Fostering Scientific Modelling in Chemistry Degree Courses

本项目旨在通过两项干预研究，探讨化学专业学生一年级期末视觉模型理解与学习成绩（专业知识、考试成绩）之间的因果关系。为了做到这一点，本项目区分了一个标志性的和一个象征性的数学模型理解。符号模型具有指向参考对象的结构描述特征（例如，原子轨道的视觉显示），而符号数学模型不显示这种相似性（例如，化学计量或物理化学方程）。干预的目标是支持符号和符号数学模型的理解，根据ALSTER框架模型，这两者都是化学特定的学习要求。我们认为，培养对符号模型的理解将导致对物质结构的更深层次的理解，同时，培养对符号数学模型的理解将增加从不同方面定量地感知化学方程的能力。首先，本研究以实验室为基础，采用对照设计，以两个干预组为研究对象，探讨促进符号和符号数学模型理解的有效性。除了模型理解之外，有机化学和物理化学标准化领域特定知识测试的学习表现和结果将被用作因变量。二是在生态有效的环境下，在一学期内的一门课程的野外实验中进行培训。两个训练组也将互为等待对照组。关于方法，两种训练都将基于工作示例方法。为了做到这一点，工作示例的步骤将在训练过程中逐渐消失，以便触发学生在相关领域特定的上下文中发展他们自己的解释。根据研究表现，基于有机化学和物理化学的基本概念以及第一资助阶段的关系分析，我们期望培养符号和符号数学模型理解能力将对两个化学分支学科都有好处。我们以应用为导向的目标是开发和评估支持符号和符号数学模型理解的方法，这些方法可以立即整合到大学教学中，从而承担可持续和长期增加学习成功的承诺。

This project aims at investigating causal relationships between the visual model comprehension of chemistry students and their study performance (domain-specific knowledge, exam scores) at the end of the first university year by means of two intervention studies. To do so, the present project distinguishes between an iconic and a symbolic-mathematical model comprehension. Iconic models have a structural depicting character that refers to a reference object (e.g., the visual display of an atomic orbital), while symbolic-mathematical models do not show this similarity (e.g., a stoichiometric or physical-chemical equation). The goal of the interventions is to support iconic as well as symbolic-mathematical model comprehension, both of which are chemistry-specific study requirements according to the ALSTER framework model. We suppose that fostering iconic model comprehension will lead to a deeper comprehension of the structure of matter, while at the same time, fostering symbolic-mathematical model comprehension will increase the ability to perceive chemical equations quantitatively considering different aspects. First, a laboratory-based experiment using a control design with two intervention groups will investigate the effectiveness of fostering iconic and symbolic-mathematical model comprehension. Besides model comprehension, study performance and results from standardized domain-specific knowledge tests in organic and physical chemistry will be used as dependent variables. Second, the trainings will be conducted under ecologically valid circumstances in a field experiment during a course within a semester. Both trainings groups will also serve as waiting control groups for each other. Regarding the method, both trainings will be based on a worked-examples approach. To do so, the steps of the worked examples will be gradually faded over the course of the training, so that students are triggered to develop their own explanations, also in related domain-specific contexts. Regarding study performance and based on the basic concepts of organic and physical chemistry and on the relational analyses of the first funding phase, we expect that training iconic and symbolic-mathematical model comprehension will be beneficial for both chemical sub disciplines. Our application-oriented goal is the development and evaluation of methods to support iconic and symbolic-mathematical model comprehension, which can be integrated into university-based teaching right away and thus bear the promise of a sustainable and long-lasting increase of study success.