Norbert Pienta, professor of chemistry at the University of Georgia and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Chemical Education, will discuss a study using browser-based tools and eye-tracking technology to understand students’ approaches to problem solving in an introductory chemistry course. A word problem tool used a set of variables generated by an algorithm. A second tool was for drawing Lewis dot structures including atoms, electrons, bonds and charges, and a third tool examined the particulate nature of matter in which spheres represent atoms, ions or molecules. In addition, eye-tracking hardware examined proton NMR problems and finding structural features.
The talk is free and open to the public on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at 4:30 p.m. in 201 Clark Hall. Students and faculty are encouraged to meet the speaker over coffee and cookies in the Bennett Conference Room at 3:30 p.m.
For more information visit the event page on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences website.