Improving Physics learning with virtual environments: an example on the phases of water

Usually students have misconceptions on the microscopic structure and behaviour of matter. In order to overcome these difficulties computer-based worlds seem useful to visualize physical and chemical processes allowing for a better conceptual understanding. Since more 3-D virtual environments need to be explored and evaluated in science education, we have built a 3-D virtual environment – “Virtual Water” – to support the learning of Physics and Chemistry at the final high school and first-year university levels. It is centered in the microscopic structure of water and explores concepts related to water phases and the transitions between them.Usually students have misconceptions on the microscopic structure and behaviour of matter. In order to overcome these difficulties computer-based worlds seem useful to visualize physical and chemical processes allowing for a better conceptual understanding. Since more 3-D virtual environments need to be explored and evaluated in science education, we have built a 3-D virtual environment – “Virtual Water” – to support the learning of Physics and Chemistry at the final high school and first-year university levels. It is centered in the microscopic structure of water and explores concepts related to water phases and the transitions between them

Improving Physics learning with virtual environments: an example on the phases of water

Usually students have misconceptions on the microscopic structure and behaviour of matter. In order to overcome these difficulties computer-based worlds seem useful to visualize physical and chemical processes allowing for a better conceptualunderstanding. Since more 3-D virtual environments need to be explored and evaluatedin science education, we have built a 3-D virtual environment – “Virtual Water” – tosupport the learning of Physics and Chemistry at the final high school and first-yearuniversity levels. It is centered in the microscopic structure of water and exploresconcepts related to water phases and the transitions between them.Usually students have misconceptions on the microscopic structure and behaviour of matter. In order to overcome these difficulties computer-based worlds seem useful to visualize physical and chemical processes allowing for a better conceptualunderstanding. Since more 3-D virtual environments need to be explored and evaluatedin science education, we have built a 3-D virtual environment – “Virtual Water” – tosupport the learning of Physics and Chemistry at the final high school and first-yearuniversity levels. It is centered in the microscopic structure of water and exploresconcepts related to water phases and the transitions between them

Effects of Hands-On Experiences on Student Achievement, Interest, and Attitude in Chemistry

This study examined the effect of hands-on experiences on student achievement, interest, and attitude in chemistry. The researcher gathered data from 82 students enrolled in an East Texas high school chemistry course for the 2019-2020 school year. Historical data from five-unit tests were used to assess differences in mean achievement scores between test items aligned with hands-on laboratory experiences and test items aligned with computer-simulated experiences. An independent t-test and a paired t-test were used to statistically evaluate the data. The independent t-test showed no statistically significant difference. However, the paired t-test did indicate a statistically significant difference. To assess attitude and interest in chemistry, focus group interviews were conducted with one student from each of the seven participating classes. Transcripts of the interviews were quantized to analyze keywords and frequency of codes. Codes were cross-tabulated to find themes in the discussions. Analysis of the data revealed that students’ interest in and positive attitude toward science increased after participating in hands-on laboratory experiences, while computer simulated laboratory experiences increased negative attitude and decreased interest in chemistry. Meanwhile, students perceived learning from both hands-on and computer-simulated laboratory experiences

The use of simulations and videos in order to improve the learning of REDOX reactions in Engineering Degrees

Many students from secondary schools to universities in many countries struggle to learn chemistry and many do not succeed. Many high school and university students experience difficulties with fundamental ideas in chemistry [1]. Despite the importance of the foundation of chemistry, most students emerge from introductory courses with very limited understanding of the subject [2]. Chemistry had been regarded as a difficult subject for students by many researchers, teachers and science educators [3-4] because of the abstract nature of many chemical concepts, teaching styles applied in class, lack of teaching aids and the difficulty of the language of chemistry. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of teaching Chemistry at University Degrees. In general, the use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centred learning settings. Furthermore, and due to the fact that the globalization is becoming more and more important, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more essential. The presence of ICT in the interactive educational environment can help to develop thinking skills and make classrooms an environment for educational growth. ICT also helps students to develop new thinking skills which may transfer to different situations which may require analysis and comprehension skills, and consequently critical skill development. ICT has become an increasingly popular technological tool within an educational context. Even though, the potential of ITC use in increasing student interactivity and collaboration has been explored by many educators, the research conducted on the effectiveness of these tools use in an educational context is still quite limited. In this work a study to investigate the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of Chemistry at Malaga University was conducted between 2015/16. The study participants were two classrooms of the 1º level of Mechanical Engineering Degree. In the present work, a positive attitude towards learning has been accompanied by a motivated behaviour. This could be seen as the use of the simulation and some videos (ICT). The present study investigated whether computer assisted instruction, simulation and videos were more effective than face-to-face instruction in increasing student success in chemistry. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness ICT as an educational tool in an undergraduate course for students. The results of the Mechanical Engineering Degree study is based on surveys purpose after the use of an interactive application and videos in order to know, if they think the use of these ITC have improved their learning process. On average, the students find the use and application useful, overall because they are able to transfer from macroscopic level to microscopic or/ and symbolic level. Several concepts and conceptual relations covered in the chemistry or science courses were provided in a concrete way, the help of computer simulations improved the student success significantly. [1] Carson, J. , & Watson, E. M (2002). Undergraduate students’ understandings of entropy and gibbs free energy. University Chemistry Education, 4, 4-12. [2] Ochs, R.S. (1996) Thermodynamics and Spontaneity, Journal of Chemical Education, 73(10), pp 952-954. [3] Carter, C.S. and Brickhouse, M.W. (1989) What Makes Chemistry Difficult? Alternate Perceptions, Journal of Chemical Education, 66(3), 223-225 [4] Nakhleh, M.B. (1992) Why Some Students Don’t Learn Chemistry, Chemical Misconceptions, Journal of Chemical Education, 69(3), 191-196.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Distributed Scaffolding: Wiki Collaboration Among Latino High School Chemistry Students

