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May 29, 2012 - college mentors introducing touch-screen technology into a high school chemistry ... The New York City Department of Education advocate...
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Development and Implementation of High School Chemistry Modules Using Touch-Screen Technologies Maurica S. Lewis,† Jinhui Zhao,‡ and Jin Kim Montclare*,‡,§ †

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States § Department of Biochemistry, SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States S Supporting Information *

ABSTRACT: Technology was employed to motivate and captivate students while enriching their in-class education. An outreach program is described that involved college mentors introducing touch-screen technology into a high school chemistry classroom. Three modules were developed, with two of them specifically tailored to encourage comprehension of molecular bonding principles using a chemistry-based iPad app. Feedback-oriented lessons were utilized to pinpoint and address the students’ learning needs and preferences. Integration of the touch-screen technology with the chemistry curriculum demonstrated favorable results for all people involved: the high school teacher received assistance in the classroom, the college mentors gained experience as well as encouraged the high school students to further pursue chemical education, and the high school students received reinforcement in their chemistry curriculum. KEYWORDS: First-Year Undergraduate/General, High School/Introductory Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Computer-Based Learning, Multimedia-Based Learning, Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures, Minorities in Chemistry, Student-Centered Learning, Valence Bond Theory

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echnology has been integrated into the classroom as early as 1951 with the use of television as a vital tool for accessing information in the form of lectures and tutorials stored on film.1,2 However, technology evolves and changes and new ways to integrate it into the educational process are being devised.3−5 From televisions and video cassettes to overhead projectors and computers, technology has been useful in the classroom as supplements to the conventional “book, pen, and paper” methods. 6 There are computers or computer laboratories in most educational institutions to encourage students to access technology for educational enhancement. The New York City Department of Education advocates students learning in a technology-rich environment to achieve high academic standards.7 Classrooms and libraries have been equipped with computers to facilitate research, and most students seeking higher education possess personal laptops. The recent development of touch-screen interfaces now offers users a tactile sensory input beyond the traditional mice and keyboards associated with computers and buttons associated with most other electronic devices.8 More specifically, touchscreen gadgets created for daily use, such as cellular phones, iPods, tablets, and e-book readers, are transforming the way teaching and learning take place in classrooms.4,5,9 With the ability to showcase a screen presenting a tactile user interface accompanied by audio, different learning styles can be targeted and interactive lessons can be expanded, leading to an improvement in engagement and performance using these new technologies.10,11 © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

With the emergence of touch-screen devices, there has been a surge in the development of new apps that enables entertainment and learning both inside and outside the classroom.10 There is a wide range of apps available: from games, music, children’s books, and social networking to the more intensive categories of reference (dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias), education, business, medical, and navigational apps.12 Most students enjoy using touch-screen technology, as it provides sensory input that further engages the individual.9 In fact, tactile stimuli are processed in large areas of the sensory cortex and have processing priority within the human brain as compared to other sources of stimuli such as vision alone.13 In addition, technology has shown its potential for improving education by offering better simulation and models, allowing virtual manipulation and providing more effective assessment (feedback loops that inform the teacher of the students’ comprehension levels and do not require teacher dialogue for the students to recognize and correct their mistakes).9 Thus, incorporating touch-screen technology into the in-class education of our youth has room for promising results.9 There are concerns related to the in-class use of technology, arising from the possibility that students will (i) lose their ability to relate to other human beings; (ii) venture into inappropriate materials available on the Internet; and (iii) Published: May 29, 2012 1012

