Students’ ability to visualize and manipulate three-dimensional structures may affect their ability to interpret and accurately observe unit cells within a solid-state structure. Prior research suggests sex correlates with such spatial awareness skills. In this project, general chemistry laboratory students completed the Revised Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Visualization of Rotations (Revised PSVT:R) prior to a lab activity involving solid-state structures. Students also completed a set of questions about solid-state structures.  A sub-set of the pre-lab questions were also asked as a post-test and a delayed post-test. Analysis of participating students’ scores on the Revised PSVT:R, the three content tests, and the lab activity, which includes assessment of learning gains and evaluation of correlation with sex, will be presented. Future work will explore whether the implementation of alternative modeling activities using virtual reality programs has impacts on students’ ability to answer questions concerning solid-state structures.

Investigation of correlations between mental rotation ability, sex, and solid-state learning in general chemistry students

2019 Spring National Meeting

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