When Chemical Bonding is Perceived Simple and Interesting: The Design and Development of a Learning Object

Abstract

The concept of chemical bonding is abstract and perceived as difficult. While it is a fundamental concept required to comprehend other chemistry topics, the learning outcomes are not always attained. Addressing this issue, our challenge was to create a learning intervention regarding a common, fundamental chemistry concept for students in a variety of undergraduate chemistry courses. We envisioned a learning product that invites students’ interest yet is challenging. This design case discusses the process, the literature that informs our design decisions, and strategies incorporated into the design of a learning object entitled Making Molecules: Dot Structures and Ionic Compounds to mitigate the learning issue. Discussion on the context of the project, design and development strategies, evaluation, and project reflection is presented as well.

Synthesizing Magnesium Oxide through a 3D Experience

“…The Chemistry teacher and an Educational Technology faculty member at an Institute of Higher Education collaborated over a year to create 3D experiences to enhance the traditional lab work and support the abstract, submicroscopic concepts with detailed examples. Submicroscopic Chemistry concepts are often difficult for students to grasp (Bakar et al, 2019), and various strategies such as lab experiments, 2D images, and models (e.g., ball and stick) are used to support these concepts (Muljana et al, 2020(Muljana et al, , 2023Summerlin & Borgford, 1989;Tatli & Ayas, 2012). Unfortunately, these strategies lack specific information about the atomic interactions (Harrison & Treagust, 2000;Muljana et al, 2020), and existing 3D models, aimed at teaching theoretical Chemistry concepts, are inaccurate or not designed for HS levels of understanding (Muljana et al, 2020).…”

“…Submicroscopic Chemistry concepts are often difficult for students to grasp (Bakar et al, 2019), and various strategies such as lab experiments, 2D images, and models (e.g., ball and stick) are used to support these concepts (Muljana et al, 2020(Muljana et al, , 2023Summerlin & Borgford, 1989;Tatli & Ayas, 2012). Unfortunately, these strategies lack specific information about the atomic interactions (Harrison & Treagust, 2000;Muljana et al, 2020), and existing 3D models, aimed at teaching theoretical Chemistry concepts, are inaccurate or not designed for HS levels of understanding (Muljana et al, 2020). Due to these limitations, we decided to design 3D experiences for various Chemistry units that specifically address student misconceptions identified by the Chemistry teacher (see next section).…”

Learning Chemical Bonds in Terms of Identifying Difficulties, Misconceptions, Learning Media, and Learning Models: A Systematic Literature Review

“…The LO is provided in the form of a link, so it is easy to access. This LO contains two representations, namely, a submicroscopic representation allowing students to see a picture of chemical bonds from the application and a symbolic representation showing a comparison between molecules designed by students with typical chemical structures (Muljana et al, 2020). (Kumalaningtias & Sukarmin, 2019).…”