Emerging Research - Empirical Research - Representation Translation with Concrete and Virtual Models in Chemistry

新兴研究 - 实证研究 - 化学中具体和虚拟模型的表征翻译

• 批准号: 1008505
• 负责人: Mike Stieff
• 金额: $ 44.66万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-15 至 2011-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1008505&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Emerging; Research; Empirical; Representation; Translation

Organic chemists rely heavily on physical models of molecules, so it not surprising that models are also commonly employed to help teach organic chemistry. It has been assumed that when undergraduate students work with these models, ability to construct an internal representation of the molecular structures is enhanced. But few studies have examined this directly and empirically. In addition, virtual models (3-D computer visualizations) have replaced concrete models as powerful computers become available, inviting comparison between learning with real and virtual models.Researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara and the University of Maryland will conduct a series studies to examine how undergraduate organic chemistry students use models to advance their understanding of molecular structures that require visualizations in three dimensions. This study investigates the benefits of students' use of concrete or virtual models, asking:- Does model use improve students? ability to translate between different representations of molecular representations?- What aspects of models are most effective for representation translation?- Does instruction in model use alter the frequency and quality of model use?- Do models support students of low spatial ability more or less effectively than students of high spatial ability?This study uses experimental methods to systematically explore the uses of both concrete and virtual models in promoting meaningful learning in organic chemistry in a series of studies set in the controlled environment of the psychology lab. An important dependent variable for this study measures students' ability to translate between alternative diagrammatic representations of molecules. This is an essential skill that all students of organic chemistry must master. Measures include accuracy of the representations that students produce in representational translation and students' interactions (including gestures) with the concrete and virtual models during task performance. The study also tests its emergent theory of model use in university classroom settings by comparing the performance of undergraduates who are trained to use models with those who have had no such training.This study is important because it systematically studies model use in organic chemistry. If students learn to use models more effectively, then they may find more success in undergraduate organic chemistry, a gatekeeper course for advanced STEM professions. The ability to visualize molecules may be especially challenging for students with low spatial abilities, and the deliberate training in model use may allow more students to not only pass organic chemistry, but stimulate their ability to use models in eventual STEM professions. This study should result in a better understanding of the effectiveness and appropriateness of concrete and virtual models for enhancing student learning in chemistry and new instructional activities for use in chemistry classrooms.

有机化学家严重依赖分子的物理模型，因此模型也普遍用于帮助教授有机化学也就不足为奇了。人们认为，当本科生使用这些模型时，构建分子结构内部表示的能力会得到增强。但很少有研究直接和实证地检验这一点。此外，随着功能强大的计算机的出现，虚拟模型（3D计算机可视化）已经取代了具体模型，从而可以将学习与真实模型和虚拟模型进行比较。加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校和马里兰大学的研究人员将进行一系列研究，以检验本科生有机化学学生如何使用模型来加深对需要三维可视化的分子结构的理解。本研究调查了学生使用具体或虚拟模型的好处，并提出以下问题：- 模型的使用是否可以提高学生的成绩？ - 模型的哪些方面对表示翻译最有效？ - 模型使用指导是否会改变模型使用的频率和质量？ - 模型对空间能力低的学生的支持是否比空间能力高的学生更有效还是更差？本研究采用实验方法，系统地探索在受控环境中设置的一系列研究中具体和虚拟模型在促进有机化学有意义学习中的用途 心理学实验室。本研究的一个重要因变量衡量学生在分子的替代图形表示之间进行转换的能力。这是所有有机化学学生必须掌握的一项基本技能。衡量标准包括学生在表征翻译中产生的表征的准确性以及学生在任务执行过程中与具体和虚拟模型的交互（包括手势）。该研究还通过比较接受过模型使用培训的本科生与未接受过此类培训的本科生的表现，测试了其在大学课堂环境中模型使用的新兴理论。这项研究很重要，因为它系统地研究了有机化学中的模型使用。如果学生学会更有效地使用模型，那么他们可能会在本科生有机化学（高级 STEM 专业的把关人课程）中取得更大的成功。对于空间能力较低的学生来说，可视化分子的能力可能尤其具有挑战性，而对模型使用的刻意训练可能会让更多的学生不仅通过有机化学，而且激发他们在最终的 STEM 职业中使用模型的能力。这项研究应该有助于更好地理解具体和虚拟模型对于增强学生化学学习和化学课堂中使用的新教学活动的有效性和适当性。