January 1, 2005 (Vol. 25, No. 1)
URL:
http://www.chemcollective.org
Rating:
Strong Points: Good basic information for beginners
Weak Points: Windows-only
Summary:
As more and more universities, agencies, and publishers explore the benefits of online education, sites like the ChemCollective will proliferate. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, The ChemCollective is an effort with connections to Carnegie Mellon University that provides educational materials to both instructors and students of chemistry. Problems cover basic concepts in chemistry, including stoichiometry, thermochemistry, and acids/bases (among others), and include simulations, interesting chemistry scenarios, and quizzes. Though I was disappointed that an NSF-funded project was aimed at Windows users only, I still found a lot to like. Hopefully a Java-enabled version of the material at the site will soon be available to provide access to the rest of the computing world.
