Visualizing Scientific Ideas With Computers

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So much of the scientific world is not easily visible to humans. The scale of scientific phenomena is too often so large or so small that we cannot observe those phenomena. From astronomy to atomic structures, science requires understanding dynamic visual relationships among things that are impossible to see. We briefly describe a couple of tools for visualizing atomic structures.

Imaging Molecules With Chemistry Visualization Tools

A number of visualization tools have been developed for the sciences, especially chemistry. Not only does the McSpartan program enable the learners to visualize molecules using five different representations (wire, ball and wire, tube, ball and spoke, and space filling), but it also enables the student to test different bonds and create ions and new molecules.

Students who engaged in discussions while building models benefited the most. Providing extra visualization, including colored drawing of experiments and ionic representations of reactions, facilitates concept acquisition in chemistry (Brandt, et al., 2001).

Another powerful chemistry visualization tool from the Concord Consortium (http://www.concord.org) is known as Molecular Workbench. Using Molecular Workbench, students create visual models of the interactions among atoms and molecules. The Workbench also provides learning activities to help clarify what is happening at the atomic level. This is especially effective for representing molecular problems.

Visualizing Geography With Geographic Information Systems

Richard Audet and Gail Ludwig (2000) have written a wonderful book, GIS in Schools, in which they describe how geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to engage students in authentic problem solving. GIS is a system for storing, retrieving, displaying, analyzing, and manipulating geographic data. It is an excellent way to support students’ spatial thinking, and geospatial data are widely available. ESRI is a major designer and developer of GIS technology (http://www.esri.com/). Using GIS requires a relatively fast computer with lots of available storage that can connect to large geographic databases that contain vast amounts of spatial databases related to population, land use, precipitation, vegetation, and other physical geography. GIS software enables students to query those databases to construct maps, create charts and tables to summarize data, and formulate specialized searches. Additionally, schools may purchase ready-made maps from companies or acquire them from local, regional, or state authorities (e.g., http://education.usgs.gov/).

Effective use of GIS also requires adventurous teachers and students. Teachers must be willing to let their students go while solving potentially complex social and environmental problems. Students must also be willing to engage in solving complex and ill-structured problems without single correct answers. When they are engaged, students learn to think spatially. In their book, Audet and Ludwig describe a number of classrooms in which students have used GIS systems to solve some fascinating problems, such as the following: