Understanding how students learn and process information is critical to developing physical and virtual modeling activities that facilitate student learning by decreasing cognitive load. To meet this goal, 8 organic chemistry students participated in a research study to identify the cognitive elements associated with 2 different 3D physical modeling activities. Using EEG (electroencephalogram), researchers measured and recorded the cognitive processing of student participants while they were asked to manipulate and answer questions regarding R and S configuration and elimination reactions, respectively. Results of the EEGLab analysis will focus on the use of the Pope Engagement Index to measure the cognitive load of the participants in order to further refine the activities to decrease unnecessary extraneous cognitive elements.

Use of the Pope Engagement Index to measure cognitive load of organic chemistry modeling activities

2019 Spring National Meeting

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