Many strong claims have been made about the benefit of learning with physical and virtual (computer-based) models, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Chemistry is an ideal domain to investigate these issues because it is a spatially-rich domain that relies heavily on a variety of 2D (diagrams) and 3D (models) representations, and mastering these representations (i.e., developing representational competence) is challenging for students, but essential for their growth as chemists or scientists in other domains. A team of investigators from the University of California, Santa Barbara, will investigate (1) whether models might serve as a crutch or a scaffold for learning, (2) the extent to which interacting with models affects representational competence, (3) whether the ?medium? of the model (physical or virtual) is important in model-based learning, (4) which perceptual (i.e., visual and haptic) cues and cognitive factors contribute to meaningful learning, and (5) how gender and differences in spatial ability affect model-based learning. This project will yield research-based (a) practices for the development of curricula that integrate concrete and virtual models as effective learning aids and (b) principles for the design of meaningful model-based instruction.
The proposed project has the potential to inform teachers and curriculum designers about how better to use models and other representations in chemistry and other highly spatial STEM domains (e.g., geology, astronomy, anatomy, and mechanical engineering), by contributing to our basic understanding of what cognitive and perceptual factors affect learning. The knowledge gained from this project will inform the effective design and delivery of new media made possible by the explosive growth in availability of smart-phones and tablets in the classroom. Finally, results of this project will inform our understanding of how gender and differences in spatial ability contributes to learning with models in STEM disciplines.
