Peer Review

Web-Based Molecular Level Inquiry Laboratory Activity

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 10, 2011 by Chemistry

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: Work by John Gelder of Oklahoma State University and Mike Abraham of Oklahoma University providing a reference to the excellent award winning gas law simulation program and indirect references to other web sites. The page has not been continually updated. Being 10 years old, it is really an archive site rather than a useful reference site.
Type of Material:: This conference presentation is text on the web describing the learning cycle approach with reference to several simulations through web links.
Recommended Uses:: This material is best used as a reference for introduction to the potential use of computer based molecular laboratory experiments and to the intricacies of the learning cycle approach.
Technical Requirements:: The site may be viewed by any current browser. Because of the age of the site, there are several in-line characters that will not display correctly.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: This site represents an 'on the web' text presentation of an ACS presentation delivered by the authors. The learning goals are primarily to acquaint the reader with applications of 'Learning Cycle' methods with web based animations of chemistry experiments.
Target Student Population:: High school and university introductory level chemistry faculty who are interested in various approaches to inquiry based chemistry will find this site to be of some interest.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: The gas law simulation that is referred to in the web site presumes that the user has some basic knowledge of gas laws, although the simulation referred to may also be used to discover the nature of the gas laws. The web site itself is more a text only introduction to MoLE (a new concept of the authors) as it relates to integration with web based simulations of molecular activity and the Learning Cycle Approach.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This web site provides a brief introduction to an assessment of the efficacy of MoLE activities and the Gas Law Simulation in several different classroom settings.
Concerns:: This web site has not been updated in 10 years and realistically presents only a conference paper summary of work by the authors, rather than a useful tool for a larger audience.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: This paper suggests a hybrid approach between web based animations, Molecular level learning activities using web animations, and the Learning Cycle Approach. As such, it opens up alternative learning and teaching approaches for introductory chemistry using guided inquiry with and without actual laboratory experience.
Concerns:: The web page is a summary of a conference presentation and not particularly a useful site in and of itself. The reference to the gas law simulation is helpful, but that web site (gas law simulation) is available independently of this web page. The reader of this page is not likely to return to the page or use it repeatedly since there is little to use, other than the knowledge of the evolving pedagogy at the interface between guided inquiry and computerized animations (the latter of which the authors are quite skilled).

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: Being text on the web, the site is very easy to use.
Concerns:: The single page web site must be scrolled through. There is no navigational tool to enhance the user interface. There are many typographical errors and font errors. Little or no attention has been paid to layout or graphical design aesthetics.

Other Issues and Comments:: This site is of limited use, and then primarily only as a conduit to the more recent and interesting work by the authors with computer animation and assessment of student learning through the use of computer animations.
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