Resumen de Interlocking Toy Bricks Help Nursing Students “Handle” Valence Electrons, Molarity, Solubility, and More!
For decades, chemical modeling sets have allowed the user to manipulate atoms and bonds using plastic/wooden ball and stick materials. Here is a design for an interlocking toy brick modeling set in which the undergraduate nursing student can manipulate electrons during the simulated chemical bonding exercise. The author presents a teaching and learning activity/demonstration designed to help undergraduate nursing (BSN) students both visualize and physically manipulate (“handle”) abstract chemical education topics such as valence shell electrons and molarity (with manipulatives for solubility rules) of salts, acids, and bases in a chemistry for health professions didactic course, as an effort to increase comprehension of these chemical education topics. This learning tool was one in a series of newly coined “PERCEIVE” (Preparing Engaging Real-time Chemical Education Interactive and Visual Examples) chemical education demonstrations, where BSN students prepare engaging demonstrations, while working in groups. The preparation (building) step allows students to get a “handle” on how the chemistry concept works. Afterward the newly prepared demonstrations are utilized as examples for chemical education and chemistry in health topics─hence, the “PERCEIVE” acronym. This publication outlines: (i) Connections between Molarity and Solubility in modern healthcare practices, (ii) The method and materials for using interlocking toy bricks selected according to CPK color-scheme for modeling valence shell electrons (based on Bohr models), (iii) Solubility rules, (iv) Molarity (and calculations), and (v) Results from anonymous pre- and postqualitative student questionnaires. Student responses indicated a marked increase in the ability to calculate molarity in different volumes (1 L vs 500 mL) postdemonstration. Additional qualitative surveys were conducted, and the results highlighted more than 90% of 152 respondents endorsed the continued implementation of this demo in subsequent chemistry for health professions courses.
