Abstract The copper cycle is one of the experimental activities implemented in Chemistry courses and allows students to explore concepts related to the principle of mass conservation and chemical reactions. Therefore, it is important to understand students’ preconceptions and initial difficulties in order to implement teaching-learning strategies that allow students to overcome them. In this sense, it was aimed to assess the development of students’ cognitive structures (CS), regarding the copper cycle, after a sequence of inquiry-based learning (IBL) lessons. The participants were 43 students from a secondary Portuguese school, who attended the 12th grade. The assessment of students’ CS was carried out by applying a Word Association Test (WAT), in a pretest-posttest design. Additionally, students were asked to write sentences that included the associated words. The data obtained from the WAT were used to construct the maps of students’ CS, and this allowed the characterization of students’ CS in two different moments, and the evaluation of their development concerning the copper cycle. This study illustrates the use of a WAT as a suitable instrument to elucidate about students’ CS and its appropriateness to investigate students’ conceptions, difficulties and learning achievements.

Resumen El ciclo del cobre es una de las actividades experimentales implementadas en los cursos de Química y permite a los estudiantes explorar conceptos relacionados con el principio de conservación de masas y reacciones químicas. Por lo tanto, es importante comprender los preconceptos y las dificultades iniciales de los estudiantes para poder implementar estrategias de enseñanza- aprendizaje que les permitan superarlas. Así, se tuvo como objetivo evaluar el desarrollo de las estructuras cognitivas (EC) de los estudiantes, respecto al ciclo del cobre, después de una secuencia de clases basadas en la investigación. Han participado 43 estudiantes (12° año) de una escuela secundaria portuguesa. La evaluación de las EC de los estudiantes se realizó mediante un Word Association Test (WAT), en un diseño pretest-postest. Además, se pidió a los estudiantes que escribieran oraciones que incluían las palabras asociadas. Los datos obtenidos se utilizaron para construir los mapas de las EC de los estudiantes, para caracterizarlas en dos momentos diferentes, y para evaluar su desarrollo. Este estudio ilustra el uso de un WAT como un instrumento adecuado para elucidar sobre las EC de los estudiantes y su capacidad para investigar las concepciones, las dificultades y los resultados de aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

Resumo: A linha tênue que separa o fato da ficção está cada vez mais dissimulada, criando realidades paralelas que turvam a visão da sociedade. O atual ensaio sobre cegueira saramaguiana reapresenta-se com o auxílio da velocidade de um simples toque na tela nas mídias sociais. Nesse sentido, o presente artigo explora a compreensão de quais elementos influenciam na credibilidade das fake news científicas. Os principais conceitos para elucidar essa questão são a percepção e a persuasão. O estudo é de natureza qualitativa e contou com a participação de 232 sujeitos por intermédio de um questionário on-line. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que a renda familiar, a escolaridade e a articulação do discurso persuasivo são elementos essenciais para a credibilidade das fake news.

Abstract: The fine line separating fact from fiction is increasingly hidden, creating parallel realities that cloud the view of society. The current essay on saramaguian blindness is reintroduced with the aid of the speed of a simple touch on the screen in social media. In this sense, the present article explores the comprehension of which elements influence the credibility of scientific fake news. The main concepts to elucidate this question are perception and persuasion. The study is qualitative in nature, with the participation of 232 subjects through an online questionnaire. The results show that family income, schooling, and the articulation of persuasive discourse are essential elements for the credibility of fake news.

This study aims to investigate the pedagogical knowledge of Higher Education Chemistry teachers. From the perspective of qualitative research, questionnaires were given, there was documentary analysis and were interviewed twenty-six teachers of the Institute of Chemistry of an institution of state public higher education of São Paulo. Discussed the relevance of pedagogic disciplines in Postgraduate courses and participation in monitoring programs and teacher training in higher education teacher formation. It was found that most teachers lack pedagogical training and some do not show interest in the subject, but look for ways to overcome the difficulties encountered. The results obtained demonstrate the urgency to rethink and reorganize the PostGraduate courses before the real need for training of teachers for higher education.

This work deals with communities of practice and their contribution to pre-service teacher training. A group of eight pre-service chemistry teachers was accompanied during their participation in the PIBID program. Based on their interaction in planning teaching activities, the group was characterized as a community of practice. For this characterization the three dimensions of communities of practice were observed: mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoire. The results showed that the community of practice was essential for the training of pre-service chemistry teachers. Through community practice, pre-service teachers were able to learn more about their future practice as chemistry teachers.