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate if wiki collaboration among Latino high school chemistry students can help reduce the science achievement gap between Latino and White students. The study was a quasi-experimental pre/post control group mixed-methods design. It used three intact sections of a high school chemistry course. The first research question asked if there is a difference in academic achievement between a treatment and control group on selected concepts from the topics of bonding, physical changes, and chemical changes, when Latino high school chemistry students collaborate on a quasi-natural wiki project. Overall results for all three activities (Bonding, Physical Changes, and Chemical Changes) indicated no significant difference between the wiki and control group. However, students performing the chemical changes activity did significantly better than their respective control group. Furthermore, there was a significant association, with large effect size, between group membership and ability to overcome the misconception that aqueous ionic reactants in precipitation reactions exist as molecular pairs of ions. Qualitative analysis of classroom and computer lab dialogue, discussion board communication, student focus groups, teacher interviews, and wiki content attributes the better performance of the chemical changes wiki group to favorable differences in intersubjectivity and calibrated assistance, as well as learning about submicroscopic representations of precipitation reactions in multiple contexts. Furthermore, the nonsignificant result overall points to an aversion to peer editing as a possible cause. Drawing considerably on Vygotsky and Piaget, the results are discussed within the context of how distributed scaffolding facilitated medium levels of cognitive conflict. The second research question asked what the characteristics of distributed metacognitive scaffolding are when Latino high school chemistry students collaborate on a quasi-natural wiki project. Results suggested a higher frequency of metacognitive scaffolding by the teacher, over peers, for content knowledge and making connections knowledge. Teacher metacognitive scaffolding often took the form of posting discussion board questions designed to stimulate student reflection on their content or creativity. On the other hand, both teacher and peer metacognitive scaffolding for general goals knowledge and strategy knowledge was relatively infrequent. Recommendations are offered for improving teacher and peer metacognitive scaffolding

An analysis of Italian university students' performance through segmented regression models: gender differences in STEM courses

This paper investigates gender differences in university performances in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses in Italy, proposing a novel application through the segmented regression models. The analysis concerns freshmen students enrolled at a 3-year STEM degree in Italian universities in the last decade, with a focus on the relationship between the number of university credits earned during the first year (a good predictor of the regularity of the career) and the probability of getting the bachelor degree within 4 years. Data is provided by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR). Our analysis confirms that first-year performance is strongly correlated to obtaining a degree within 4 years. Furthermore, our findings show that gender differences vary among STEM courses, in accordance with the care-oriented and technical-oriented dichotomy. Males outperform females in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, while females are slightly better than males in biology. In engineering, female performance seems to follow the male stream. Finally, accounting for other important covariates regarding students, we point out the importance of high school background and students' demographic characteristics

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Interactive Effects of Chronic N Deposition, Acidification, and Phosphorus Limitation on Coupled Element Cycling in Streams

Human activity has doubled the amount of nitrogen on the landscape, creating a pollution problem and changing the balance among multiple nutrients that limit biological activity in ecosystems. At the same time, other disturbances, such as acidification, interact with nitrogen enrichment in ways that strongly influence the productivity and health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This project examines the interactions among multiple elements and disturbances (nitrogen, phosphorus, metals, and acidification) along a continuum from the atmosphere through soils to streams. This project takes advantage of two unique experiments in which entire watersheds have been experimentally enriched with nitrogen and acid for nearly two decades. A series of new studies in those watersheds examine how chemical and biological changes in soils alter the ability of streams to take up, use, and retain nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrient interactions are then related to important biological processes that affect the productivity and health of streams.This research addresses an important pollution problem that requires an approach that integrates biology and geochemistry along flow paths that link the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This type of integration is a challenge, but needed for effective environmental management, environmental research, and science teaching. Results from this project and interactions between university and US Forest Service researchers will inform effective management of watersheds faced with multiple pollution problems. A series of collaborative workshops in which high school, undergraduate, and graduate students work with researchers and teachers will promote multidisciplinary learning. The collaboration will seek to develop a computer simulation model for use in teaching integrated biology and chemistry in high school and college science curricula

Measuring the effectiveness of computer-based scientific visualisations for conceptual development in Australian chemistry classrooms

Visual modes of representation have always been very important in science and science education. Interactive computer-based animations and simulations offer new visual resources for chemistry education. Many studies have shown that students enjoy learning with visualisations but few have explored how learning outcomes compare when teaching with or without visualisations. This study employs a quasi-experimental crossover research design and quantitative methods to measure the educational effectiveness - defined as level of conceptual development on the part of students - of using computer-based scientific visualisations versus teaching without visualisations in teaching chemistry. In addition to finding that teaching with visualisations offered outcomes that were not significantly different from teaching without visualisations, the study also explored differences in outcomes for male and female students, students with different learning styles (visual, aural, kinesthetic) and students of differing levels of academic ability

The Case for Improving U.S. Computer Science Education

Despite the growing use of computers and software in every facet of our economy, not until recently has computer science education begun to gain traction in American school systems. The current focus on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the U.S. school system has disregarded differences within STEM fields. Indeed, the most important STEM field for a modern economy is not only one that is not represented by its own initial in "STEM" but also the field with the fewest number of high school students taking its classes and by far has the most room for improvement—computer science