Jerry P. Suits

Impact of a Pre-Laboratory Organic-Extraction Simulation on Comprehension and Attitudes of Undergraduate Chemistry Students.

Many students perform extraction experiments without connecting relevant molecular features to corresponding macroscopic features. Two versions of an Organic Extraction Simulation, one with text captions and the other with narration accompanying the animation, were developed based on a cognitive view of multimedia learning. This instructional module was intended to help students to visualize extraction concepts at the molecular level, and to connect these concepts with corresponding macroscopic procedure. Organic Chemistry I students (N = 106) were randomly assigned to use one of two versions of the simulation (with text or narration). They completed a spatial ability test, and a pre-test and a post-test on organic extraction concepts. Post-test scores for both versions were significantly higher than pre-test scores. MANCOVA with a pre-test score covariate indicated that simulation version had a significant effect on lower-order cognitive questions (p = 0.036), while spatial ability was significantly correlated with higher-order cognitive questions (p = 0.004). Students in the narration group had significantly more positive attitudes towards the effectiveness of the simulation than did those in the text group.

Gender and Spatial Ability and the Use of Specific Labels and Diagrammatic Arrows in a Micro-Level Chemistry Animation

This study investigates the effects of using both specific labels and diagrammatic arrows in the animation of salt dissolution. Four different versions of the animation served as treatments that were developed based upon principles of educational technology and cognitive psychology. The researchers studied the effects of spatial ability (high or low) and gender in terms of interaction with the treatments and control using ANCOVA statistical procedure. The dependent variable was posttest knowledge conveyed in the animation. Participants were drawn from a college chemistry course for science majors. Overall, high spatial ability students performed better on the post-test than the low spatial ability students (p = .001). In terms of gender, females outperformed males on the post-test (p = .009). Students in the “arrows-only” treatment group tended to score lower on the post-test that the other groups (p = .083). In the article the authors discuss how the principles of educational technology might account for these findings.