The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) will work with a national group of high school chemistry teachers to develop two modules - one on chemical bonding and the other on solvation - based on interactive scientific visualizations and animations under student control. The students will use microcomputers in the classroom for visualization and will use a phone modem to access simulation software developed at NCSA, under separate funding, for research projects. The goal of the project is to enhance the chemistry curriculum by enabling students to manipulate visual representations of abstract concepts and explore these concepts, thereby bringing the studying of chemistry closer to the doing of chemistry. The modules will allow educators to explore and evaluate new pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning chemistry at the pre- college level, taking advantage of the dynamical, three- dimensional nature of the subject and of advances in technology.
