Learning science through guided discovery: liquid water and molecular networks

In every drop of water, down at the scale of atoms and molecules, there is a world that can fascinate anyone. The objective of “Learning science through guided discovery: liquid water and molecular networks” is to use advanced technology to provide a window into the submicroscopic, and thereby allow students to discover by themselves an entire new world. We are developing a coordinated two-fold approach to high school science teaching in which a cycle of hands-on activities, games, and experimentation is followed by a cycle of computer simulations employing the full power of computer animation to “ZOOM” into the depths of this newly discovered world. Pairing of laboratory experiments with corresponding simulations challenges students to understand multiple representations of concepts. We thereby provide students with the opportunity to work in a fashion analogous to that in which practicing scientists work - e.g., by “building up” to general principles from specific experiences. Moreover, the ability to visualize “real-time” dynamic motions allows for student-controlled graphic simulations on the molecular scale, and interactive guided lessons superior to those afforded by even the most artful of texts. While our general approach could be applied to a variety of topics, we have chosen to focus first on the most familiar of molecular networks, that of liquid water. Later we will test the generality of the approach by exploring macromolecules such as proteins and DNA.