Research project Visualization of chemical structures in a problem-solving process applying eye-tracking as analytical tool with the aim to explore spatial competence.
In this project, university students' and experienced chemists' spatial ability is explored while solving stereochemistry problems. The analysis will be done applying eye-tracking as analytical tool.
Visualization is a core competence essential for several subjects, both in school and at university level. In chemistry education, students are required to visualize how atoms connect to each other to form chemical compounds. The ability to visualize molecular geometry is called spatial competence or spatial ability. Spatial competence is often demanding to chemistry students since they usually meet different models of representations of chemistry presented in two dimensions (2D), and then are supposed to move between 2D and 3D in their minds. Even though spatial competence is fundamental for learning, and possible to develop with practice, previous research has not been able to explain how students explicitly move between 2D and 3D in the problem-solving process, and how students develop their spatial competence. The purpose of this project is to investigate university students’ spatial competence when solving stereochemistry problems. To reach this purpose, the molecular geometry is visualized on a computer screen where eye-tracking is applied as an analytical tool.
