by Gabbie C. Ares
The graduate students of Chem. Ed. 290 Seminar in Chemistry Education summer term of school year 2008-2009 under Prof. Esmar N. Sedurifa conducted a seminar-workshop, as part of their requirement of the said course. They opted to consider the topic on the use of algebraic method in balancing chemical reactions which was found out to be effective base on literatures but as what they have observed was not applied in classroom settings here in our locality. Furthermore, this approach will uphold the current trend of integration across disciplines.
The seminar-workshop addressed the following objectives:
- To introduce linear algebra as one of the methods in balancing chemical reactions.
- To verify the effectiveness of algebraic method in balancing chemical reactions.
- To train and prepare pre-service teachers on the use algebraic method in balancing chemical reactions.
- To train in-service teachers on the use of algebraic method in balancing chemical equations and encourage them to apply in their discussion.
- To integrate science and mathematics in classroom discussion as an avenue of effective learning.
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| Seminar session |
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| Workshop session |
The seminar-workshop was held at Integrated Developmental School Audio Visual Room last May 24, 2009. The speaker Mary Ann F. Viduya-Galo share her expertise on the said method since this is her undergraduate thesis and her graduate thesis proposal. The seventeen (17) participants, comprised of the pre-service and in-service chemistry were taught how to use the method while pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers were encourage to use chemical equations to generate linear equations. The participants showed their undivided attention to the speaker during the seminar and their interest in answering the problems during the workshop.
Based on the evaluation conducted on theUse of Algebraic Method in Balancing Chemical Equation and the Utilization of Chemical Equation as a Venue for formulating and Solving Algebraic Equations, 93.75% of the participants consider algebraic method as a systematic process in balancing chemical equation and that chemical equation can be used by mathematics teachers as a venue for generating algebraic equations. All participants agreed that algebraic method is more convenient to use in balancing chemical equation than inspection method, ion – electron method, and oxidation number method. All the chemistry teacher participants agreed to use algebraic method in balancing chemical equations, while only 66.67% of the Mathematics teachers are wiling to use the chemical equations as a venue in formulating and solving algebraic equations.
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| Pose with Participants, Speaker, Facilitators and our Mentor |