Exploring Interactivity, Dimensionality and Assessment in a Diagnostic Interactive Prototype for Visualizing Molecular Geometry and Polarity

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Exploring Interactivity, Dimensionality and
Assessment in a Diagnostic Interactive Prototype
for Visualizing Molecular Geometry and Polarity

• Barbara L. Gonzalez, CSUF
• Elizabeth Dorland, WUSL
• Robin Heyden, Consultant
• Matthew Radcliff, Paignton Pictures

California State University Fullerton Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry
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Project Goals

• Design principles for developing animations that
  promote optimal use of interactivity and
  learners ability to mentally transform between
  two- and three-dimensional representations of
  structure.
• Development of instruments to assess student
  understanding of center of symmetry, molecular
  geometry, polarity of bonds, and polarity of
  molecules.
• Process for the development of animations and
  assessment instruments based on design principles
  from the research literature informed by
  controlled studies in classroom settings.

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Visualization

• Visual-Spatial
• Ability to mentally manipulate images in three
  dimensions
• (Coleman and Gotch, 1998)
• Spatial visualization
• Ability to recognize, retain and recall an object
  when it or parts of it are moved
• Spatial orientation
• Ability to remain unconfused by changes in the
  orientation of an object
• (Bodner and Guay, 1997)
• Imagery
• Ability to elicit a visual representation of a
  mental model
• (Gabel,1999 Mathewson, 1999)

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Visualization and Chemistry

• Visual-spatial skills develop from birth and
  improve with practice
• (Lord, 1985 Kosslyn, Margolin, Barrett,
  Goldknopf and Daly, 1990)
• Spatial-perceptual skills are related to
  performance in a chemistry course and males tend
  to have better skills in subjects such as science
  
• (Bodner and Domin, in press Carter, LaRussa, and
  Bodner, 1987 Coleman and Gotch, 1998)
• Misconceptions Molecular Geometry and Polarity
• Bilateral-spatial, Electronegativity, VSEPR
• (Furio, Calatayud, Barcenas Padilla, 200
  Meyer, 2005 and Wang, 2007)

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Animation

• Multimedia Learning Theory
• Contiguity, coherence, modality and redundancy
  (Mayer
  Moreno, 2007 Tversky Morrison, 2002 Mayer,
  2003 and Mayer Reed, 2006)
• Animations in Chemistry
• Order effects and achievement
  (Sanger 2001 Tasker et al., 2003 and
  Williamson, 1995)

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Assessment Study Setting

• Location
• Southern California, USA
• Comprehensive university awards BA, BS, MA, MS
  degrees
• 59 Female
• Mean age 21 years
• Minority Serving Institution
• Subjects (n 228)
• Introductory Chemistry CHEM115 n 158
• General Chemistry 1 CHEM120A n 65
• REU and HHMI research students REU n 6
• Most completed organic chemistry
• Most REU from other universities
• Duration
• Fall 2007 to Summer 2009

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Assessment Study Design

• Quantitative Study
• Qualitative Study

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Assessment Research Questions

• Does the frequency of target misconceptions vary
  by course and pre-/post- instruction?
• Symmetry as solely a two-dimensional phenonmenon
• Polarity of individual bonds synonymous with
  molecular polarity
• Incorrect application of VSEPR lone pairs to
  polarity
• Is there an association between ability to
  correctly identify an asymmetric electron
  distribution in a molecule with the presence or
  absence of the three target misconceptions?
• Will the assessment items contribute to a
  database of items appropriate for use for
  animation prototype for visualization of
  molecular geometry and polarity?

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Assessment Instruments

• CHEM 115 Final Exam
• CHEM 120A Post Instruction Quiz
• REU Post Animation Online Assessment

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Sample Responses

• CHEM 120A Post Instruction Quiz
• Misconception Bond Polarity as Molecular Polarity
• REU Post Animation Online Assessment
• Misconception Bond Polarity as Molecular Polarity
• S I still think its asymmetrical because
  boron is more
• electronegative than H so its going to
  pull electrons toward itself.
• R OK. So can you determine in that molecule a
  line or plane that
• separates the negative from the positive
  charge?
• S Mm. Not sure.

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Online PreTest
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Diagnostic Interactive
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Online Post Animation Evaluation
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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Asymmetric Molecule Determination and
Misconceptions
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Conclusions Assessment Item Studies

• Misconception Lone Pair as Molecular Polarity is
  most frequent in all courses
• Frequencies of Symmetry as 2D and Lone Pair as
  Molecular Polarity CHEM120A increase pre-/post
  instruction
• (?2 1.67, p gt 0.05 (?2 2.13, p gt 0.05)
• A significant association Bond Polarity as
  Molecular Polarity CHEM120A increase pre-/post
  instruction (?2 5.54, p .05)
• An association exists between the ability to
  correctly identify a molecule with asymmetric
  electron distribution and the Symmetry as 2D
  misconception ( p 0.05)
• Assessment items can contribute to a database of
  items appropriate for use with an animation
  prototype for visualizing molecular geometry and
  polarity.

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Future Research

• Compile a database of assessment items for
  dynamic and embedded assessment of molecular
  geometry and polarity
• Field test item database using paper-pencil,
  online and oral interview procedures
• Field test assessment with MGP module
• Determine validity and reliability of items in
  database
• Pilot items to assess virtual reality context

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Project Future

• Continue monthly Skype conference
• Seek funding sources to continue project
• Proposal to Dreyfus submitted June 4, 2009
• Plan proposal to NSF CCLI May 2010
• Incorporate virtual reality component to the
  project
• Virtual reality spin-off by Robin and Liz
• CSUF Faculty-Student Research Award June 30,
  2009
• 1,000 for software, student travel to SCUR
• Continue assessment of diagnostic interactive
  with general chemistry undergraduates F2009
• Continue development of diagnostic interactive
• Use data from qualitative interviews and Fall
  2009 pilot
• Add the second storyboard

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Acknowledgments

• National Science Foundation
• CAREER REC0133989
• REU CHE0649087
• DRL REESE 0634617
• California State University Fullerton
• Dr. Monica Azimoara
• Shiloh Betterley
• Keegan Konecny
• Sarita Mantravadi
• Jasmine Radoc
• University California Berkeley
• Elodie Tong-Lin

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The Project Team