Abstract
Augmented reality (AR) has the capacity to afford a virtual experience that obviates the reliance on using two-dimensional representations of 3D molecules for teaching stereochemistry to undergraduate students. Using a combination of quantitative instruments and qualitative surveys/interviews, this study explored the relationships between students’ attitudes, perceived cognitive load, spatial ability, and academic performance when engaging in an asynchronous online stereochemistry activity. Our activity was designed using elements of game-based learning, and integrated AR technologies. The control group was provided with a copy of our activity that used two-dimensional drawings, whereas the AR group completed an activity using the AR technologies. For this cohort of students, results indicated significant improvement in academic performance in both the control and AR groups. The introduction of AR technologies did not result in the AR group outperforming the control group. Participants from both groups displayed significant improvements in spatial ability throughout the research period. Further, a moderate correlation (rs = 0.416) between students’ spatial ability and academic performance was found. No significant intergroup differences in the perceived cognitive loads of students were observed. A significant difference was observed on one item of the Intellectual Accessibility subscale of the ASCI (V2), Complicated–Simple. We found no correlation for student attitude or cognitive load with academic performance. The findings of this study provide insights for future AR-related studies to explore the role of spatial ability, student attitude, and cognitive load in learning performance.
Highlights
VSEPR and Learning With Augmented RealityThe Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory is an archetypical example of stereochemistry, a model in chemistry that provides an explanation for the basic geometry of many main group compounds encountered by chemistry students based upon the extent of electrostatic repulsion
This study explored the utilisation of an asynchronous online learning activity which employed elements of gamification and Augmented reality (AR) technology
This study contributes to the growing body of evidence on how students engage with embedded AR technologies
Summary
The Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory is an archetypical example of stereochemistry, a model in chemistry that provides an explanation for the basic geometry of many main group compounds encountered by chemistry students based upon the extent of electrostatic repulsion. The “AXE method” of electron counting is commonly applied to determine the shape of a molecule based on the principles of VSEPR (Burrows et al, 2021). The “X” represents m number of bonds between the central atom and its substituents. The “E” represents n number of lone pairs surrounding the central atom. The sum of X and E, obtained from a molecule’s Lewis structure, are denoted as the steric number
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