THE USE OF MENTAL CARDS AS A MEANS OF VISUALIZATION IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING COORDINATION CHEMISTRY

Abstract

The article is dedicated to implementing the technological cycle of creating mind maps and various visualization techniques in the educational process of studying the educational component “Coordination Chemistry”. During the study of this discipline, students develop an understanding of coordination compounds as a class of substances fundamentally different from organic and inorganic compounds; the main types of reactions involving coordination compounds and the peculiarities of their occurrence; knowledge of the structure and chemical bonding in complex compounds, methods of synthesis, identification, and application of coordination compounds. The article discusses various types of printed and electronic visualization methods, as well as programs that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of teaching coordination chemistry. The main attention is paid to the application of mind maps in the educational process of studying coordination chemistry. This method is chosen for its simplicity and accessibility for the initial level of mastering techniques for constructing visual material aimed at student comprehension. Its purpose is to create a concept of understanding and structuring the flow of information received by students in the educational component “Coordination Chemistry”. The presented visualization method is basic and suitable for students and faculty who are encountering the idea of constructing visual models of mind maps for the first time. The authors set themselves a number of scientific and practical tasks aimed at strengthening the implementation of visual material in educational practice on a regular basis. The introduction of visualization is possible in case of a positive dynamics from the use of the presented techniques, which is confirmed by practice. Among the tasks set before the authors were: analysis of theoretical and practical material on the use of visual concepts in the educational process, studying the positive and negative aspects of using this teaching methodology, studying the structure and plan of compiling reference abstracts or reference schemes of laboratory work using mind maps for students based on the educational component “Coordination Chemistry”.