Collaborative research: Alternative strategies for problem solving in science

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The goal of the proposed research is to describe the interaction between visuo-spatial and analytical strategies during learning and problem solving in science. Recent studies have indicated that some scientific problems that had been assumed to require a spatial visualization strategy, in fact are often solved by analytic strategies. Therefore, the PIs propose a three-phase project to characterize the use of cognitive strategies during spatial problem solving in both general and organic chemistry. They aim to identify the differential use of visuo-spatial strategies and the availability of analytical strategies for scientific problem solving by students and instructors, individuals with high and low spatial ability, and men and women. They will also develop and evaluate methods of training these strategies. In Phase I of the project they will conduct task and protocol analyses of student and instructor problem solving in the domain of chemistry and in spatial ability measures. In Phase II, they will collect data on students spatial abilities, gender, and educational background to identify the determinants of strategy use in visuo-spatial problem solving, both generally and in the chemistry domain. In Phase III, they will train chemistry teaching assistants to teach alternative strategies to students in their class discussion sections. They will examine the effects of strategy training on problem solving by students of different levels of spatial abilities by assessing their strategies before an after instruction.