Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

This work presents a mapping based on quantitative data from the journal Educación Química, regarding the authors, institutions, and keywords present in the journal from 1989 (the year of the journal's creation) to 2023. For the development of this research, 1685 articles found over the 34 years of the journal's existence were consulted. From the analysis of the articles, the authorship profile of the evaluated works could be traced, where the universe of analysis included 2157 authors from 47 different countries and 2375 keywords contained in these articles. The analysis of the information revealed the significant contribution of Andoni Garritz, the creator of the journal and founding director until 2015. It is also worth noting that this analysis allowed the identification of the predominance of authors located in Mexico, as well as the growth in the participation of foreign authors. Furthermore, the keywords Green Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Teacher Training, and Secondary Education are highly relevant within the journal.

The approach to teaching and learning processes aims for students to actively participate in class and understand the interconnected aspects of science and society. This research is aimed at answering the question: How do teachers construct Chemistry activities linked to PhET simulations? Using a qualitative approach, we employed the domains of scientific knowledge as an analytical tool to evaluate the activities in Portuguese. The results show that the conceptual domain predominates, indicating that Chemistry is perceived as a body of accumulated knowledge. As implications, we argue that Chemistry teaching activities should also address the construction of scientific knowledge, promoting the epistemic, social, and material domains in an articulated manner in the classroom.

This manuscript contains some anecdotes, stories and ideas that have arose from the classes given by Prof. José Manuel Méndez Stivalet and reflects his quality as an old schoolteacher who uses a blackboard to teach his classes. The synthesis of martianol and martiene is proposed; the mechanism of transformation of estrone from testosterone is explained; chlorofluoralkanes are discussed and a new mechanism for the destruction of the ozone layer is proposed; a synthesis of 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane is proposed, comparing it with isooctane; a reaction is proposed to capture CO2; and finally, comments are made on some compounds that seem to be impossible to synthesize.

This study examines the integration of socio-scientific issues (SSI) in chemistry education in rural contexts through a systematic literature review. It emphasizes the importance of training citizens who are capable of understanding complex phenomena and making informed decisions. The review analyzes how SSI can become the central focus for integrating chemical topics, whether as cause, consequence, or analytical tool, promoting the understanding of scientific phenomena, critical thinking, stance-taking in debates, and the development of dialogue among secondary school students. The results reveal the methodologies employed, the type of SSI used, and the chemical topics taught, either intentionally or implicitly, in the analyzed teaching sequences.

During the storage of horticultural products, degradation processes can occur, generating undesirable compounds and affecting texture, flavor, and color. The objective of this work is to develop a computational tool that allows the prediction of such degradation based on the physicochemical changes that occur during storage. For this purpose, a database associated with the evaluated products was designed to display results quickly and reliably. In this way, the tool functions as educational support for food chemistry laboratory practices. The modeled products were selected using the AHP method, resulting in orange, apple, strawberry, and carrot. The tool enables the evaluation, under different time and temperature conditions, of predicted changes in color, pH, vitamin C, anthocyanins, furfural, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). It also reports parameters such as final concentration, half-life, kinetic constant, reaction order, and the corresponding graph. In conclusion, the developed computational tool constitutes a useful resource for analyzing the degradation of horticultural products and simultaneously serves as an educational support model applicable to food chemistry laboratories.

We present a proposal for teaching the theoretical model of solutions. It begins with a discussion of theoretical, didactic, and scientific aspects related to its teaching, identifying difficulties in both learning and teaching, based on advanced research in science education. A field study was conducted using a Prior Ideas Form (FIP), whose results revealed limited knowledge about the molecular interactions in solutions, even when these occur in everyday life. Based on the interpretation of student productions, an activity was designed that allowed students to develop explanations integrating macroscopic and microscopic perspectives through the analysis of the behavior of different compounds when combined with water. The analysis included a macroscopic comparison between soluble and insoluble substances, as well as a comparison of their molecular structures to explain intermolecular interactions with water, and thus, why one compound dissolves while another does not. The results show causal, descriptive, and predictive explanations, which are relevant for didactic analysis and the teaching of the concept of solutions.

This study analyzes secondary school students’ explanations about chemical substances, using the history of nitrate in Chile as a didactic resource. This approach combines historical contextualization with science education to foster a deeper understanding of chemical concepts. It proposes that linking chemistry to historical and social aspects supports the construction of meaningful explanations of chemical reactions. The analysis is structured in two dimensions: the first evaluates content, considering the use of key concepts or scientific principles related to chemical reactions; the second classifies the explanations according to their complexity, ranging from simple descriptions to analytical formulations. The results reveal a predominance of descriptive explanations with limited scientific content, reflecting the students’ educational level and highlighting the need to strengthen contextualized science teaching. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating historical resources, such as the history of nitrate, to enrich science education, promote critical thinking, and foster interdisciplinary learning in the classroom.

This article discusses the elements, mathematical description, and computational tools used for the study and design of chemical reactors, with an emphasis on continuous stirred reactors. Five hierarchical scales are described: microscale, mesoscale, macroscale, simplified scales, and process plant. At the first three scales (fluid level), analysis is usually carried out through computational fluid dynamics, providing insights into the influence of equipment geometry, mixing distribution, heat transfer, and mechanical energy losses on fixed or moving surfaces. In contrast, for simplified scales and the process plant, chemical process simulators are employed (unit or module level), which are useful for general sizing from a process engineering standpoint. The transition between these two approaches may entail the loss of relevant information; therefore, alternatives for their integration are discussed. This comprehensive overview, conceived as a “reverse zoom,” offers an integrated vision of transport phenomena, computational simulation, and process engineering in the analysis of chemical reactors.

In today’s educational context, engaging university students in learning chemistry—particularly those from non-chemistry majors—can be challenging. Gamification, through the use of digital technologies, emerges as a promising strategy to address this issue. This study aims to implement and evaluate online teaching strategies that incorporate playful elements into the chemistry curriculum, with the goal of bringing the subject closer to students at an Argentine university. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, two questionnaires were administered to students, and data from the virtual learning environment were analyzed. The results indicate a positive reception among students, highlighting the strategy’s usefulness and its potential for transferability to other educational settings.

This essay offers a theoretical reflection on the assessment of learning in interdisciplinary projects in the field of Natural Sciences and Technologies. Drawing on the contributions of Gipps (1999), Crossouard (2009), and Maceno and Giordan (2024) regarding assessment from a sociocultural perspective, it analyzes the possibilities for understanding meaning-making processes through multimodal evaluations. The essay proposes a framework for structuring semiotic assessment activities in projects guided by socioscientific issues, taking into account various forms of representation and communication in chemistry. It also examines the relationship between assessment and socioscientific issues, with the aim of incorporating qualified assessment practices that value meaning-making processes. The essay includes classroom-applicable examples focused on stoichiometry content.