Research into Practice: Visualising the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry
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| Title: | Research into Practice: Visualising the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Tasker, Roy |
| Source: | Teaching Science. Jun 2014 60(2):16-27. |
| Availability: | Australian Science Teachers Association. P.O. Box 334, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia. Tel: +61-02-6282-9377; Fax: +61-02-6282-9477; e-mail: publications@asta.edu.au; Web site: http://www.asta.edu.au/resources/teachingscience |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2014 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation |
| Contract Number: | 0440103 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Descriptors: | Chemistry, Visualization, Molecular Structure, Theory Practice Relationship, Scientific Concepts, Scientific Principles, Scientific Literacy, Animation, Educational Practices, Misconceptions, Teaching Methods, Science Education, Simulation |
| ISSN: | 1449-6313 |
| Abstract: | Why is chemistry so difficult? A seminal paper by Johnstone (1982) offered an explanation for why science in general, and chemistry in particular, is so difficult to learn. He proposed that an expert in chemistry thinks at three levels; the macro (referred to as the observational level in this article), the sub-micro (referred to as the molecular level here), and representational (referred to as the symbolic level here). The observational level involves chemistry that is visible and tangible, incorporating what we can perceive with the senses. The molecular level of understanding consists of mental images that chemists use to imagine and explain observations in terms of atoms, ions and molecules. Observed phenomena and molecular-level processes are then represented in terms of mathematics and chemical notation at the symbolic level. In the early 1990s the VisChem project was funded to produce a suite of molecular animations, depicting the structures of substances and selected chemical and physical changes (Tasker et al., 1996), to address student misconceptions identified in the literature. For instance, only VisChem animations portray the vibrational movement in solid substances. This is important because this movement is correlated with temperature, and students need to understand this to interpret the significance of melting and boiling points in molecular-level terms. The need for a chemistry student to move seamlessly between Johnstone's three "thinking-levels" is a challenge, particularly for the novice. The author's work in the VisChem project indicates that animations and simulations can communicate many key features about the molecular level effectively, and these ideas can link the laboratory level to the symbolic level. However, the project has also shown that new misconceptions can be generated. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Number of References: | 62 |
| Entry Date: | 2015 |
| Access URL: | https://asta.edu.au/resources/teachingscience |
| Accession Number: | EJ1048756 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Research into Practice: Visualising the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tasker%2C+Roy%22">Tasker, Roy</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Teaching+Science%22"><i>Teaching Science</i></searchLink>. Jun 2014 60(2):16-27. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Australian Science Teachers Association. P.O. Box 334, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia. Tel: +61-02-6282-9377; Fax: +61-02-6282-9477; e-mail: publications@asta.edu.au; Web site: http://www.asta.edu.au/resources/teachingscience – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 12 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2014 – Name: SourceSuprt Label: Sponsoring Agency Group: SrcSuprt Data: National Science Foundation – Name: NumberContract Label: Contract Number Group: NumCntrct Data: 0440103 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visualization%22">Visualization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+Structure%22">Molecular Structure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+Practice+Relationship%22">Theory Practice Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Concepts%22">Scientific Concepts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Principles%22">Scientific Principles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Literacy%22">Scientific Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animation%22">Animation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Misconceptions%22">Misconceptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation%22">Simulation</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1449-6313 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Why is chemistry so difficult? A seminal paper by Johnstone (1982) offered an explanation for why science in general, and chemistry in particular, is so difficult to learn. He proposed that an expert in chemistry thinks at three levels; the macro (referred to as the observational level in this article), the sub-micro (referred to as the molecular level here), and representational (referred to as the symbolic level here). The observational level involves chemistry that is visible and tangible, incorporating what we can perceive with the senses. The molecular level of understanding consists of mental images that chemists use to imagine and explain observations in terms of atoms, ions and molecules. Observed phenomena and molecular-level processes are then represented in terms of mathematics and chemical notation at the symbolic level. In the early 1990s the VisChem project was funded to produce a suite of molecular animations, depicting the structures of substances and selected chemical and physical changes (Tasker et al., 1996), to address student misconceptions identified in the literature. For instance, only VisChem animations portray the vibrational movement in solid substances. This is important because this movement is correlated with temperature, and students need to understand this to interpret the significance of melting and boiling points in molecular-level terms. The need for a chemistry student to move seamlessly between Johnstone's three "thinking-levels" is a challenge, particularly for the novice. The author's work in the VisChem project indicates that animations and simulations can communicate many key features about the molecular level effectively, and these ideas can link the laboratory level to the symbolic level. However, the project has also shown that new misconceptions can be generated. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: ERIC – Name: Ref Label: Number of References Group: RefInfo Data: 62 – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2015 – Name: URL Label: Access URL Group: URL Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://asta.edu.au/resources/teachingscience" linkWindow="_blank">http://asta.edu.au/resources/teachingscience</link> – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1048756 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 16 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Chemistry Type: general – SubjectFull: Visualization Type: general – SubjectFull: Molecular Structure Type: general – SubjectFull: Theory Practice Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Scientific Concepts Type: general – SubjectFull: Scientific Principles Type: general – SubjectFull: Scientific Literacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Animation Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Practices Type: general – SubjectFull: Misconceptions Type: general – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Simulation Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Research into Practice: Visualising the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tasker, Roy IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Type: published Y: 2014 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1449-6313 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 60 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Teaching Science Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
