Utilization of the algebraic method in the design and development of the ChemRxnCalc mobile application prototype

Abstract

Responding to the need to create an “equitable learning space” for Chemistry students in the new normal classes, the authors designed a mobile application prototype named ChemRxnCalc. It is intended to help students balance chemical equations by predicting products and their coefficients from given chemical reactants accurately and using the algebraic method. Upon the development of the mobile application prototype for Android mobile phones, it was subjected to an initial validation by eight (8) Chemistry teachers deemed to be the subject-matter experts and which yielded a high usability percentage following the software quality requirements set by the ISO/IEC 25010. It is recommended for second-phase validation by students. This could be accomplished by uploading the e-tool to the RedCanvas learning management system (LMS) of the University. The initial target users are the Senior High School and College Students of San Beda University, Manila, and probably, the Mendiola Consortium who are taking up General Chemistry and/or Inorganic Chemistry. Consequently, once the ChemRxnCalc mobile application prototype has been validated by both experts and students, it is intended to be patented thru registration in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO). It is also targeted to be registered and uploaded in the Google Playstore and Apple Appstore for consumption of a bigger teacher and student population.