Didactic analysis of the web acid-base titration simulations applied in pre-graduate chemistry teachers education

Abstract

The wide development of the information and communication technologies provides conditions for using various digital learning objects in education. In Chemistry learning and teaching computer simulations are used for increasing clearness in Chemistry lessons and for supporting experimental activities in laboratory work. For this analysis the topic of acid-base titration was chosen. The research sample included educational simulations of acid-base titration available free on the Internet. In total 35 educational simulations of acid-base titration were found and used for didactic analysis with following research questions: What can be learned from educational simulations of acid-base titration? and How can didactic analysis of different kinds of simulation help to teacher and learner? In the research results of didactic analysis of 35 examples of acid-base titration simulators are presented. Resulting from the analysis we find three different types of educational simulations of acid-base titration with a specific use in Chemistry lessons: (1) simulations of experiments; (2) generators of titration curves according to the user's choice; (3) presentations of one titration. The summary of all analysed simulations and proposals of their educational applications is available from the web site http://titrace.wz.cz.