Increasingly, chemistry instructors are using multi-representational displays to support the teaching and learning of chemistry and the development of representational competence. Several studies have indicated that multi-representational displays present many challenges to students who would prefer to use only one representation while problem solving. Here, we examine the use of a multi-representational molecular mechanics Flash animation by organic chemistry undergraduates in a problem-solving interview. Using both protocol analysis and eye fixation data, our analysis indicates that students rely mainly on two visual-spatial representations in the display and do not make use of accompanying mathematical representations. Moreover, we explore how eye fixation data complement verbal protocols by providing information about how students allocate their attention to different locations of a multi-representational display with and without concurrent verbal utterances. Our analysis indicates that verbal protocols and eye movement data are highly correlated, suggesting that eye fixations and verbalizations reflect similar cognitive processes.

Representational competence in multi-representational molecular animations

241st National Meeting (2011)

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