Investigating students’ affective states toward laboratory and context-based chemistry

Observations of natural phenomena are made possible with the invention of scientific apparatus and instruments. The focus in science education, however, has primarily been on theories rather than what enables the development of such theories, and chemistry curricula reflect this tradition. Introducing students to the role of instruments in science, both in experimental and theoretical aspects, can improve students’ overall understanding of, and appreciation for scientific practices. In addition, students’ increased perception of how chemical concepts are developed and how scientific observations are made can advance their awareness of the nature of science, thereby improving scientific literacy. Integrating the idea that instruments hold a central role in scientific progression can be achieved in both laboratories and lectures, providing students with opportunities to connect concepts to history, scientific practices, and applications. This dissertation is comprised of a series of studies which explores the use of technology and context-based curricular approach to provide general chemistry students with more information about instruments and applications in chemistry. Based on constructivism and the theory of meaningful learning, the affective learning domain, such as attitudes and motivation, was assessed in both chemistry laboratory and lecture courses. An augmented reality tool designed to connect students to information about commonly used instruments in a general chemistry lab course, specifically a pH meter and conductivity meter, was developed, implemented, and its effects on student learning and attitudes were investigated. In addition, for a chemistry lecture course, a context-based curricular approach was taken to introduce students to chemical concepts related to real-life applications, as well as to the role of scientific instruments, and this effort was assessed

From Artifacts to Outcomes: Comparison of HMD VR, Desktop, and Slides Lectures for Food Microbiology Laboratory Instruction

Despite the value of VR (Virtual Reality) for educational purposes, the instructional power of VR in Biology Laboratory education remains under-explored. Laboratory lectures can be challenging due to students' low motivation to learn abstract scientific concepts and low retention rate. Therefore, we designed a VR-based lecture on fermentation and compared its effectiveness with lectures using PowerPoint slides and a desktop application. Grounded in the theory of distributed cognition and motivational theories, our study examined how learning happens in each condition from students' learning outcomes, behaviors, and perceptions. Our result indicates that VR facilitates students' long-term retention to learn by cultivating their longer visual attention and fostering a higher sense of immersion, though students' short-term retention remains the same across all conditions. This study extends current research on VR studies by identifying the characteristics of each teaching artifact and providing design implications for integrating VR technology into higher education

Influence of motivation and academic performance in the use of Augmented Reality in education. A systematic review

The recent technologies rise today as a tool of significant importance today, especially in the educational context. In this sense, Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that is achieving a greater presence in educational centers in the last decade. However, Augmented Reality has not been explored in depth at the Secondary Education stage. Due to this, it is essential to analyze and concentrate the scientific research developed around this educational technology at that stage. Therefore, the aim of this research is to describe the influence that Augmented Reality shows on the motivation and academic performance of students in the Secondary Education stage. In relation to the methodology, a systematic review of the literature has been conducted using the Kitchenham protocol, where several factors have been analyzed, such as subjects, activities, and electronic implementation devices, together with the effects on motivation and student's academic performance. The Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases have been used to search for scientific papers, with a total of 344 investigations being analyzed between 2012 and 2022. The methodological stages considered were the formulation of research questions, the choice of data sources, search strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality assessment, and finally, data extraction and synthesis. The results obtained have shown that the use of AR in the classroom provides higher levels of motivation, reflected by factors such as attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, and reflects better results in the tests carried out on the experimental groups compared to the control groups, which means an improvement in the academic performance of students. These results supply a fundamental theoretical basis, where the different teachers should be supported for the incorporation of AR in the classroom, since how this educational technology has been shown offers great opportunities. Likewise, the development of research in areas not so addressed can further clarify the generality of AR based on its influence on learning. In addition, the fields of natural sciences and logical-mathematical have been the most addressed, managing to implement their contents through object modeling. In short, this research highlights the importance of incorporating Augmented Reality into all areas and educational stages, since it is a significant improvement in the teaching and learning process

Computer-simulated environment for training : challenge of efficacy evaluation

Computer-assisted instruction has been around for decades. There has been much speculation about the benefits of computer-mediated learning. Numerous applications have been developed in different domains incorporated with emerging technologies. In recently years, advanced technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), have received much attention in their potential of creating interactive learning experience for the users. However, related literature and empirical studies indicated that learning effects in computer-simulated environments or Virtual Environments (VEs) are not systematically tested. Furthermore, the performance and learning in computer-simulated learning environment need to be evaluated through more rigorous methods. This paper suggests that 1) the efficacy of VEs is subject to a close examination, not only in terms of how VE-based training systems are easy of use, but also in terms of how effective learning is; 2) evaluation of learning in computer simulated learning environments is required to be reconsidered in terms of theoretical basis and evaluation methodologies that are relevant to the measurement of training effectiveness in computer-simulated virtual learning environment. This paper explains on how learning can be assessed in VEs through the lens of training evaluation.<br /

