History of Chemistry and Elements of Didactics

6 CFU = 56h (5 CFU = 48h + 1 CFU 8h)
1. The origins of chemistry: protochemistry, alchemy and iatrochemistry
The beginnings of chemistry; Greco-Alexandrian alchemy; Chinese alchemy; alchemy in the Islamic world; alchemy in Western Europe; Paracelsus and iatrochemistry; the birth of phlogiston.
2. The scientific method, pneumatic chemistry, the Age of Enlightenment, the birth of the new chemistry
The scientific method; early pneumatic chemists; the discovery of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen; the Enlightenment and the end of phlogiston; Lavoisier's revolution, its condemnation and legacy; the birth of the new chemistry in Europe and Russia.
3. Atoms and the theories of matter.
Chemical affinity; stoichiometry and chemical equivalents; the law of definite and multiple proportions; Dalton and his atomic theory; the law of volume combination by Gay-Lussac; Dalton's supporters and opponents; Prout and primal matter; Berzelius and the theory of dualism; Faraday: a chemist lent to physics.
4. Atomic and molecular weights
Avogadro and the modern concept of a molecule; Cannizzaro and the Karlsruhe Congress.
5. The language of chemistry
The birth of chemical nomenclature.
6. The separation of the inorganic and organic worlds.
Vitalism. The development of elementary analysis; Berzelius and the theory of radicals.
The birth and development of the concept of valence.
From valence theory to coordination chemistry.
7. The periodic system of the elements.
Early ideas of periodicity; Mendeleev and the periodic system; Lothar-Meyer: confirmation of periodicity; some 'minor' scholars who contributed to the birth and development of the periodic table; from atomic weight to atomic number; Curie and radioactivity; transmutation of the elements; transuranic elements and the development of the periodic table.
9. Early inorganic industrial processes.
The ammonia industry (Haber-Bosch process) and the controversial figure of Fritz Haber.
10. Fundamentals of Chemistry Didactics:
o Planning a lecture: the importance of aligning with course objectives and assessment mode; key features of a lesson plan; proper use of technology in the planning the activities; and the importance of testing knowledge and learning before, during, and after the course.
o Lecturing a class: balancing lecture materials (e.g., slides); the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication; strategies to engage and motivate students; the importance of soliciting/receiving questions and providing accurate answers in class.
o Strategies for engaging and motivating students during a lecture: plainly state the relevance of teaching content in the context of the education process and for the future professional career; building and maintaining a positive learning environment; the key role of interacting with students and the different types of questions which can be used; the relevance of different types of communication (verbal, nonverbal and para-verbal) implemented by the lecturer when answering.
o Teaching approaches and their use in the classroom: teacher-centered, learner-centered, and action-centered approaches; the main characteristics of a "transmissive" lesson and strategies to make it effective; examples of teaching techniques: "Team-Based Learning", "Flipped classroom" and "Think, Pair, Share".