Marcin M. Chrzanowski

Self-assembly of a nickel(II) pseudorotaxane nanostructure on a gold surface

Tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of NiII and CuII can be used as components of catenanes or rotaxanes showing electrochemically switched intramolecular motion in solution. In our present studies, we modify these compounds with organothiol chains to attach them to the surface of the electrode using the self-assembly method and employ them next as molecular switches, which change conductivity upon applying appropriate potential. The electrochemical properties of these compounds are studied in the solution and, in the case of thiol derivative, immobilized on the electrode surface. The macrocyclic complex of NiII, immobilized on the Au surface, forms the axis of the rotaxane. This compound can be anchored to the surface by one or two thiol groups. The data obtained from scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments using colloidal Au confirm that the orientation normal to the surface dominates. The electrochemical experiments reveal reversible one-electron oxidation of metal center from +2 to +3. The behavior of the electrode modified with the macrocyclic complex of NiII upon immersion in a solution containing bismacrocyclic complex of NiII points to the formation of a new rotaxane-like nanostructure on the surface of the electrode.

Liquid Crystal Aligning Ability of Photosensitive Polymer Material

In the present work the usefulness of photoalignment as a nematic liquid crystal aligning technique has been evaluated. A photocrosslinking mechanism of photosensitive polymer material has been used to cause anisotropy in the layer. The influence of the UV dose on the LC alignment of liquid crystal material in the TN-type cell has been examined.

Elements of health education in science coursebooks

Preamble to Core Curriculum of General Education for Gymnasia and Post-Gymnasium Schools provides a really important statement concerning health education: (...) health education is an important task of schools on 3rd and 4th educational stages. Its goal is to develop an attitude of care for one’s own and other people’s health and an ability to create a health-friendly environment. The health education is not an individual part of general teaching, thus its contents are included into curriculum of other subjects, especially to science and biology, but not only to science-related subjects). The core curriculum is a foundation not only to build documents connected with didactical planning, but also especially with process of teaching. Additionally all the coursebooks used in school have to be strictly related to goals of education and teaching content written in curriculum and must be approved by the Ministry of Education. The aim of research was to investigate the level of health education contents (included in science core curriculum for classes: 4th to 6th) implementation in all science school books for ISCED 1 to check whether the teaching contents referring to the health education are compatible to the new core curriculum and if it may lead to shaping of the students’ health awareness. What is important – the analyse was not aimed at making any ranking of textbooks or choosing the best one.

DO YOU LIKE SCIENCE? RESULTS OF POLISH STUDENTS QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY IN PISA 2015 STUDY

Science was the main domain of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) study in 2006 and in 2015. Students from Poland took part in both of this studies. In two cycles of PISA study 2006 and 2015 students were asked about different aspects of their attitude towards science. Specifically they were asked if learning broad science (different aspects of biology, chemistry, geography and physics) and acquiring of scientific knowledge and knowledge about science (How Science Works, HSW, Nature of Science, NOS) gives them fun and satisfaction feeling. Their responses from the questionnaire were used to construct the enjoyment of learning science index. There were two countries in which this index raised most when comparing results from 2006 and 2015: Ireland and Poland. In the paper we would like to provide the explanation for this change – what were the main factors influencing such a change.

Tabele i wykresy w podręcznikach do nauczania chemii dla III etapu edukacyjnego

W publikacji opisano wyniki analizy podręczników do chemii dla III etapu edukacyjnego. Badanie przeprowadzono w celu uzyskania pogłębionej informacji dotyczącej realizacji pierwszego celu kształcenia (wymagania ogólnego) podstawy programowej przedmiotu chemia dla III etapu edukacyjnego: I. Pozyskiwanie, przetwarzanie i tworzenie informacji. Uczeń pozyskuje i przetwarza informacje z różnorodnych źródeł z wykorzystaniem technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych. Przeanalizowano spójność treści przedstawionych w formie tabel i wykresów zastosowanych w podręcznikach z zapisami podstawy programowej. Analiza objęła wszystkie podręczniki dopuszczone do użytku szkolnego przez Ministerstwo Edukacji Narodowej, przeznaczone do kształcenia chemii na poziomie gimnazjalnym. Wyniki badania wskazują, że w treściach prawie wszystkich serii znajdują się tabele i wykresy wymienione w podstawie programowej, ale tylko w wybranych podręcznikach obecne są opisy dotyczące tego, w jaki sposób odczytywać informacje z takich źródeł. W niektórych seriach podręczników poddanych analizie różnorodność wykresów jest stosunkowo niewielka. Tylko wybrane serie podręczników wykorzystują jako źródło analizy danych wykresy inne niż te, które bezpośrednio wymieniono w podstawie programowej.

The periodic table of elements in chemistry textbooks... for junior high-schools

The analysis of chemistry textbooks for the 3rd stage of education was carried out in order to obtain in-depth information on the degree of realization of the first educational goal from general requirements (learning outcomes) of the core curriculum: A student obtains and processes information from various sources with the use of information-communication technologies. The range of occurrence of content related to the periodic table of elements in chemistry textbooks for the 3rd stage of education was investigated. The choice of this source of information was dictated by the provisions of the curriculum for general education on the one hand, and on the other, by the fact that the periodic table is a foundation of modern chemistry – the good command of the periodic table not only allows to systematize the knowledge, but also, to anticipate and understand the properties of chemical elements. We analyzed all the series of chemistry textbooks for junior high schools, which have been approved for use in schools by the Ministry of Education since 2009. The study results indicate that the content of all series of textbooks contains the periodic table of elements along with the materials helpful in forming the skills of reading data from such source of information. The most authors of textbooks also took care of that the periodic table of elements was present in every part of the series, which should help students in consolidating the ability to use this tool. The colors most often used in periodic tables to indicate the nature of the chemical elements were different shades of blue and pink, which may help in consolidating the knowledge, but it can also lead to the formation of students’ misconceptions about the properties of elements.

Orienting Layers Preparation Technology for Photoaligment in Liquid Crystal Displays

The present paper gives an account of selected alignment methods alternative to rubbing with particular stress being put on photoalignment methods. Technological process aiming at obtaining proper and useful, anisotropic and homogeneous orienting layers prepared using polarised and unpolarised ultraviolet light has been discussed in detail.