Mobile augmented reality in learning chemistry subject: an evaluation of science exploration

Various technologies have been used in making teaching and learning sessions more effective, fun, and enjoyable. One of the ways to make teaching and learning interactive is by emphasizing the use of mobile augmented reality (MAR). Thus, this study has proposed using MAR for a chemistry subject, namely science exploration (SCIENEX). This study adopted design and development research (DDR) by employing the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model. The phases involved in DDR are ADDIE. SCIENEX was evaluated based on its validity, usability, and effectiveness. Five experts validated SCIENEX after it had been completely developed. The samples for usability testing and effectiveness of SCIENEX were 30 secondary school students who were studying chemistry. The results of the evaluation of the experts’ validation revealed that SCIENEX is a valid and appropriate MAR application for the learning of topics in chemistry. The result also revealed that the majority of students strongly agreed that SCIENEX is appropriate for the usage of MAR in learning chemistry, as it is fun, easy to use, and helps students to understand their learning. Interestingly, SCIENEX could increase students’ performance in their learning (t=21.754; p=0.000). Thus, it can be concluded that SCIENEX is valid, can be used for learning chemistry, and can help students in their learning. The limitations of this study and future suggestions for research are also discussed

THE EFFECTS OF A MOBILE APP-BASED SKY MAP IN TEACHING COLLEGE STUDENTS ABOUT CONSTELLATIONS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using a mobile app-based sky map to teach college students about constellations, stars, nebulae, and star clusters. The name of the app was Star Chart. The setting for the study was a community college in West Tennessee. Twenty out of 60 participants were males, with 83% of all being less than 25 years old. The first effect studied was concerning students level of attitude toward astronomy after they used the mobile app to learn about sky constellations, stars, nebulae, and star clusters. The second effect investigated in the study was regarding the ability of participating college students to identify the above astronomical objects after using the mobile app. For comparison purposes, the same measurements were taken for a control group that used a conventional print-based sky map, commonly known as a planisphere. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to compare the experimental or app-users group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30).The results of the study showed that Star Chart app users developed significantly more positive attitude toward astronomy than the planisphere users (Hotellings Trace = 0.132, F (2, 57) = 3.751, p \u3c .05, multivariate effect size 2 = 0.12). The multivariate effect size obtained showed that the difference was substantial. On the other hand, both Star Chart and planisphere groups learned comparable skills of identifying constellations, stars, nebulae, and star clusters.Since app-based sky maps are available freely for various platforms of mobile devices, they can be added to the technology repertoire of teachers and other community members involved in astronomy education. Due to time constraints, the researcher used planetarium software to simulate the sky. Hence, future researchers are recommended to replicate this study in the context of real night sky observations

Haptic feedback in teleoperation in Micro-and Nano-Worlds.

International audienceRobotic systems have been developed to handle very small objects, but their use remains complex and necessitates long-duration training. Simulators, such as molecular simulators, can provide access to large amounts of raw data, but only highly trained users can interpret the results of such systems. Haptic feedback in teleoperation, which provides force-feedback to an operator, appears to be a promising solution for interaction with such systems, as it allows intuitiveness and flexibility. However several issues arise while implementing teleoperation schemes at the micro-nanoscale, owing to complex force-fields that must be transmitted to users, and scaling differences between the haptic device and the manipulated objects. Major advances in such technology have been made in recent years. This chapter reviews the main systems in this area and highlights how some fundamental issues in teleoperation for micro- and nano-scale applications have been addressed. The chapter considers three types of teleoperation, including: (1) direct (manipulation of real objects); (2) virtual (use of simulators); and (3) augmented (combining real robotic systems and simulators). Remaining issues that must be addressed for further advances in teleoperation for micro-nanoworlds are also discussed, including: (1) comprehension of phenomena that dictate very small object (< 500 micrometers) behavior; and (2) design of intuitive 3-D manipulation systems. Design guidelines to realize an intuitive haptic feedback teleoperation system at the micro-nanoscale level are proposed