JCE Software, 2B2: Editorial

Academic Expertise and Electronic Publication

John W. Moore
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1396

Note:
This issue is out of print.

In this issue Richard Ramette has brought together a package of programs that are based on a great many years of experience in teaching the chemistry of acid-base systems in aqueous solutions.
The Acid-Base Package includes programs that: calculate titration curves; plot the resulting curves, allowing several to be overlaid on the same axes; calculate the amounts of weak acid and strong base needed to prepare a buffer of any desired pH and ionic strength; calculate and plot the concentration fraction of each species in an acid-base system as a function of pH or the fraction of free metal ion and each metal-ligand complex as a function of logarithm of concentration of free ligand; and calculate pH for any of seven different types of solutions. The utility of such programs in teaching and in research is obvious.
More importantly, however, the Acid-Base Package includes a distillation of Dick Ramette's experience and expertise in teaching a favorite subject to students at Carleton College. Included are a description of the algorithm used in the titration-curve program, a simple BASIC program to get students started on their own versions, and exercises to help them get started. There is also a student-oriented discussion of activity coefficients and how to use them in acid-base calculations, together with a program to calculate them. Gran's method for detecting endpoints is discussed and students are shown how the titration-curve program will allow them to use it. An entire laboratory experiment titled Identifying a Substance by Acid-Base Titration is provided, together with directions and exercises for using the Acid-Base Package programs to solve problems of identification of unknown substances.
In other words, Dick Ramette has taken something that is invariably included in the chemistry curriculum and examined it carefully to see how modern technology might be applied to help students learn it. He has prepared the computer programs and written materials to teach this subject in a new way, and collected them together here so that a great many chemistry teachers can do the same but with much less expenditure of time and effort. As a result of reading and editing this issue, I certainly expect to teach this material differently the next time, and I hope many others will too.

New Approaches--Ready to Use
This issue of JCE: Software exemplifies the aim that we have had all along to make available new approaches to the chemistry curriculum that are enabled by modern technology. We hope to encapsulate in each issue one or more new approaches to chemistry teaching, and to do so in a form such that those who read and interact with the issue will be able to see immediately how it can be used in classroom and laboratory.
In a recent article titled "The Future of the Scholarly Journal" (1), sociologist Lauren H. Seiler, Queens College, CUNY, discusses changes that can be expected to occur as journals become digital electronic media. Seiler argues that Journals will change because the information scholars produce is not limited to what the print medium can encompass. Indeed not! What Dick Ramette has published here goes far beyond (but does not exclude) the print medium. Seiler goes on, "We are unaware of how limiting the print medium is because we have not yet seen the full range of digital electronic complements to it." That is exactly what JCE: Software is all about making it possible for subscribers to experience the full range of digital media and see how they complement the print medium. Furthermore, we hope to provide digital information in formats that will allow you to use them immediately upon receipt of an issue.
Seiler envisions other aspects of electronic journals. Articles might be submitted via electronic networks, or in other electronic forms. Responses to articles (or extensions or bug fixes) might also be provided rapidly to all subscribers via electronic networks. Concepts from hypertext and hypermedia will begin to appear in electronic journals, making links and connections among various items of information and pedagogy. The full text of references could be made nearly instantaneously available from an electronic library and a hypertext-like reference structure could be built up for each discipline that would maintain links among articles and references.

Suggestions Welcome
We are considering most of these possibilities for JCE: Software. For example, our guidelines for authors indicate that we would like to have not only programs but also text for documentation submitted in computer-readable form. Obviously all text in this issue has passed through a computer and is still available in text files, and the sooner we get it into the computer the easier it is to edit and produce an issue. Submission via electronic networks is a encouraged as well. We are considering the possibility of publishing the indexes from the Journal of Chemical Education as part of JCE: Software, but some work would need to be done to bring these indexes into a really useful electronic format. An electronic bulletin board or computer conference for JCE: Software (or for the entire Journal) would also be possible, but this would require a continuing commitment from someone who would manage the bulletin board or conference. Nevertheless, we are interested in all of these approaches and more; if you have definite ideas about any of them, I would be happy to hear them.
JCE: Software will become what you and we make it. Correspondence from anyone who wants to volunteer to help in any of the ways suggested above (or in any others) will be welcomed warmly. You are encouraged to use e-mail (my address is jwmoore@chem.wisc.edu
Literature Cited

Seiler, L. H. Academic Computing 1989 4(1), 14.

First Published: October 1989
Citation: Moore, J. W. Academic Expertise and Electronic Publication J. Chem. Educ. Software 2B2
Keywords:

News | Issues | CD-ROM / Video | Find It! | Technical Support | For Authors

JCE Online | Journal | Software | Internet | Happenings | About JCE | Contact JCE

Last Updated: April 26, 2001
Created: December 3, 1996 Created by: J. L. Holmes
Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.



