This presentation will review the evolution of computer-based simulations for teaching undergraduate chemistry. Simulations are interactive units that allow students to adjust variables in chemical systems and observe the effects of those changes. This affords the student to explore a system at a fast pace and draw conclusions regarding the relationships and controlling factors for that system. Simulations differ from videos and animations in their adjustability. Purely visual learning aids offer the student insight into how chemists view chemical systems. Simulations go beyond that to offer students the opportunity to learn how chemists deduce chemical relationships from data. This is important because of the general inability to generate a broad enough set of data in the undergraduate laboratory to develop overarching concepts. This presentation will examine the types of interactions simulations have used and how they have changed. In addition, the ways in which the interactive nature of simulations have been joined with different types of visualizations will be reviewed. Methods developed for relating interactive simulations to other learning tools such as figures, videos, animations and narrative text to make integrated learning modules will be explored. Finally, methods for integrating simulation activities across both the classroom and graded online homework will be reviewed.

Evolution of simulations in chemical education

247th National Meeting (2014)

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