Abstract
This mixed-method study investigates the effects of interactivity in animationsof a molecular-level process and explores perceptions aboutthe animated learning tool used. Treatments were based on principlesof cognitive psychology designed to study the main effects of treatmentand spatial ability and their interaction. Results with students (n=189)showed that science majors scored higher than non-science majors inretention measures (i.e., structure and function) but not in transfer.Significant main effects were found for treatment in function questions and spatial ability in structure questions. There was a significant interaction between treatment and spatial ability in structure questions. Additionally, in this study participants believed the key and the motion of ions and molecules were the most helpful parts of the animation. This study shows that students perceive the animations as being supportive of their learning, suggesting that animations do have a role in science classrooms.
Highlights
A great deal of research has been conducted about improving students’ conceptual understandings of chemistry at three different representation levels (Johnstone, 1993; Gabel, 2005). Nurrenbern and Pickering (1987), Sawrey (1990), and Nakhleh (1993) claim that traditional instruction tends to focus on the symbolic level in lectures and the macroscopic level in the laboratory
Research has led to specific design principles for instructional multimedia (Chandler & Sweller, 1991; Mayer, 2001)
The science majors had been briefly exposed to salts dissolving in water previously; their prior knowledge was limited to mostly symbolic representations in lectures and mostly hands-on experiences with the dissolving process in the laboratory portion of their course
Summary
A great deal of research has been conducted about improving students’ conceptual understandings of chemistry at three different representation levels (i.e., symbolic, particle and macroscopic levels) (Johnstone, 1993; Gabel, 2005). Nurrenbern and Pickering (1987), Sawrey (1990), and Nakhleh (1993) claim that traditional instruction tends to focus on the symbolic level (see Figure 1) in lectures and the macroscopic level in the laboratory. Nurrenbern and Pickering (1987), Sawrey (1990), and Nakhleh (1993) claim that traditional instruction tends to focus on the symbolic level (see Figure 1) in lectures and the macroscopic level in the laboratory. Due to the fact that animations sometimes mislead learners, causing misunderstandings, there has been a history of caution about using these tools for teaching. Learners assume that the colours and the shapes reflect the actual reality of the represented items, whereas the shapes and colours are, either symbolic or an idealisation of time and space relations. When effectively designed and used, these visualisations help to ensure adequate perception and comprehension in the real-world context of student learning (Kelly, 2005; Tasker, 2004; Tversky, 2001; Zacks & Tversky, 2003)
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