Academic Expertise and Electronic Publication
John W. Moore University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1396

Note:	This issue is out of print.

In this issue Richard Ramette has brought together a package of programs that are based on a great many years of experience in teaching the chemistry of acid-base systems in aqueous solutions. The Acid-Base Package includes programs that: calculate titration curves; plot the resulting curves, allowing several to be overlaid on the same axes; calculate the amounts of weak acid and strong base needed to prepare a buffer of any desired pH and ionic strength; calculate and plot the concentration fraction of each species in an acid-base system as a function of pH or the fraction of free metal ion and each metal-ligand complex as a function of logarithm of concentration of free ligand; and calculate pH for any of seven different types of solutions. The utility of such programs in teaching and in research is obvious. More importantly, however, the Acid-Base Package includes a distillation of Dick Ramette's experience and expertise in teaching a favorite subject to students at Carleton College. Included are a description of the algorithm used in the titration-curve program, a simple BASIC program to get students started on their own versions, and exercises to help them get started. There is also a student-oriented discussion of activity coefficients and how to use them in acid-base calculations, together with a program to calculate them. Gran's method for detecting endpoints is discussed and students are shown how the titration-curve program will allow them to use it. An entire laboratory experiment titled Identifying a Substance by Acid-Base Titration is provided, together with directions and exercises for using the Acid-Base Package programs to solve problems of identification of unknown substances. In other words, Dick Ramette has taken something that is invariably included in the chemistry curriculum and examined it carefully to see how modern technology might be applied to help students learn it. He has prepared the computer programs and written materials to teach this subject in a new way, and collected them together here so that a great many chemistry teachers can do the same but with much less expenditure of time and effort. As a result of reading and editing this issue, I certainly expect to teach this material differently the next time, and I hope many others will too. New Approaches--Ready to Use This issue of JCE: Software exemplifies the aim that we have had all along to make available new approaches to the chemistry curriculum that are enabled by modern technology. We hope to encapsulate in each issue one or more new approaches to chemistry teaching, and to do so in a form such that those who read and interact with the issue will be able to see immediately how it can be used in classroom and laboratory. In a recent article titled "The Future of the Scholarly Journal" (1), sociologist Lauren H. Seiler, Queens College, CUNY, discusses changes that can be expected to occur as journals become digital electronic media. Seiler argues that Journals will change because the information scholars produce is not limited to what the print medium can encompass. Indeed not! What Dick Ramette has published here goes far beyond (but does not exclude) the print medium. Seiler goes on, "We are unaware of how limiting the print medium is because we have not yet seen the full range of digital electronic complements to it." That is exactly what JCE: Software is all about making it possible for subscribers to experience the full range of digital media and see how they complement the print medium. Furthermore, we hope to provide digital information in formats that will allow you to use them immediately upon receipt of an issue. Seiler envisions other aspects of electronic journals. Articles might be submitted via electronic networks, or in other electronic forms. Responses to articles (or extensions or bug fixes) might also be provided rapidly to all subscribers via electronic networks. Concepts from hypertext and hypermedia will begin to appear in electronic journals, making links and connections among various items of information and pedagogy. The full text of references could be made nearly instantaneously available from an electronic library and a hypertext-like reference structure could be built up for each discipline that would maintain links among articles and references. Suggestions Welcome We are considering most of these possibilities for JCE: Software. For example, our guidelines for authors indicate that we would like to have not only programs but also text for documentation submitted in computer-readable form. Obviously all text in this issue has passed through a computer and is still available in text files, and the sooner we get it into the computer the easier it is to edit and produce an issue. Submission via electronic networks is a encouraged as well. We are considering the possibility of publishing the indexes from the Journal of Chemical Education as part of JCE: Software, but some work would need to be done to bring these indexes into a really useful electronic format. An electronic bulletin board or computer conference for JCE: Software (or for the entire Journal) would also be possible, but this would require a continuing commitment from someone who would manage the bulletin board or conference. Nevertheless, we are interested in all of these approaches and more; if you have definite ideas about any of them, I would be happy to hear them. JCE: Software will become what you and we make it. Correspondence from anyone who wants to volunteer to help in any of the ways suggested above (or in any others) will be welcomed warmly. You are encouraged to use e-mail (my address is jwmoore@chem.wisc.edu Literature Cited Seiler, L. H. Academic Computing 1989 4(1), 14.


News \| Issues \| CD-ROM / Video \| Find It! \| Technical Support \| For Authors
JCE Online \| Journal \| Software \| Internet \| Happenings \| About JCE \| Contact JCE

Last Updated: April 26, 2001 Created: December 3, 1996	Created by: J. L. Holmes Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.