experiência no ensino de química toxicológica

This article describes a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) experience that taught organophosphorus pesticides chemistry, its human health effects and acetylcholinesterase assay to secondary students. The teaching process was based on a real intoxication case and ended with students' activities report presentation. The apparent lack of teacher reference and inexistence of a curriculum based on a strict textbook in which PBL is based on leads inexperienced students to insecurity and the idea that teachers are not doing there jobs. One way to minimize this situation is to use real cases in other to interest students as stakeholders of central problem solution.

Concepções sobre currículo de formadores de professores: o curso de licenciatura em Química do Instituto de Química da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

In this paper, we discussed the conceptions of curriculum of teachers' trainers from de course of Chemistry from de Chemistry Institute and from the Education School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. We understand that the curriculum results from a social construction, so, we intent to comprehend how happen the constitution of the course's curriculum, based on documents and interviews with the subjects of the research. The study showed that there were competitions for status, resources and territories between the Chemistry Institute and the Education School when the course was created, as well as there were internal competitions in the creation of the disciplines depending on the department of origin of the teachers.

Actitudes hacia la química de estudiantes de diferentes carreras universitarias en Colombia

This work reports a study on the attitudes of Colombian students towards Chemistry in different undergraduate programs. The research was performed on 769 students belonging to several Chemistry courses, by applying an adaptation of Salta and Tzougraki's test and using Likert's scale. The results revealed that Chemistry is being considered as difficult and little useful, but very interesting. Thus, the difficulty to learn Chemistry may be associated with its language and abstract conceptual nature. In addition, more attention should be given to the class contents and methodologies provided to the students, in order to engage them with those interest aspects and meaningful topics of each program

Jogos de empresa: aplicação à gestão da qualidade no ensino superior de química

Business games have become a popular choice of pedagogical technique for teaching in higher education. The objective of a business game is to offer students the opportunity to learn by doing, engaging them in a simulated experience of the real-world. This paper discusses how a business game has been played by undergraduate chemistry students in a Quality Management course. The responses from the teaching evaluation questionnaires revealed that they not only improved their quality management practices, but also enjoyed working in teams. The level of participation by students was good and the classroom activities provided a meaningful learning experience.

O conceito de eletronegatividade na educação básica e no ensino superior

The goal of this study was to examine the means used by textbook authors to introduce, define, and explain the electronegativity concept in high school and introductory college chemistry textbooks. Results obtained showed that most textbooks lacked history precedence and did not deal with the conceptual understanding and manifesting a strong standardization of characteristics that, from our point of view, do not favor the teaching-learning of the electronegativity concept.

Ações de divulgação de química na Casa da Descoberta - centro de divulgação de ciência da Universidade Federal Fluminense

This paper describes the main activities regarding scientific dissemination in the field of Chemistry at Casa da Descoberta (CD) - a Scientific Dissemination Center of the Fluminense Federal University. It presents a brief history of CD and discusses the difficulties concerning the dissemination of Chemistry at Scientific Dissemination Centers. This work also approaches some activities developed throughout the years: experiments performed in relation to the visitors' daily life, training of monitors to act as mediators in the non-formal teaching of Chemistry, production of dissemination materials, elaboration of books, as well as activities that relate formal to non-formal education.

Recuperação de compostos de iodo de reagentes e soluções laboratoriais

This work presents simple routes to recover iodine compounds from oxidized laboratory chemicals and aqueous solutions (HI and KI) used in laboratory chemistry classes. These routes are based on the oxidation of iodide ions (I-) to iodine (I2) by an oxidant (H2O2) or reduction of oxidized iodine by red phosphorus or hydrazine. Both routes presented high yields. The oxidative route is of general use whereas the reductive one is appropriate for restoring original iodine reagents. Final wastes were generated in low amounts. This work is appropriate for teaching many laboratory techniques (e.g., distillation, titration and filtration) in the chemical laboratory.

Investigando a presença da história da ciência em livros didáticos de Química Geral para o ensino superior

This paper aims at analyzing the history of science content of three general chemistry textbooks used in Brazilian universities: the translations of Kotz and Treichel's Chemistry & Chemical Reactivity, Atkins and Jones's Chemical Principles, and Garritz and Chamizo's Química. Results revealed different trends for the inclusion of history of science in chemistry teaching. Kotz & Treichel and Atkins & Jones used history mainly as curiosity and ornament. Garritz & Chamizo adopted the historical approach as one of the organizing axis of their textbook. Nevertheless, the historical content of the three textbooks may be criticized from current historiographical standpoint.

O trabalho experimental no ensino de Química

This article deals with conceptions of the experimental work in the Chemistry teaching, developed among teachers and students. The research was carried out using qualitative methodology, based on Gaston Bachelard's thoughts. The results showed dispersion of conceptions among both students and teachers. This dispersion, interpreted as a profile of conceptions, was discussed based on the notions of Bachelard's epistemological profile and Mortimer's conceptual profile. This work points out the need to rethinking and finding new directions for experimental activities in the training courses for Chemistry teachers, in order to meet Chemistry educators' social goals.