Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1724-1735 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of chemical education |
| Volume | 95 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Publication status | Published - 22 Aug 2018 |
Abstract
Although many chemistry demonstrations are proposed in educational literature, there are hardly any studies on how demonstrations should be set up in order to support students' perception. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to present and test setup principles for chemistry demonstrations, with regards to indicators of students' visual attention on the relevant equipment in a demonstration. On the basis of the Gestalt principles, we carried out an experimental double-blind eye-tracking study. We set up six demonstrations that each corresponded to one Gestalt principle ("Gestalt setting") and six demonstrations that explicitly violated one principle ("control setting"). There were 146 students from secondary schools randomly assigned to watch a demonstration either in a Gestalt or a control setting. Visual attention was captured using an eye-tracker (eye-follower 2.0). The total fixation count, total fixation duration, total mean fixation duration, and time taken to fixate were analyzed. The results show that demonstration setups have an impact on visual attention, with small to medium effects for each Gestalt principle. In order to support learners watching a demonstration, educators should carefully plan the setup with regard to their concrete learning goal(s) and the equipment they want to focus on. In particular cases, educators will have to decide purposefully between competing principles.
Keywords
- Applications of Chemistry, Demonstrations, Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives, High School/Introductory Chemistry, Laboratory Equipment/Apparatus, Laboratory Instruction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- General Chemistry
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
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In: Journal of chemical education, Vol. 95, No. 10, 22.08.2018, p. 1724-1735.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemistry Demonstrations and Visual Attention:
T2 - Does the Setup Matter? Evidence from a Double-Blinded Eye-Tracking Study
AU - Nehring, Andreas
AU - Busch, Sebastian
PY - 2018/8/22
Y1 - 2018/8/22
N2 - Although many chemistry demonstrations are proposed in educational literature, there are hardly any studies on how demonstrations should be set up in order to support students' perception. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to present and test setup principles for chemistry demonstrations, with regards to indicators of students' visual attention on the relevant equipment in a demonstration. On the basis of the Gestalt principles, we carried out an experimental double-blind eye-tracking study. We set up six demonstrations that each corresponded to one Gestalt principle ("Gestalt setting") and six demonstrations that explicitly violated one principle ("control setting"). There were 146 students from secondary schools randomly assigned to watch a demonstration either in a Gestalt or a control setting. Visual attention was captured using an eye-tracker (eye-follower 2.0). The total fixation count, total fixation duration, total mean fixation duration, and time taken to fixate were analyzed. The results show that demonstration setups have an impact on visual attention, with small to medium effects for each Gestalt principle. In order to support learners watching a demonstration, educators should carefully plan the setup with regard to their concrete learning goal(s) and the equipment they want to focus on. In particular cases, educators will have to decide purposefully between competing principles.
AB - Although many chemistry demonstrations are proposed in educational literature, there are hardly any studies on how demonstrations should be set up in order to support students' perception. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to present and test setup principles for chemistry demonstrations, with regards to indicators of students' visual attention on the relevant equipment in a demonstration. On the basis of the Gestalt principles, we carried out an experimental double-blind eye-tracking study. We set up six demonstrations that each corresponded to one Gestalt principle ("Gestalt setting") and six demonstrations that explicitly violated one principle ("control setting"). There were 146 students from secondary schools randomly assigned to watch a demonstration either in a Gestalt or a control setting. Visual attention was captured using an eye-tracker (eye-follower 2.0). The total fixation count, total fixation duration, total mean fixation duration, and time taken to fixate were analyzed. The results show that demonstration setups have an impact on visual attention, with small to medium effects for each Gestalt principle. In order to support learners watching a demonstration, educators should carefully plan the setup with regard to their concrete learning goal(s) and the equipment they want to focus on. In particular cases, educators will have to decide purposefully between competing principles.
KW - Applications of Chemistry
KW - Demonstrations
KW - Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives
KW - High School/Introductory Chemistry
KW - Laboratory Equipment/Apparatus
KW - Laboratory Instruction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052967576&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00133
DO - 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00133
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85052967576
VL - 95
SP - 1724
EP - 1735
JO - Journal of chemical education
JF - Journal of chemical education
SN - 0021-9584
IS - 10
ER -