Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions
Redox reaction is a difficult concept to teach and learn in chemistry courses at the secondary level. Although the significance of connecting macroscopic, molecular, and symbolic levels of representation has been emphasized in the chemistry education literature, most redox instruction involves only...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/7/428 |
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| author | Lu Wang Georgia Hodges Juyeon Lee |
| author_facet | Lu Wang Georgia Hodges Juyeon Lee |
| author_sort | Lu Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Redox reaction is a difficult concept to teach and learn in chemistry courses at the secondary level. Although the significance of connecting macroscopic, molecular, and symbolic levels of representation has been emphasized in the chemistry education literature, most redox instruction involves only macroscopic and symbolic representations. To address this challenge, we designed a blended-reality immersive environment (BRE) model, which blends a traditional experiment with immersive technologies to make the molecular representations of redox reactions visible. The effectiveness of this model in supporting students’ learning of redox reactions was first reported in a different article. In this paper, we further explore the features of BRE that drive learning gains. Results from six high school classes in the U.S. with 351 students indicate that integrating the molecular representation through adding the chemical bonds concept facilitates students in making connections between macroscopic and symbolic levels to promote learning. Dynamic demonstrations of electrons’ interaction with particles support students’ understanding of the nature of redox reactions. This study shows the promise of adopting immersive technologies to present all three representations of chemistry concepts in one learning model. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:20:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4eaf7c8a9fe54b3296abce4af17b10ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:20:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4eaf7c8a9fe54b3296abce4af17b10ce2023-12-01T22:04:46ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-06-0112742810.3390/educsci12070428Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox ReactionsLu Wang0Georgia Hodges1Juyeon Lee2School of Education, Indiana University Kokomo, 2300 S Washington Street, Kokomo, IN 46902, USADepartment of Mathematics and Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USADepartment of Mathematics and Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USARedox reaction is a difficult concept to teach and learn in chemistry courses at the secondary level. Although the significance of connecting macroscopic, molecular, and symbolic levels of representation has been emphasized in the chemistry education literature, most redox instruction involves only macroscopic and symbolic representations. To address this challenge, we designed a blended-reality immersive environment (BRE) model, which blends a traditional experiment with immersive technologies to make the molecular representations of redox reactions visible. The effectiveness of this model in supporting students’ learning of redox reactions was first reported in a different article. In this paper, we further explore the features of BRE that drive learning gains. Results from six high school classes in the U.S. with 351 students indicate that integrating the molecular representation through adding the chemical bonds concept facilitates students in making connections between macroscopic and symbolic levels to promote learning. Dynamic demonstrations of electrons’ interaction with particles support students’ understanding of the nature of redox reactions. This study shows the promise of adopting immersive technologies to present all three representations of chemistry concepts in one learning model.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/7/428high school/introductory chemistrylaboratory instructionsimmersive technologieselectron transfernature of a redox reaction |
| spellingShingle | Lu Wang Georgia Hodges Juyeon Lee Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions Education Sciences high school/introductory chemistry laboratory instructions immersive technologies electron transfer nature of a redox reaction |
| title | Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions |
| title_full | Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions |
| title_fullStr | Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions |
| title_short | Connecting Macroscopic, Molecular, and Symbolic Representations with Immersive Technologies in High School Chemistry: The Case of Redox Reactions |
| title_sort | connecting macroscopic molecular and symbolic representations with immersive technologies in high school chemistry the case of redox reactions |
| topic | high school/introductory chemistry laboratory instructions immersive technologies electron transfer nature of a redox reaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/7/428 |
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