Embodied Quantum Chemistry Learning from Haptic Feedback

Abstract

Chemistry in general and quantum chemistry in particular are difficult to learn due to many domain-specific concepts such as chemical bonds or electronic energy being imperceptible. Therefore, learners cannot directly connect these concepts to prior experience. It was demonstrated that haptic feedback has the potential to be an effective facilitator for learning of such scientific concepts. However, while overall, emotional results are positive, cognitive or performance-related results remain ambiguous. Furthermore, little is known about the underlying salient learning mechanisms which are activated when learning from haptic feedback. That is to say, it is unclear how haptic feedback facilitates learning. In this thesis, we present a learning environment that consists of a graphical as well as a haptic user interface and that exploits multiple multimodal representations for embodied learning. We present four studies. First, bachelor students tested the environment in a usability study. The optimized learning environment was then applied in two learning studies, in which we investigated the effect of haptic feedback on salient learning mechanisms and learning outcome in second- and fourth-semester students. Finally, the results of these studies inspired a follow-up study, in the scope of which we investigated the effect of explicit metaphorical explanation on the outcome. The learning studies all followed a problem-solving prior to instruction design. In contrast to instruction-first approaches, the problem-solving allowed the students to first interact with and reflect on the target concept before receiving explicit instruction. We find that haptic feedback is hindering if the embodied experience is not successfully mapped to the target concept by the students. We attribute this effect to the distraction from the available and generally well understood visual representations by the haptic feedback. We argue that by receiving an explicit explanation of the target conceptual metaphor Reactions are Hiking over a Mountain, the students will benefit more from the haptic feedback. This hypothesis is reinforced by increased curiosity, positive affect and perceived relevance observed within the group that participated in an embodied experience coupled with such a metaphorical explanation. The difference in performance was not statistically significant. Finally, the aggregated qualitative data of all studies provide a summary of student conceptions of the chemical bond concept. We find that students mostly conceptualized the chemical bond as physical entity or related to energy. We further conclude that the students encounter difficulties in understanding the contextual dependence of the decision when to utilize which model.