CONDUCTIVITY SENSORS IN THE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Sophisticated data collection and analysis instruments are subject to UNESCO standards about competition in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). It was found that students using data collection systems in their experiments, among others:

- Invest more time talking about what is happening, and speculating about what will probably happen.
- Develop skills to interpret graphs in a meaningful context.
- Evaluate information and develop their knowledge of science.
- Acquire skills in handling data; calculate medians and totals, create plots, diagrams and drawings.

In our laboratory we have used computer-aided experimental techniques (CAET) to verify the advantages provided by these techniques to chemistry learning. The laboratory practice selected for this purpose was "Conductivity titration of acetylsalicylic acid in aspirin" [1] included in the third year of the Chemistry Degree in the Jaume I University.

The basic components of the CAET have been the software DataStudio, a conductivity sensor for data collection and a "USB-Link" adapter as interface connection, all of them manufactured by PASCO [2] and commercialized in Spain by PRODEL [3].
To evaluate the work progress and check if the objectives were achieved, we asked the students’ opinions, which led us to the following conclusions:

- The learning process is enhanced (“we know what we are doing in the laboratory and if we are doing it well. The vast majority of the time, we do not know what we are doing until we get home.”).

- It is easy to use and facilitates the work. (We write down the calculations and do the graphs directly on the computer so the work we have to complete at home is reduced” )

We can conclude that CAET help to achieve a better understanding of chemical concepts. They are not difficult to use and they are in line with the traditional methodology, since they still use the classic experimental devices.

1. http://www.pasco.es
2. http://www.prodel.es
3. Guide of IA28 laboratory practices. Chemistry Degree. Universitat Jaume I.