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MathML Based Support Materials for use in a
Chemistry Enhancement Course for Teachers
Paul C Yates
Keele University
United Kingdom
Mathematics in the United Kingdom
• Concerns about falling standards
• Report commissioned by engineers and physicists
• Difficulty in recruiting appropriately qualified teachers
Mathematics and Chemistry
• Majority of students on many courses have not studied mathematics post-16
• Some students do not realise that some chemistry is mathematical
• Remedial mathematics courses are provided
• Often supplied by Chemistry (not Mathematics) Department
Mathematics in Context
• Increases relevance
• Concentrates mathematics where it is really required
• Should help to increase student motivation
Contents
Contents.pdf
Publishers
• Chapman & Hall
• Kluwer
• Stanley Thornes
• Nelson Thornes
• Taylor and Francis
Chemistry Enhancement Course
To teach key chemical principles to prospective PGCE students who have a background in a chemistry related discipline such as Chemical Engineering or Forensic Science or who have graduated with a Chemistry degree but have not practiced chemistry for a number of years. Students progressing on from the course will be expected to be able to teach to A2 level standard.
Mathematical Requirements of A Level Chemistry
• Arithmetic and computation
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Graphs
• Handling data
Mathematics for Chemistry Module
The aim of this module is to present mathematics in a chemical context. It is designed to equip participants with the mathematical skills they will require to tackle the course successfully, and to give them the confidence in their ability so to do. Furthermore this module encompasses a wide range of Chemistry content that will give ‘tasters’ of the subsequent ‘Foundations in Chemistry’ modules.
Delivery
• Mathematicians like blackboards!
• Students expectations of technology use have increased
• Desirable to demonstrate use of technology to prospective teachers
Content of Web Site
Development of mathematical resources in the context of chemistry is very time consuming, so reuse existing resources.
Chemical Calculations: the E-Book Version
Contents.pdf
Chapter2.pdf
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using PDF
• Quick to implement• Commercial
possibilities?
• Poor quality• Does not scale well• Mathematical
content not accessible
Why Develop Enhanced Materials?
• Make mathematical content available
• Increased accessibility
• Customisable
• Can be targetted
MathML materials are easily scaled
Advantages and Disadvantages of using
MathML• Scalable• Mathematical
content accessible• Looks professional
• Difficult to write• Browser setup must
be compatible• Fonts must be
installed
Writing MathML
Combination of Amaya and manual edit using Wordpad
Specific MathML (XML) Problems
• Remember lower case
• <img> and </img>
• When to use (what is maths?)
• Alternative representations
• Proper use of italics and defaults
Further Developments
• Extend MathML materials
• Use a screen reader
Conclusions
• Efficient to use existing intellectual material• PDF allows fast mounting of material but
inflexible and variable quality• MathML flexible but very time consuming• Compromise of E-book with specific MathML
resources where appropriate and as time allows