Towards Effective Use of Stereoscopic Visualization of Molecular Models in Educational Settings

Chemistry students have difficulty understanding abstract scientific concepts of molecular structures. Physical molecular models have been used in class with some success, but this is not enough to support comprehension of key molecular concepts. Past research reports that scientific visualization using computer graphics has been useful for teaching and learning molecular properties. This paper describes a proposal for future research on the use of stereoscopic visualization of graphical molecular models to be applied in educational settings. Anaglyph projections (A type of stereoscopic display that is seen through low-cost glasses with red-cyan filters) were used in a pilot study to demonstrate the usefulness and efficacy of molecular anaglyphs in a computer lab. Further research will use anaglyphs of molecular models in a classroom. We will analyze whether anaglyphs are an effective tool to support molecular visualization for learning and teaching in combination with other teaching tools. System usability and student motivation will also be assessed. 1