Abstract

The present investigation was designed to determine if the learning benefits of metaphors and graphics could be combined into one instructional device--a metaphorical graphic--to aid in the acquisition of difficult concepts of chemistry. The authors further sought to determine if metaphorical graphics could foster greater retention of the basic properties of chemical elements when compared to verbal descriptions of those properties or traditional graphical representations of elements commonly seen as orbital diagrams in chemistry textbooks. The findings revealed that metaphorical graphics helped learners to develop a deeper understanding of the behavior and reactivity, but not physical properties, of the features of fifteen selected chemical elements. (Contains 10 tables and 4 figures.)

Citation

Stroud, M.J. & Schwartz, N.H. (2010). Summoning Prior Knowledge through Metaphorical Graphics: An Example in Chemistry Instruction. Journal of Educational Research, 103(5), 351-366. Retrieved August 14, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/107798/.

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Keywords

• chemistry
• college mathematics
• College Students
• Computer Assisted Instruction
• Computer Graphics
• educational technology
• Figurative Language
• PRIOR LEARNING
• Science Instruction
• Scientific Concepts
• teaching methods
• Textbooks
• Visual Stimuli