Using student-generated animations to assess conceptions

By David Read2021-04-15T10:24:00

A colourful illustration showing water molecules on a computer screen

Source: Adapted from © Gorbash Varvara/Shutterstock

Harness the power of PowerPoint when teaching molecular motion to identify misconceptions and help students better understand the sub-microscopic world

Researcher Guspatni Guspatni recently investigated student teachers’ conceptions of molecular motion by analysing PowerPoint animations they had made. Guspatni suggests this approach could be translated into the classroom to assess students’ understanding of molecular dynamics.

Find out how to use the activity in the study with your own students to identify and address any misconceptions they have around molecular motion.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.