Review of 2nd Journal

(Using Molecular Representations To Aid Student Understanding of Stereochemical Concepts)

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relative effectiveness of three kinds of
molecular representations on students understanding of stereochemistry concepts. Instructional
activities included the use of (i) computer-based molecular visualization software, (ii) handheld
ball and stick models, and (iii) two-dimensional.
The subject of this research were student in a first semester general organic chemistry. They were
asked to volunteer to do extra class sheduled outside of the regular class period. Total of student
is 182 students , in treatment group (I,II,III) were 139 students and the reference group students
is 43 students. The research give each of group a worksheet with same content and the same
examples. But each treatment group use different representations of example molecules.
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Treatment Group 1
Students in this group use computer geberated repreentation of molecules . The
computer group were able to twist, rotate , animate and compare two molecules on the

same screen while depicting the molecules in three dimension.

Treatment Group 2
Student in this group use handheld ball and stick molecular models constructed by
researchers. The handheld ball and stick group were able to manipulated models and

identified isomeric relationships.

Treatment Group 3
Student in this group use two dimensional perspective drawing representation of
molecules. The two dimensional group were able to understood rotation of molecules
on paper and identification of isomeric relationship.

For reference group student they jus attended the regular classroom activities and they didnt
have any additional treatment.
Before the researches doing the research, the students was given a pretest of content knowledge
based on a unit instruction that was unrelated to stereochemistry concepts and the result was all

of student have a equivalent in their ability to learn organic chemistry concepts. There is no
significant difference in the content test score of 182 students.

This picture show that all the groups could be considered equivalent in their ability to learn an
ability to learn chemistry concepts and there is no significant difference among the treatment
groups in their spasial abilities.
After the treatment the researches gave the all of student a quiz and the result sowed a significant
difference on the stereochemistry question on the unit exam scores by treatment.It showed that
the computer group scores were 15% higher than the other two treatments groups and 37%
higher than the reference group. The handheld model group and the 2-D group scored 22%
higher than the reference group.The students who were in the reference group did significantly
worse than all the other groups.