Teaching Aids

Overview

Molecular modeling software has transformed the capabilities of researchers. Molecular modeling software has the potential to be a helpful teaching tool, though as of yet its efficacy as a teaching technique has yet to be proven. This project focused on determining the effectiveness of a particular molecular modeling software in high school classrooms. Our team researched what topics students struggled with, surveyed current high school chemistry teachers, chose amodelingsoftware, and thendeveloped a lesson plan around these topics. Lastly, we implemented the lesson in two separate high school classrooms. We concluded that these programs show promise for the future, but with the current limitations of high school technology, these tools may not be as impactful.