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available for any questions or concerns the high school students had, offering assistance and encouragement when necessary. Evaluations were distributed and collected immediately at the end of each 75-min lesson and used to modify the upcoming module. This feedback-dependent modification of subsequent modules was employed to provide a more effective learning exploration for the students based on our previous experiences.20,22

become too dependent on technology to learn especially if solutions are provided for them.11,14 These issues have been encountered with the first introduction of the printing press, radio, and television and are valid fears.14 Ways to work around these are to (i) incorporate group work and encourage class discussion along with the use of technology in the classroom; (ii) structure and supervise the lesson in such a way as to avoid external distractions; and (iii) utilize software that does not complete the work for students, but assists them with comprehension.11,15,16 Modern technology such as projectors, interactive whiteboards, computers, and sound amplifiers are now found in almost every classroom.17−19 All the above points were considered while developing a program to raise the awareness of underrepresented students to science and related careers and increase diversity in the fields of chemistry and engineering. Women and minorities are underrepresented in many “technical” fields, including chemistry.20 A local high school, The Urban Assembly Institute of Mathematics and Science for Young Women (UAI) in Brooklyn, New York,21 encourages education in science and mathematics for a predominantly underrepresented population of female students. An outreach program with the UAI was developed to promote science, engineering, and technology through a mentored interaction in which college undergraduate students developed supplementary teaching modules for enrichment of a 10th grade chemistry class. Two female college students were selected to serve as Dreyfus mentors for the program. One mentor was 22 years old, a fourth-year student majoring in chemical and biological engineering, a mentor for a similar Dreyfus program in the previous year, a chemistry tutor in the university, and had worked as a counselor with youth between 10 and 16 years old. The second mentor was 19 years old, a third-year student majoring in biomolecular science, and had teaching experience as a chemistry and biology tutor in the university. There were 65 students in the 10th grade, of which approximately 95% were African-American and 5% were Hispanic. The program was conducted with the objectives to (i) provide hands-on teaching and social experience for the two college mentors; (ii) assist a high school chemistry teacher with particular problematic areas in the preparation of her students for Chemistry Regents Examinations; (iii) promote science- and engineering-related study among female high school students; (iv) integrate the latest technology into the classroom to enhance learning; and (v) publicize these results and modules for the benefit of the field of chemical education. The teaching lessons and teacher’s manuals are included in the Supporting Information.

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THE iPad App The app designed by our program was branded as “Lewis Dots”. Intended for use on the iPad, Lewis Dots is composed of a blank workspace and two toolbars. The toolbar positioned at the top of the screen allows students to select from 18 elements from the periodic table including hydrogen; the first three alkali metals; the first five alkali earth metals, boron, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur; and the first four halogens (Figure 1). The bottom toolbar contains buttons that allow the students to zoom or pan the screen, save the workspace as an image, erase an atom, or clear the entire canvas.

Figure 1. Screenshot of the Lewis Dots workspace, with zoomed insets illustrating the available elements on the toolbar above and the functional buttons on the toolbar below. The Lewis dot structures of lithium and chlorine, the formation of an ionic bond in sodium bromide, and the double and single covalent bonds present in an amino acid are shown on the workspace.

As an element is selected, the Lewis dot structure appears in the workspace, complete with a green halo surrounding the areas of high electron density. Bonds are formed between elements by selecting a bonding electron on one dot structure and literally dragging a line between the two electrons where the bond formation is desired. Bonds are broken by double clicking on the bond line. Unlike other molecule-building programs such as ChemSketch23 and ChemDraw24 available for the computer, Lewis Dots takes into account the electronic structure and allows covalent and ionic bonding to occur through electrons. The other programs enable the user to create molecules, however, does not account for the electrons inherent to the atoms, leaving it up to the user entirely to add in the electrons. The application was designed to prevent bonding by lone pairs of electrons and display whether a bond is covalent or ionic by differing line composition (covalent bonds are represented by a solid line and ionic bonds by a dotted line) and with indications of ionic charges beside each ion. The concept for the app and its function was developed collaboratively by the two female student mentors, the class teacher, and the app program developer. Work on the app started in September 2010 and the initial prototype was available the first week in March 2011.

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THE PROCESS During the course of school year at UAI, after most of the lectures in student preparation for the Chemistry Regents Examination had been taught, three distinct lessons were conducted as part of our outreach program. These lessons, dubbed modules, were developed by the college mentors, modified by the high school class teacher, and performed on selected Fridays in February, March, and April of 2011. Each module began with a short explanation or review of the chemistry basics of the topic to be explored, as well as the selection of the teams or groups of students located at each particular workstation by the class teacher. This was completed in the first 20 to 25 min. Afterward, the classroom was led by the student mentors, who introduced the specific topic and began the activity. The teacher and student mentors remained 1013

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technology and learning about chemistry bonding principles without even realizing it. Students were required to identify their iPad by number (previously imprinted on each iPad) on their worksheet and intermittently save their work as images. The iPads were collected and the images cross-referenced to student’s worksheets to facilitate grading. As puzzles were successful in the first module, this activity was also accompanied by several amusing statements based on chemistry that would be revealed upon completion of the worksheet. The third and final module, Proteins, consisted of a quick Lewis Dots review before going into the intermolecular forces and bonding types present in these macromolecules. This session also included chemistry in a context, integrating biology with chemistry. Along with the worksheet, the students were provided with reference sheets containing the alphabetical listing of the 20 common amino acids, complete with the threeletter codes and the chemical structures of the respective amino acids. The worksheet contained structural formulas, which had an element(s) blocked out, of three amino acids. The high school class was required to determine, from multiple choice, the correct element(s) which would satisfy bonding requirements (octet or duplet complete, no unpaired or unbonding electrons) in that position within the molecule. They were subsequently asked to reproduce the structural diagrams of the three amino acids, using the iPad app to help them bond the appropriate elements, and then link them together to form a three-peptide “protein”. The answers to this worksheet also resulted in a puzzle, revealing a single fact about the periodic table. Both before and after the entire activity, proteins were discussed in the context of food and human biology.

A search on Apple’s App Store revealed several educational, chemistry-related applications. The most similar to our program, the iMolecular Builder for iPad, from Song Hyunsub, allows users to build molecules in 3D, view with line models and ball-and-stick models as well as access the Protein Data Bank (PDB). This app was released in December of 2010, but its May 2011 rating was 2.5 out of 5, possibly owing to the fact that the complexity of building in 3D might be a deterrent for some.12 Other significant apps, differing extensively from ours, include Big Bond Theory, a game that requires bonding of specific compounds such as those found in glycerin and fuel; Molecules, a rendering app that displays and allows manipulation of 3D structures from the PDB; Building Atoms, Ions, and Isotopes, an app that builds these things based on the user’s selection of protons, neutrons, and electrons; and Wolfram General Chemistry Course Assistant, which helps students solve homework problems and quizzes them on chemistry concepts.12 Our Lewis Dots app allows building molecules in 2D format, illustrating the basic structural chemical formula when the electrons from the Lewis Dot structure are bonded. Thus, our app is unique in that it allows tutoring of electronic structure, chemical bonding specializations, and concepts in a simplified 2D format, which is easier for learning purposes.

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THE MODULES The first module, Planets, was designed with the aim of reinforcing the concepts of bonding and intermolecular forces and was conducted without the use of the iPads. This was an interdisciplinary module, focusing on chemistry but also incorporating a little physics so that the chemistry is taught in a context. Students were given a reference sheet with the melting and boiling points of many common substances, including oxygen, alcohol (ethanol), silver, chlorine, plastic (as in beverage bottles: poly(ethylene terephthalate)), and sugar. They were also provided with the high and low temperatures for all the planets in the solar system and were asked to establish whether a certain activity could be done or a particular item would exist in one of three phases on the various planets. For instance, students were required to determine the possibility of a balloon full of oxygen or the ability to dissolve salt on Mercury. In addition, they were requested to list the intermolecular forces involved in the item or substance mentioned in each of the 10 questions. This first module also featured a puzzle. The student mentors recognized the need to engage the students and keep their attention with something entertaining. Six different worksheets were developed to create variety in the temperature parameters and include as many of the planets as possible. Clues were incorporated within the worksheet, which, upon selecting the correct answers, allowed a fun chemistry fact to be revealed at the end of the activity. Each planet had a corresponding worksheet, leading to the revelation of several chemistry fun facts that the students all shared at the end of the class. The second module, Introduction to Lewis Dots, featured the new iPad application. This lesson, primarily chemistry based, aimed to teach the students how to use the iPad and the app while emphasizing lone and paired electrons, ionic and covalent bonding, as well as Lewis dot structures. The students were guided through basic functions such as selecting elements, bonding two electrons, erasing, and saving the workspace as an image. Then, they worked independently through the rest of the worksheet, simultaneously familiarizing themselves with the

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PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION Evaluations were conducted immediately at the end of every module and used to gather information about the students’ educational needs and experiences. The first module involved puzzle-centered learning where students work toward solving a larger problem by initially completing smaller assignments. Student interest was retained for the entire activity by employing the puzzles and it was evident that the puzzles provided a good trial-and-error method for learning.25 Students received feedback on their work and were able to go back and reevaluate their choices on the module worksheets without the need for teacher involvement. The second module introduced the use of the iPad and the Lewis Dots app, fascinating the students and keeping them occupied during the lesson. The third module continued using the iPad and puzzle-centered learning. The interesting facts that the puzzles revealed at the end of all three activities provided enthusiasm among the students to finish the assignments. As a result of class participation and high interest levels, students were allowed, after checking their answers, to keep the worksheet from module 1, whereas worksheets and iPads from modules 2 and 3 were collected for grading and analysis. Approximately 80% and 85% of the students responded that the lessons from modules 1 and 2, respectively, captured and kept their attention for the entire time (Figure 2). Meanwhile, only 62% of students reported being engaged for the duration of the third module even though both puzzle-centered learning and the iPad app were used (Figure 2). This was probably due to the level of complexity of the last module, requiring increased concentration, more bonding and bigger molecules. It was observed that the app was giving some students difficulty 1014

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introduction of Lewis Dots. Because the app automatically indicated valence requirements and prohibited certain bonds (such as bonds with an atom that already has a filled valence shell), the students were able to effectively utilize features of the app to build the requested molecules. However, for more complex molecules such as those included in module 3, the positive effects of iPad use were thwarted by the extra complications that occurred while the students were completing the assignment. For the students who had trouble or were unable to construct the molecules on the iPad, time-consuming problems with the user interface may have been the obstacle. By the third module, most students were able to draw the amino acids; however, some encountered difficulty in making the peptide bonds link together. An overwhelming 82% of students enjoyed working with the iPad, choosing either module 2 (39%) or module 3 (43%) as the ones they preferred the most (Figure 4). Only 11% of Figure 2. The effectiveness of the modules in capturing and maintaining student interest. The error bars reflect the standard deviation between the responses from the three classes.

when forming bonds, and upon making an error while constructing a molecule, they would be forced to clear the entire workspace and start over. An “undo” button, in addition to the bond-breaking and atom-erasing functions of the app, might have been helpful in relieving the frustration or loss of interest in some students. Teamwork and group discussion also helped to capture the students’ interest and keep them engaged for the entire class. Most students were able to complete the worksheets, especially if they had successfully built the molecules on the iPads during modules 2 and 3. Before the app was used in class, 73% of students were able to understand and follow the instructions in module 1 (Figure 3). After implementation of the iPad program, 85% of students understood and followed instructions for module 2 and 80% responded that they could for module 3 (Figure 3). Because the format of the paper worksheets given to the students were essentially the same, the increase in clarity was due to encouragement of peer assistance and the

Figure 4. The students’ preference in modules and the impact the modules had on the students’ decision to continue with science education. The error bars reflect the standard deviation between the responses from the three classes.

students preferred module 1 over the others. Furthermore, 26% of students from module 2 and 11% of students from module 3 said that they liked the modules only because they got a chance to use an iPad in class. This suggests that most students were motivated by the integration of the iPad with the class rather than the new technology itself. Although the most challenging, module 3 presented a biology-related focus that students could apply directly to their lives. Thus, a majority of the students’ interest in science for the future was triggered by module 3 as 38% of the students indicated this (Figure 4). This was followed by module 2 with 28% and module 1 with 16%. The touch-screen approach proved helpful in showing and reinforcing the molecular structure and interaction between different elements and atoms in compounds. Two-thirds of the students reported being able to complete the material in all three modules. Thus, becoming familiar with the technology did not take away from learning the science. Interestingly, after modules 2 and 3, 89% and 82% of students, respectively, professed that they understood Lewis structures, electron

Figure 3. The clarity of the instructions in the modules, as dictated by the students’ responses when prompted whether the instructions were easy to understand. The error bars reflect the standard deviation between the responses from the three classes. 1015

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their answers if the word puzzle was still indistinguishable. Thus, without the offer of any external rewards, the students were intrinsically motivated to complete their assignment.20,26 The high school teacher was more involved in the development and the implementation of the modules. As in previous years, the teacher inspected the modules and provided her input during the developmental phase. However, during implementation, the teacher provided a 15−20 min recap of the chemistry topic at hand just before introducing the mentors for the day. This helped to immerse the modules into the students’ current science curriculum and simultaneously reduce the level of intimidation for the UAI students.

valency, molecular modeling, and bonding much better than before (Figure 5).

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PROGRAM OUTCOMES The program and modules developed during the year impacted the UAI students, class teacher, and college mentors in several positive ways. The UAI students were able to go over their previously problematic areas in chemistry, bonding and intermolecular forces, utilizing advanced touch-screen technology. Whereas implementation of the iPad and app led to enthusiasm for chemistry, the exposure to college mentors working toward their degrees also further reinforced that continued pursuit of science and engineering can be attainable for their own futures. The undergraduate mentors became familiar with touch-screen technology as they were intimately involved in developing the app for teaching chemistry. In addition to developing teaching modules and implementing technology, the college mentors gained invaluable social experience from interacting with the UAI students and experience in working toward securing funds for purchasing the iPads through grant applications. From this experience, both mentors are even more resolute in their quest to further their knowledge in science and engineering and to continue to encourage others to do so as well. The classroom teacher was excited to have the iPad introduced to her class, was instrumental in the app conception, and thrilled to be assisted with teaching her students for the Regent Examinations. All the program participants were ecstatic to have the opportunity to be a part of the development and implementation of this unique program, encouraging and imparting knowledge via cutting-edge technology. Extensive collaboration between the program advisor, college mentors, class teacher, and app developer was required for the development of a final operational app. A set of molecularmodeling rules that was compiled by the college mentors and the class teacher were subsequently discussed with the app developer and implemented into the app programming. The iPad app provided an excellent way to draw molecules, view valence, and determine bonding. Furthermore, the students were also able to use the app to categorize alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, and halogens, proving to be a medium for students to organize information. Nevertheless, one difficulty often encountered when institutions adopt technology to support teaching and learning is lost instructional time when the technology has glitches.17 It is important to emphasize that a user-friendly interface is important for technology applications, as the original excitement and interest from the students were diminished by any technological difficulty they encountered while doing the activity. The app slowed in responsiveness when dragging or bonding in module 2, so the sensitivity was increased for the last module. By overcoming these few episodes, the mentors gained indelible teaching and troubleshooting experience while

Figure 5. The students’ perception of the effectiveness of the iPad and Lewis Dots App in helping with their chemistry education. The error bars reflect the standard deviation between the responses from the three classes.

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REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS The program was successful and ultimately culminated with numerous benefits for everyone involved. The original objectives of the program were achieved, especially (i) allowing teaching and social experience to be gained by the college mentors; (ii) the reinforcement of bonding principles for the Chemistry Regents Examination by both teacher and mentors; (iii) the implementation of touch-screen technologies in a high school chemistry class; and (iv) the promotion of science- and engineering-related study among female high school students by college mentors actively pursuing degrees in science and engineering fields. This year’s program directly addressed issues encountered from previous programs20,22 and proved more helpful to the students. On the basis of prior program assessments, it was suggested that student interest and response could be improved by (i) developing familiarity between students and mentors, (ii) finding a suitable method to motivate students, and (iii) maximizing teacher involvement.19 These three strategies were addressed with positive outcomes. One of the student-mentors in this year’s program had developed a relationship with the UAI students as a result of working with the program in the past year. This provided familiarity and a continuity based on previous interactions leading to a more comfortable working environment for both the UAI students and the mentors. Understanding that the touch-screen technology would fascinate and motivate the students, the mentors also attempted to capture and keep the students’ attention using a narrative storyline and short, multiple-choice, fill-in puzzles. The background story, used as an introduction to the worksheets, helped the students to focus more on fun and discovery and less on the fact that this was another school assignment. Similarly, these puzzles required the students to work toward a larger goal of uncovering a fun fact upon completing the worksheet and allowed them to independently troubleshoot 1016

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(3) Johns Hopkins University-School of Education. Education Technology Resources. http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons/ education-technology-resources-1/index.html (accessed Apr 2012). (4) Smith, S.; Stovall, I. Networked Instructional ChemistryUsing Technology to Teach Chemistry. J. Chem. Educ. 1996, 73, 911−915. (5) Banister, S. Integrating the iPod Touch in K−12 Education: Visions and Vices. Computers in the Schools 2010, 27, 121−131. (6) Brooks, D. W. Technology in Chemistry Education. J. Chem. Educ. 1993, 70, 705−707. (7) New York City Department of Education. Student Support, Safety & Activities. http://schools.nyc.gov/StudentSupport/default. htm (accessed Apr 2012). (8) Various Capacitive Touchscreen Technologies. http://www. touchscreenguide.com/touchscreen/cap.html (accessed Apr 2012). (9) Kessler, S.. 8 Ways Technology is Improving Education. http:// mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/(accessed Apr 2012). (10) Apple in Education. Mac, iPod, iPad and iPhone for Learning. http://www.apple.com/education/why-apple/?kmed=ppc&gclid= CNLThNv76KgCFYfe4AoduGyGDg (accessed Apr 2012). (11) Koç, M. Implications of Learning Theories for Effective Technology Integration and Pre-service Teacher Training: A Critical Literature Review. Sci. Educ. 2005, 2, 2−18. (12) Apple-iPhone. Learn about apps available on the App Store. http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/ (accessed Apr 2012). (13) Poupyrev, I.; Maruyama, S.; Rekimoto, J. Ambient Touch: Designing Tactile Interfaces for Handheld Devices. Proceedings of the 15th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology; ACM: New York, NY, 2002; Vol. 4, pp 51−60. (14) Using Technology in the Classroom; A Great Way to Engage and Inspire Learners. http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/nwtlc/ using_tech_classroom/using_tech_classroom.pdf (accessed Apr 2012). (15) Dr. Rogow, F. et al. ETV K-12 School Services- South Carolina ETV. Using Television in the Classroom. http://www.scetv.org/ education/k-12/resources/classroom_tv.cfm (accessed Apr 2012). (16) Osborne, H. MEd, OTR/L. Health Literacy Consulting. In other words...Teaching With Touchscreen Technology. http://www. healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=3768 (accessed Apr 2012). (17) Dyrli, K. O. CBS Interactive Business Network. Getting in Touch: Touchscreen use in Education Technology will continue to Grow. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6938/is_12_44/ai_ n31040151/ (accessed Apr 2012). (18) Dhavale, G. Types of Technology in the Classroom. http:// www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-technology-in-the-classroom.html (accessed Apr 2012). (19) New York City Department of Education. School ProgramsAbout the Programs. http://schools.nyc.gov/community/innovation/ ConnectedLearning/AboutTheProgram/schoolprogram (accessed Apr 2012). (20) Lorenzini, R. G.; Lewis; Maurica, S.; Montclare, J. K. CollegeMentored Polymer/Materials Science Modules for Middle and High School Students. J. Chem. Educ. 2011, 88, 1105−1108. (21) Urban Assembly Institute of Mathematics and Science for Young Women Home Page. http://www.uainstitute.com/ (accessed Apr 2012). (22) Chan, Y. M.; Hom, W.; Montclare, J. K. Implementing and Evaluating Mentored Chemistry-Biology Technology Lab Modules to Promote Early Interest in Science. J. Chem. Educ. 2011, 88, 751−754. (23) ACD/ChemSketch Software, AdvancedChemistry Development, Inc., 2011; http://www.acdlabs.com/resources/freeware/ (accessed Apr 2012). (24) ChemDraw, PerkinElmer, Inc., 2011; http://www. cambridgesoft.com/software/ChemDraw/ (accessed Apr 2012). (25) Williams, A.; Williams, P. J. Problem-Based Learning: An Appropriate Methodology for Technology Education. Res. Sci. Technol. Educ. 1997, 15, 91−103.

the teacher had valuable assistance in reinforcing important and basic chemistry principles. As the iPad is held in the hand, it allowed for more intimate interaction with the app. In addition, it facilitated group work and peer-interaction as students could share the iPad to others. Although only 2−3 of the students had an iPad at home, the majority of them owned iPod touches or touch-screen phones. Furthermore, the students also had an opportunity to use the iPad in their math classes for an online test−assessment program, Acuity.27 Thus, they were familiar with touch-screen technology. If more students had iPads of their own, some of the challenges they encountered while dealing with the interface probably would have been lessened. Irrespective of the challenges, the students had an overall positive experience using Lewis Dots on the iPad to learn chemistry. Finally, bonus questions were prepared to occupy the students who had completed the activity before the period was over. As a result of the students’ expressed enthusiasm for completing the extra questions, those who did not have time for the extra questions were allowed to take them home to complete later. This experience enabled the students to learn and understand an abstract portion of chemistry, bonding and intermolecular forces, without even realizing what they were doing. A majority of the students (97% after module 2 and 76% after module 3) expressed that they would like to see a continuation of this program at UAI. The students requested to have the app upgraded with more features and graphics as well as to have it made available to them for both iPad and iPod Touch. Arrangements are being made for a future version of the app to have increased bonding sensitivity, to include an “undo” button, to include more elements, to make it more attractive to a younger audience, and then make it available for public use as soon as possible.

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ASSOCIATED CONTENT

S Supporting Information *

Modules 1−3 with corresponding teacher’s manuals: (1) Planets (Intermolecular Forces), (2) Introduction to Lewis Dots, and (3) Proteins (Bonding). This material is available via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

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AUTHOR INFORMATION

Corresponding Author

*E-mail: [email protected].

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This program was supported by the Dreyfus and Teagle Foundation as well as partially by the MRSEC Program of the National Science Foundation under Award Number DMR0820341. We are also particularly grateful to Jill Fonda, the UAI Chemistry teacher, and Carlo Yuvienco, the app developer, who diligently worked along with us during the development and implementation of the app and modules.

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REFERENCES

(1) History of Computers in Education. http://www.csulb.edu/ ∼murdock/histofcs.html (accessed Apr 2012). (2) Purdy, L. N. The History of Television & Radio in Continuing Education. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 1980, 5, 15−29. 1017

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(26) Pink, D. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us; Penguin Books: New York, 2009. (27) Acuity, CBT/McGraw Hill, 2011; http://www.ctb.com/ctb. com/control/productFamilyViewAction?productFamilyId=444&p= products (accessed Apr 2012)

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