Research: Science and Education

edited by

Chemical Education Research

Diane M. Bunce

Students Use of Web-Based Tutorial Materials

and Their Understanding of Chemistry Concepts

The Catholic University of America

Washington, D.C. 20064

William J. Donovan* and Mary B. Nakhleh

Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1393; *wdonovan@purdue.edu

Overview

discover how students perceive their understanding of

chemistry concepts to be affected by the use of these WebMany chemical educators have turned to the World Wide
based materials, and to discover in some measurable way how
Web to supplement other resources available in their courses.
understanding of chemical concepts differs between students
While the Web is recognized as valuable for presenting inforwho use the Web-based materials and those who do not. Here
mation, one of the downsides of storing what Paulisse and Polik
we present the findings of the initial phase of this study.
called a static document (1) is that the same information could
The Web site, entitled Visualization and Problem Solving
be presented just as easily and with little pedagogical difference
for General Chemistry (2), includes tutorial materials
in traditional hard-copy format.
featuring the types of representations mentioned above and
John Nash and William Robinson of Purdue University
covering the topics of Liquids, VSEPR, Coordination
have developed Web-based tutorial materials for five general
Compounds, Vibrational Modes, and the Molecule Library.
chemistry topics. The materials include static, animated, and
The Molecule Library includes an index of molecules and ions
user-manipulable representations of molecules and chemical
and offers the user a static Lewis dot structure, a manipulable
processes. These representations would appear to offer advanball-and-stick model, and the formula, the name, and an audio
tages over paper representations of the same concepts because
file of the name of the molecule being spoken. The Vibrational
of their ability to show motion and to allow the student to
Modes page, first available in January 2000, is the most recent
manipulate the representation. Our research was designed to
addition. A section of the Web site entitled How Do I Solve
It? includes step-by-step descriptions of how to solve
common types of problems in general chemistry.
Table 1. Strongest Responses to Scaled-Response Questions
Other sections offer tutorials on common operations
Mean
Statement
in Microsoft Excel and Hyperchem. Our study focuses
Response
on the sections of the site that specifically deal with
CHM 126, Spring 1999 ( N = 32)
chemistry content and offer the various types of repThe CHM 115-116 Help Page helped me understand the material better.
2.00
resentations, namely the Liquids, VSEPR, CoordiThe Web site provided a new way to understand chemistry.
2.17
nation Compounds, and Molecule Library pages.
I liked using the Web site because it allowed me to work at my own pace.

2.17

Navigating the Web site was confusing for me.

4.00

Using the Web site was easy.

2.04

The Web site did NOT help me to understand chemistry concepts.

4.10

I would rather NOT use the Web site to learn chemistry.

3.86

Using the Coordination Compounds Page was useful to me.

2.10

Using the Microsoft Excel tutorial materials was useful to me.

2.00

Using the Common Operations in Hyperchem Page was useful to me.

1.81

CHM 124, Spring 1999 ( N = 40)

Navigating the Web site was confusing for me.

4.00

Using the Web site was easy.

1.95

I would rather not use the Web site to learn chemistry.

3.45

CHM 116, Spring 1999 ( N = 139)

Using the Web site was easy.

2.66

CHM 115, Spring 1999 ( N = 218)

Navigating the Web site was confusing for me.

3.65

The Web site did not help me to understand chemistry concepts.

3.42

I would rather not use the Web site to learn chemistry.

3.57

CHM 115, Fall 1999 ( N = 242)

I liked using the Web site because it allowed me to work at my own pace.

2.41

Using the VSEPR Page was useful to me.

2.59

I used the molecular representations that could be manipulated by the user

with the mouse.

2.55

N OTE: Questions were rated on a scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly

disagree).

Study Design
Students in CHM 115, 116, 124, and 126 in
Spring 1999 and CHM 115 in Fall 1999 at Purdue
were surveyed about their use of the Web-based materials. The survey included demographic, scaledresponse, and free-response questions. CHM 115
116 is the general chemistry sequence for aspiring
engineers. CHM 124 is the second semester of a
more rigorous general chemistry sequence for engineers. CHM 126 is the second-semester general
chemistry course for chemistry majors. Students in
CHM 115 were advised about the VSEPR page by
their instructor during the coverage of the topic. Students in CHM 124 were advised of the availability
of all the tutorial pages available. Students in CHM
116 were advised of the Coordination Compounds
Page by their instructor and the researcher. Students
in CHM 126 were given a homework assignment, prepared by the instructor, about coordination compounds. This assignment involved using the Coordination Compounds Page.
Volunteer students in CHM 126 were individually interviewed about their use of the Web site and

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Table 2. Statistically Significant Differences in Responses to
Scaled-Response Questions, by Gender
Mean Response

Statement

Female

Male

CHM 126, Spring 1999 (F = 18, M = 14)

Navigating the Web site was confusing for me.

4.24

3.33

.024

The Web site did not help me to understand chemistry

concepts.

4.25

3.60

.031

Using the VSEPR page was useful to me.

2.20

3.00

.005

Using the Liquids page was useful to me.

2.22

3.00

.004

If I were to take another chemistry course, I would use this

page to review some material.

1.50

2.81

.004

The Web site provided a new way to understand chemistry.

1.50

3.08

.002

I would rather not use the Web site to learn chemistry.

4.50

3.18

.007

The CHM 115116 Help Page helped me understand the

material better.a

2.47

2.94

.008

I liked using the Web site because it allowed me to work at

my own pace.

2.62

2.92

.039

Navigating the Web site was confusing for me.

3.56

3.14

.020

The Web site did not help me to understand chemistry

concepts.

3.38

2.92

.042

I enjoyed using the Web site materials.

2.71

2.97

.042

Using the VSEPR Page was helpful to me.

2.43

2.91

.011

If I were to take another chemistry course, I would use this

page to review some material.

2.20

2.56

.002

The Web site allowed me to learn concepts that would be

difficult to understand otherwise.

2.52

2.77

.014

Using the VSEPR Page was useful to me.

2.40

2.69

.006

I used the Visualization and Problem Solving Page because I

needed help with the material.

2.60

2.86

.025

CHM 124, Spring 1999 (F = 11, M = 26)

CHM 116, Spring 1999 (F = 54, M = 81)

CHM 115, Fall 1999 (F = 85, M = 157)

N OTE: Questions were rated on a scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly

disagree).
aBefore Fall 1999, the Web page was known as the Chemistry 115116 Help
Page, and the questions referred to this name.

their understanding of certain coordination chemistry concepts. This class was selected for interviews because the Web
site was part of an assignment and the probability of finding
students who had used the site was likely to be greater than
in other courses. During the interview, each student was also
asked to draw a concept map involving several specified coordination chemistry terms. The researcher closed the interview by allowing the student to ask questions about the research or give any additional thoughts.
Data Analysis and Results

Surveys
Scaled-Response Statements
Responses to the scaled-response survey questions were
frequency-counted and the mean student response was calculated. Responses were scaled from 1 (strongly agree) to 5
(strongly disagree). A sixth option, did not use, was also
offered so that we could distinguish students who genuinely felt
neutral about a statement from students who had no opinion
because they did not use the Web site. Responses indicating
this sixth option did not enter into the calculation of the means
for the scaled-response questions. The strongest responses to
the scaled-response survey questions are shown in Table 1.
976

Statistically, very significant differences between genders

were observed for responses to several of the scaled-response
questions (Table 2). In each case where a statistically significant
difference existed between the female and male responses, the
mean female response was more positive toward Web site use
(i.e., stronger agreement with positive statements such as I liked
using the Web page because it allowed me to work at my own
pace and stronger disagreement with negative statements such
as I would rather not use the Web to learn chemistry). This is
a very interesting and potentially important finding. A previous
study of use of computers in biology laboratories (3, 4), found
a similar result: in each case where a gender difference existed,
women responded more favorably about computer use than
men. In a study of secondary students use of instrumentation
(Malina, E. G.; Nakhleh, M. B.; Burnett, D. W. School
Sci. Math., manuscript submitted), all but one of the gender
differences showed that girls were more positive about use of
instrumentation. We did not check for such gender differences in our previous study of student Web site use (5). This
congruence of opinion about instrumentation, computers, and
the Web is certainly consistent and interesting. It presents
interesting possibilities for how such materials might be used
to improve science courses for women. The availability of
computers and Web-based tutorial materials might be a posi-

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Research: Science and Education

tive aspect of a science course for women, and this

is an area in which further research would be useful.

Table 3. Frequency of Representative Coding Categories for

Free-Response Survey Questions, All Courses
Coding Category

Frequency

Illustrative Response

Free-Response Questions
Why did you choose to use the Visualization and Problem Solving Web Page? a
( N = 188 coded statements)
The free-response survey questions were coded by
Materials/Information
41.(22%)
Get more info on topics when I didnt
an open coding scheme in which codes were generated
have time to go to the TAs.
by examination and analysis of the data. New codI needed help/was confused
36.(19%)
I was having trouble with Chem. 115 so I
ing categories were opened as necessary. This condecided to try the Web page out.
trasts with a coding scheme in which all responses
To get better understanding
9.(5%)
Because I thought they would improve my
understanding of chemistry.
are coded against predetermined categories. In toHow did using the Visualization and Problem Solving Page affect your understanding
tal, 29 codes, some with subcategories, were opened.
of the material? Please give specific examples. ( N = 167)
Data from all courses surveyed were transcribed,
Representations/visualization/ 28.(17%)
Using the Web site better helped me to
coded, and tabulated. Table 3 presents the highest
animations
visualize these shaped in 3D rather
frequencies of coding categories for responses to
than trying to picture them in my head.
the free-response questions. For example, 188 reIt helped (nonspecific)
39.(23%)
It helped.
sponses to the question Why did you choose to use
Which parts of the Visualization and Problem Solving Page were most helpful to you,
and which were the least useful to you? Please explain your answer. ( N = 131)
the Visualization and Problem Solving Web Page?
VSEPR
24.(18%)
VSEPR, because it helped me understand
were assigned to coding categories (multiple codes
the material.
for one response were allowed if appropriate). Of
Coordination Compounds
15.(11%)
The coordination compounds page was
these 188 statements, 41 were coded in the Materithe most helpful because the lecture
als/Information category.
given on that topic werent clear.
Patterns arose in student responses to the freeAll parts were helpful
10.(8%)
Everything was pretty useful.
response survey questions. Students who used the Web
Why did you not use the Visualization and Problem Solving Page? ( N = 441)
page in general believed that they needed help with
278.(63%) At first I was not aware that this page
Didnt know about it/forgot
about it
was available, and then I forgot that it
the chemistry material or visited the site to gain acwas available.
cess to information. One students response to Why
Did not need to use it
91.(21%)
I felt like I knew the material well enough
did you choose to use the Web page? provides an
not to use the Web site.
excellent example of a statement that fits the
Access problems
18.(4%)
I dont have a computer in my room + the
Needed help coding category: I was having
lines are so long in the labs.
trouble with Chem. 115 so I decided to try the Web
No time/other things to do
15.(3%)
I didnt find that I had much time to view
the site.
page out. An example quote from the free-response
Can use book/prefer book
15.(3%)
Easier to open book/flip to index.
survey data is given with each coding category in
How do you think that using Web-based materials would have affected your
Table 3.
understanding of chemistry? ( N = 416)
Overall, the Web site users stated that they used
Might/would have helped
239.(57%) It would have helped me understand
the Web page to obtain help and chemistry informachemistry better.
tion. Some students believed that using the materials
Might/would have had no
94.(23%)
I dont think it would have had much
effect
effect.
on the Web site helped in visualization of chemical
Representations/visualization
20.(5%)
Easier to visualize 3-D models.
phenomena or provided examples, but others felt that
How do you feel about using the Web to learn chemistry in CHM 115116?
the Web page made no difference in their understand( N = 205); CHM 115 Fall 1999 only
ing. Web site users believed in general that the part of
Good idea
90.(44%)
I feel that it is a good idea and would be
the Web site pertaining directly to the chemistry covbeneficial for students.
ered in class was most useful (VSEPR for CHM 115;
Will use it in the future
19.(9%)
I will try to use it in chem 116.
Coordination Compounds for CHM 116 and 126).
Bad idea/not a good idea
14.(7%)
I do not feel the Web is a good way.
Most students who did not use the Web site stated
More exposure/different ways 14.(7%)
I feel it is helpful and gives an alternative
that they did not use it because they had forgotten
to learn
to learning rather than just reading the
about it or did not know about it at all. Some stated
material.
aBefore Fall 1999, the Web page was known as the Chemistry 115116 Help
that they did not use the Web site because they did
not need to use it. Generally, however, nonusers be- Page, and the questions referred to this name.
lieved that using the Web site might have helped their
understanding of chemistry concepts, through visualization
professor had assigned homework (not collected or graded) based
tools or reinforcement of lectures, or as a resource to study
on the Web site materials, which increased the likelihood of
from. Even nonusers had positive feelings about using the Web
finding students who had used the site. The population of CHM
to learn chemistry.
126 is fairly homogeneous owing to the students common
major and similar backgrounds: all students in the course had
Interviews
passed a math placement test and taken high school chemistry.
With the survey we were able to gain a broad underThe majority of them were second-semester freshmen.
standing of how students used the Web-based materials and
Both Web site users and nonusers were solicited and six
how they felt about using them. To gain deeper insight into
students were interviewed. This represents 12% of the class in
students Web site use and understanding of chemical conSpring 1999. The volunteers were guaranteed anonymity and
cepts, we solicited volunteers from CHM 126 in Spring 1999
were assigned pseudonyms for the transcription and data analyfor individual interviews. This course was chosen because the
sis. We did not attempt to control for differences in ability beJChemEd.chem.wisc.edu Vol. 78 No. 7 July 2001 Journal of Chemical Education

