CHED 38 |
| Chemical equilibrium is a topic that is not easy for novice learners of chemistry to visualize. Effective visualizations, such as molecular level animations of dynamic equilibrium processes, may help learners understand chemical equilibrium concepts. In the first part of this two-part study, experts (chemistry instructors, high school teachers and chemistry graduate students) and novices (high school students and students in introductory college chemistry courses) were asked to write or draw their explanations of chemical equilibrium. The mental representations of the experts and novices were identified from their written and drawn explanations and compared. In the second part of the study, both experts and novices were asked to view and evaluate two molecular-level animations of chemical equilibrium. Both sets of research findings were used to determine the key features of effective molecular visualizations of chemical equilibrium. The results of the study and their implications for the teaching of chemistry will be discussed. |
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Visualization and Learning Chemistry
1:30 PM-4:10 PM, Sunday, April 6, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- Melrose, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |