Probing use of simulations
Scaffolding for student-led learning
Many teachers will already be familiar with the PhET series of simulations produced by the University of Colorado. Although the original focus was on physics, there are now a number of simulations targeting chemistry topics. PhET simulations are notable for the fact that they are designed using a research-based approach to target common misconceptions. Moore and co-workers report an interesting study that probed students' interactions with a particular chemistry simulation, with the aim of demonstrating the power of implicit scaffolding in promoting student-led learning in a large class setting.
David Read summarises and reviews the study.
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