Prlnclples of Chemistry J & S Software. 135 Haven Avenue, Port Washington. NY 11050

Hardware: Apple II Family Components: Two disks and Manual Level and Subject: High School and

Junior College. Princioies of Chemistrv

Cost: $170

Summary Ratlngs: Category

Ease 01 Use: Ex~~llent sublect mner Content: G o d Pedagogic Value: Average Student Reaction: G o d

Revlew

Principles of Chemistry is a series of les- sons designed to cover four of the main top- ics covered hy high school or junior college chemistrv students. The five disks orovide ~~~~ ~

t,utornl instruction in (1) electron structure. ~~~ ~~~~~~~~ . . t2J ionic hunding, (3) covalent bonding. 14) the periodic table, and (61 the gas laws.

Each program in the series provides in- struction enhanced by graphs, charts, and periodic tables. The programs then evaluate student progress with questions and proh- lems to solve. An incorrect response elicits a brief review of the concept, followed by sev- eral more questions andlor problems. At the end of each program there is a test that the student should take. The student scores are recorded in a file to which only the teacher has access. Each time the test is taken vari- ables and some of t h e questions are changed, thus preventing students from memorizing answers and retaking the test without understanding the concept. Scores are recorded each time the test is taken al-

lowing the teacher to know how many times thestudent completed the test. Theseries is not copy protected and permission is grant- ed to make copies for in school use.

This program was reviewed and evaluated by high school students in their second year of chemistry. And although the stated in- tent of the series is to "help students learn and review each of the topics" presented, the students felt that the design and content of the series was effective and useful as a review of first-year topics but did not lend itself to initial learning. Several of the pro- grams contained spelling errors that did not affect function of the lessons. Some of the programs, however, contained errors that would greatly confuse a student who was approaching the material for the first time. To students using the programs for review purposes, these errors were easily recog- nized as content errors. While these errors did not hinder the program's effectiveness as a concept review medium, they did tend to reduce the program's credibility.

Some of the programs are menu driven, thus allowing the students to choose to re- view the entire oromam. review onlv certain arena. or to ehailen& the test without orior ~ ~ ~~~~~ ~

rrview. This feature wna seen as beneficial b u ~ aar not inrluded m ell ofthe programs. Another beneficial feature lacking in some of the program was an "overview" of the program content given before the test.

Overall I feel that the Principles of Chem- istry series is very useful as a means of re- viewing basic concepts. I t should not, how- ever, he used to present new material in a first-year course. The errors in the programs should have heen found and corrected dur- ing development. Since the programming is accessible by the user, errors can he easily corrected.

~d M. Powell Liberty High School

100 Liberty Minuteman Drive Bedlord. VA 24523

Protein Purlflcatlon A. G. 800th and B. 0. Hames, IRL Press at Oxford University Press, Waiton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP England

Hardware: Macintosh Components: Disk and Manual Level and Subject: Undergraduate,

biochemistry Cost: $150

Summary Ratings: Category

E m 01 Use: Excellem Sublect Msner Conlent: Very g o d Pedagogic Value: G o d Student Reaclfon: Untested

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This software package is designed to sim- ulate the procedures used to purify a protein starting with a protein homogenate result- ing from sonicatian, for example, from which the RNA and DNA has already been removed. A set of 20 enzymes are included and the student can select any one of these to purify. In addition, new sets of parame- ters describing a new protein can he added to the program if desired using the "Mixture Editor". The protein parameters include the thermal stability, the net charge on the protein, the pH range of activity, the molec- ular weight and charged suhunit composi- tion, the specific activity and the surface hydrophobicity.

In ooeration the student selects an un- known.protein to purify and the pH range of enzymatic activity and thermal stability of the enzyme are provided to assist the stu- dent in selecting an appropriate purification

-~evrewec~ in I his Issue Revlewer

C o m p u t e r Learning Packages

J & S Sofhvare, Principles of Chemistry A. G. Booth andB. D. Hames, Protein Purification

EXP: The Scientific Word Processor, Version 2.0

Bwks

John Emsley, The Elements P. A. Cox, The Elements: Their Origin. Abundance, and

Distribution

Titles of Interest

Monographs Continuing Series

Ed M. Powell A109 Edward R. Birnbaum A109 Thomas H. Richardson A110

Alan J. Pribula A112 Alan J. Pribula A112

Volume 68 Number 4 April 1991 A109