In this work, the beliefs of undergraduate students from Brazil and Portugal on the use of visual tools in teaching chemistry, which have increasingly been introduced in the areas of teaching/learning in these two countries in recent years, have been investigated. An interpretative analysis of the results shows little familiarity of students with specific points of the theme, beyond a poor conception about the way the visualization tools influence the construction of scientific concepts.

Visualization is a fast-growing field in science education. This review covers 171 articles published between 2001 and 2010 in 14 science education journals. Major findings include: i - despite the predominance of English speaking countries, interest in the topic has increased in several countries; ii - qualitative research is increasing, but quantitative methodologies prevail; iii - the role of peer interaction in group activities is little investigated; iv - research on the way students and teachers use visualization tools is increasing, but most publications focus on the tools; v - structure of matter remains the most common subject covered.

Taking into account the requirements for the teaching of chemistry, several visualization resources (software, videos, animations, molecular models, among others) are available. These visual aids are used in order to enhance the understanding of chemical phenomena in the classroom. However, many teachers make scant use of these resources, limiting macroscopic understanding of chemical science. Thus, this article discusses chemistry teachers' views on several aspects such as using visual aids in teaching chemistry, a resource most widely used in classes on atomic models, isomerism and spatial geometry.

Molecular modeling enables the students to visualize the abstract relationships underlying theoretical concepts that explain experimental data on the molecular and atomic levels. With this aim we used the free software "Arguslab 4.0.1" (semi-empirical method) to study the reaction of 1-chloropropane with ethoxide in solution, known to lead to methyl propyl ether, through the S N2 mechanism, and propene, through the E2 mechanism. This tool allows users to calculate some properties (i. e. heat formation or electric charges) and to produce 3D images (molecular geometry, electrostatic potential surface, etc.) that render the comprehension of the factors underlying the reaction's progress, which are related to the structure of the reagents, and the process kinetic clearer and easier to understand by the students

In this work we show that structure-activity relationship studies are of great importance in modern chemistry and biochemistry. In order to obtain a significant correlation, it is crucial that appropriate descriptors be employed. Thus, quantum chemical calculations are an attractive source of new molecular descriptors which can, in principle, express all the electronic and geometric properties of molecules and their interactions with the biological receptor.

The present work describes how a group of chemistry graduate students have improved their teaching skills by teaching extension courses. It is suggested that future teachers have much to be gained by sharing the insights they have whilst teaching with their peers and students. This work explores the implications in teaching and learning and the relationship between teachers and students. This relationship requires mutual respect of ideas as well as continuous critical evaluation in both directions.

The article presents a brief analysis on chemistry post-graduate students' perception on teaching in higher education. This study was done based on the context of students' formation in chemistry post-graduate programs and makes suggestions on how to improve the formation process of post-graduate students in order to decrease the rupture between teaching and research in chemistry post-graduate programs.

Several cannabinoid compounds present therapeutic properties, but also have psychotropic effects, limiting their use as medicine. Nowadays, many important discoveries on the compounds extracted from the plant Cannabis sativa (cannabinoids) have contributed to understand the therapeutic properties of these compounds. The main discoveries in the last years on the cannabinoid compounds were: the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the endogenous cannabinoids and the possible mechanisms of action involved in the interaction between cannabinoid compounds and the biological receptors. So, from the therapeutical aspects presented in this work, we intended to show the evolution of the Cannabis sativa research and the possible medicinal use of cannabinoid compounds.

The aim of this article is to provide the understanding of the chemical world that underlies everything around us by introducing basic chemical concepts and their everyday applications. The specific topics presented were selected according to their relevance and their ability to be presented as an exhibition. This format is based on the visual effects that help the public to see abstract descriptions in a concrete form. In addition, a soundtrack is used to stimulate the affective intelligence and relax the public. According to the results obtained here, we can conclude that chemical demonstrations, combined with music, help the presentation of scientific topics and motivate and facilitate the "chemistry communication".

This paper aims to discuss and reflect about the use of computers in the teaching of Quantum Chemistry. A course on Computational Quantum Chemistry concentrating on Medicinal Chemistry projects was developed for undergraduate and graduate students. The results showed that students got more motivated and involved when there is an articulation between theory and practice. This work presents an alternative way to teach Theoretical Chemistry using projects.