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DO COMPUTERS IMPROVE OR DIMINISH LEARNING IN CHEMISTRY LABORATORIES? B. Egolf, Center for Social Research, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 and Ed Vitz*, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA 19530.
Computers are used to acquire all data in General Chemistry Laboratories at Kutztown University by means of our LIMSport program [Vitz, E., J. Chem. Educ., 75, 1661 (1998)], which adds data acquisition “toolbuttons” to the Excel speadsheet. In some laboratories, students were presented with spreadsheet “templates” which provide organized but empty data tables and even some embedded formulas that calculate results automatically. In other cases, students were presented with blank templates, so that they are forced to organize data and enter Excel formulas to get final results “on the fly” during the laboratory period. Which students should learn more? Will the first treatment reduce the “short term memory overload” that Johnstone blames for poor performance [Johnstone, A.H., J. Chem. Educ., 70, 701-5 (1993)], and allow students to concentrate on experimental detail? Or will students learn more when forced to think more during laboratory about both theoretical and practical matters, at virtually the same time? Results of our study will be presented. Support by the National Science Foundation (DUE 9652855) for this work is gratefully acknowledged.