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Table 4. Responses to Coordination
Chemistr y Inter view Questions

Table 5. Correctness of Concept

Map Links

No. of Responses by
Response

Web Site
Usersa

Web Site
Nonusersa

No. of Links Drawn by

Link

Incorrect

Incorrect

Incomplete

Incomplete

21

25

Correct

Correct

Web Site
Users a

Web Site
Nonusers a

2 (5%)

0 (0%)

8 (21%)

0 (0%)

28 (74%)

26 (100%)

aData represent responses by 3 users

and 3 nonusers.

aData represent links drawn by 3 users

and 3 nonusers.

tween Web site users and nonusers because Web site use was
entirely voluntary. We were not attempting to compare equivalent groups of students; we were interested in how students who
had used or not used the materials on the Web site understood
chemistry and why students decided to use or not use the site.
This small group provided a great deal of data that suggest interesting trends; these will be investigated in phase 2 of our study,
which will involve more students.
In the interview, the interviewer discussed with the students the nature of their use of the Web site or the reasons
for their not using the site. Students were asked to discuss their
thoughts about using the Web in their specific course as well
as in chemistry courses in general. They were then asked some
directed questions about coordination chemistry and were
asked to draw a concept map of some coordination chemistry
terms. This topic was chosen because the course instructor
had given homework about coordination chemistry that involved using the Web site.

a base would be an example of an incomplete statement. In

some cases water does act as a base, but in others it can act as an
acid. Victors statements concerning ammonia and oxalate ion
as ligands demonstrates a statement categorized as incomplete.

Discussion of Coordination Chemistry

The questions about coordination chemistry dealt with
shapes of coordination complexes, isomerism, and ligands.
Students responses were judged as correct, incorrect, or incomplete. Marks statements concerning ammonium ion as a
ligand are an example of what would be judged as correct.
INTERVIEWER: Could NH4+ act as a ligand in a coordination compound?
MARK: I dont think so, no.
INTERVIEWER: OK, and why is that?
MARK: Because it doesnt have any electrons to give.

Chads discussion of the relationship between the representations of two square planar complexes (which cannot have
optical isomerism) represents an incorrect statement.
INTERVIEWER: I was wondering if you think that is a pair
of isomers.
CHAD: Theyd be optical isomers, because this guy is the
mirror image of this one, obviously, but then this one
isnt going to match up.

In reality, the two complexes presented to the students were

identical. As Chad observed, one was indeed the mirror image
of the other. Chads response to this question was categorized
as incorrect, however, because the complexes represented were
not isomers; one representation could be rotated 180 so as
to be identical to the other.
A statement was judged to be incomplete if it contained
information that could be correct in some cases but not in
others, or if it had both correct and incorrect aspects. Water is

978

INTERVIEWER: Why the difference between ammonia being

monodentate and oxalate being bidentate?
VICTOR: Because with this one, you have the negative
charges. I think theyre on these oxygens?
INTERVIEWER: The single-bonded ones? I just want to be
sure I have it on the tape.
VICTOR: I think its the single bond. Im not actually sure.
Maybe its [the points of attachment from oxalate to metal
ion] on the double-bonded. Its between two of these
oxygens, and since they both have extra negative charge,
they could clamp on to a metal ion, transition ion. But
with ammonia, theres only going to be one pair of extra
electrons on the nitrogen, and that can only bond once
with a ligand. And theres no way geometrically for it to
clamp on to it.

Victor made some correct statements in his discussion, such

as the idea that monodentate ligands (ammonia) attach to
the metal ion once and bidentate ligands (oxalate ion) attach in two locations, and the idea about the geometry of the
ligands; but he also had some incorrect notions, such as that
the charge on the oxygen explains why the oxalate ion is a
bidentate ligand.
A second rater judged a random sample of half of the
student responses, assigning a score of 1 to agreement between
the raters and 0 to disagreement. These scores were summed
and the fraction of agreements was calculated as an inter-rater
reliability. Overall, the raters agreed on 28 of 31 responses;
the disagreements were between incorrect and incomplete
categories. This represents an inter-rater reliability of 28/31
or 0.90.
Students were asked 31 questions about coordination
chemistry. The scoring of their responses is shown in Table
4. There were no statistically significant differences between
Web site users and nonusers. This portion of the interview
has been revised for future use, to better discern whether differences exist between users and nonusers understanding of
coordination chemistry.
Concept Maps
Students were asked to draw a concept map of some coordination chemistry concepts. They were given a brief description of concept mapping, shown two example maps of the
concept of density, and given a list of terms that included coordination complex, coordinate covalent bond, ligand, donor atom,

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Research: Science and Education

atta
che
s to

nt
ai n

with
different

co

Lewis acid

central atom

acts as a

donor atom(s)
s
te
na
do

isomers

has

of
ir
pa

coordination
complex
accepts
pair of

coordinate
covalent
bond

bidentate

is

con
tain
s

ligand

is
ac

ts

for
m

as

sa

monodentate

Lewis base
electrons

donates
pair of

Figure 1. Beths concept map.

electron, isomers, Lewis base, Lewis acid, central atom, monodentate, and bidentate. They were told that they could add
terms or not use a term as needed. They were instructed to
make the map as connected as they felt necessary, to write
linking words between concepts, and to show directionality
between concepts. An example of a concept map drawn by
Beth, a Web site user, is shown in Figure 1. Note that Beth
made a compound link in her map by drawing an arrow
through one concept to the next: Coordination complex has
isomers with different donor atoms. Beths concept map links
were all judged to be correct or complete.
Judging of the concept maps was similar to judging the
interview discussion of coordination chemistry. Each concept
link was judged as correct, incorrect, or incomplete. The interrater reliability was 0.94, which was deemed acceptable. Table
5 shows the totals of the concept links judged.
Students who did not use the Web site made no concept
map links that were judged incorrect or incomplete. Students
who did use the site had about the same number of correct links
as the nonusers, but they made more links overall and some of
these links were judged incorrect or incomplete. This suggests
that the students who used the Web site created more knowledge, but some of that knowledge was not correct.
To account for the different numbers of links made by
the students, the percentages of correct, incomplete, and incorrect links were calculated for each student. The higher percentage of correct links for Web site nonusers almost reaches
statistical significance at the 95% level ( p = .07). The percentage of incomplete links was significantly larger (p = .04)
for users than for nonusers. The percentage of incorrect links
did not differ significantly between groups. The larger number
of links attempted by Web site users may be related to the
motivation factor between the groups (see below).
Results from the chemistry discussion and concept map
portions of the interview suggest that the students who did
not use the Web site had a better understanding of coordination chemistry than the students who did use the site and
are consistent with the statements made by some students
on the free-response survey questions. Many students who
did not use the Web site felt that they did not need to use it
because they understood the material well enough already.
This is also consistent with our past research on Web site use

(6 ), which found that students who used an organic chemistry

Web site did not understand the relevant chemistry concepts
as well as students who did not use the site. We speculated
that the Web site might be more attractive to students who
need more help with chemistry. The concept map and survey
results of this study are consistent with that speculation.
We acknowledge that the sample of students interviewed
was limited. In phase 2 of this study, we will expand the
number of students interviewed and modify our research
instruments so as to gain more insight from more students
on how they understand chemistry concepts and how Web
site use may be related to this understanding.
Visualization Theme
The dominant trends in the discussion of the Web site
agree well with the survey responses. The use of representations and visualization on the Web was a strong point for
the students interviewed. Leo, a site user, referred to the usermanipulable 3-D representations of molecules on the Web
site: Its really nice to have that page where the molecules
spinning around. You know, you drag the mouse on them
and they turn around. Beth, another user, described her
thoughts about the representations of coordination complexes: Well, this one [Web site] in particular, like I said,
helped to visualize it. If you dont have a 3-D model, its hard
to see a coordination compound, how it all fits together.
The issue of materials and information was important to site
user Victor: Its better than just going through lecture again
because you actually get to focus more energy and time on
things you dont understand and you can skip over the things
that you do.
Motivation Theme
Not all comments about using the Web to learn chemistry
were positive, however. Leo echoed the sentiments of some
students survey responses in terms of using the Web site to
review or study. When asked why he used the Web site, Leo
said: It was given to us as part of a homework assignment,
and I try to get the homework done because Im afraid not
to because something might be on the test. The interviewer
asked, If it werent part of the homework, would you have used
it, do you think? Leo replied, Probably not. I probably
wouldnt have even looked at it.
Access Theme
Martha, a Web site nonuser, stated a two-pronged concern
about computer access: access to the Web itself, and accessing
the representations of the molecules in the Web browser. I
dont really like walking at night to a [computer] lab. I
couldnt get the pictures. On the worksheet, it said to draw
the structure. On my computer, it had a little square, and
then it had a little puzzle piece. I couldnt figure out a way
to get to them. Encountering this difficulty, Martha gave
up on doing the assignment on the Web. (Marthas problem
with the puzzle piece on the screen was that the Chime plugin
(6 ) was not installed on her computer. Purdues lab computers
have this software, but individuals would have to download
it to see the structures on their own computers.)
Discussion
The chemistry understanding (as determined from the
chemistry discussion and concept map portions of the interview) of students who did not use the tutorial Web site was

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determined to be more complete than that of students who did

use the Web site. This is consistent with our past findings
(5). We speculate that it is the result of weaker students being
attracted to the Web site as a supplementary source of help.
Leos statements about using the Web site only because it was
required in a homework assignment, not because he wanted
to use it, reflects this sentiment.
The reasons for Web site use given by students in the
free-response survey support this speculation as well: accessing
materials and information, needing help, and the intent to gain
a better understanding of chemistry are all characteristic of
students who want to use the Web site to help themselves.
Students who felt they already had sufficient understanding of
chemistry would not give such reasons for using the Web site.
The primary reason given by students for not using the
Web was that they did not know about the site or forgot about
it. This is unfortunate, since the instructors for the courses
involved in this study mentioned the Web site and suggested
it as a source of help. In all courses except the Spring 1999
offering of CHM 115, links were available from the course
Web page to the tutorial Web site. Of course, if students are
not inclined to use the Web, they would not find these links.
Some students stated that they did not use the Web site
because they did not need to use it. This was the type of
student we encountered as a Web site nonuser in our previous
study (6 ). A tutorial Web site may not be attractive to students
who feel they have already mastered the material.
A possible third type of nonusers may feel that the Web
site is not a match for them. One student in CHM 115 in
Fall 1999 responded to the question How do you feel about
using the Web to learn chemistry in CHM 115116? as
follows: I dont think it would have been useful for me, but it
might have been for someone else. This acknowledgment
of different types of resources being useful or appropriate for
different students is appropriate for all of us to remember as
new technologies for teaching and learning are developed and
implemented.
Implications for Teaching
This studys findings with regard to gender differences in
attitudes toward Web site use may be important to those who
are concerned about women in science classes. The findings
are consistent with those of past research at Purdue involving
computers in science classes (3). The favorable attitudes toward
computer and Web site use held by women in these studies

980

suggest that availability of computers and the Web may be a

valuable aspect of a science course for women.
The primary reason students gave for not using the Web
site was that they did not know about it or forgot about it.
This is unfortunate but is a very real problem. Among students who did know about the Web site, the majority who
chose not to use it stated that they did not need it to learn
chemistry. Therefore, it seems reasonable to recommend that
instructors assign the Web site as part of homework or other
assignments, so all students have the opportunity to use it
and see for themselves if it would help them.
Some students found that using the Web site benefited
them. In particular, the site appears to be useful for students
who wish to visualize the chemistry involved. According to
the students, the multimedia and visual aspects of the Web
site help them to understand chemistry. Therefore, it may
be beneficial for the instructor to employ these Web-based
representations in class when covering relevant material. We
recommend that these findings be taken into consideration
in the design and implementation of Web-based materials
for chemistry courses.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge the three anonymous reviewers
for their valuable comments in the preparation of this manuscript. We also thank the faculty, staff, and students of the
courses involved and the General Chemistry Office staff at
Purdue for their cooperation in our study.
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Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 78 No. 7 July 2001 JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu