Workbench public

The Molecular Workbench

at the Concord Consortium

The goal of the Molecular Workbench is to provide a rich environment that makes the atomic level familiar, predictable, and connected with the macroscopic world, and to understand the effect of such an environment on student learning. Our expectation is that students will learn about this world by interacting with it through a series of learning activities that are guided by scaffolding that is part of the software. To achieve this design we will create an atomic-scale model, several macro-scale simulations, and, together with another team at CC, an integrating language called Pedagogica. To narrow the project and define a feasible scope of work, we will focus on preparation for biology, usually the first high school science course. Although focused on molecular biology, our work will have implications for all sciences. Since chemical reactions, reaction rates, catalysis, solubility, pH, and other chemical topics are part of molecular biology, the results of this study will be particularly important to chemistry teaching.

Powers of Ten-inspired 3-D setting

Zoom It, inspired by the Eames's film Powers of Ten, is a 3-D navigation tool developed by Parallel Graphics Inc. in Moscow. It allows users to explore different models that support different science content.

One of the goals of the project is to have students reason about macro levels using molecular models. The 3-D world supports their understanding of the way the molecular rules structures the macro phenomena.

Pedagogica: Supporting User Entry and Use

Pedagogica is a scripting language under development at The Concord Consortium. It will be used to tie together the atomic-scale and macroscopic worlds of the Molecular Workbench. Users will be able to enter the Workbench at several different points, picking up case histories, or challenges, playing directly with simulated labs or molecular engine itself, or will be able to work through activities. Pedagogica will not only facilitate their choices, but query the users and monitor their progress.

Curriculum: Simulated Labs

The atomic modeling software will connect to macro simulations so that changes of values of these collective properties at either the atomic or macro level correctly impacts the representation of both levels.

Students will be able to invent new atoms and molecules and conduct experiments at the atomic-scale by controlling the number and kinds of objects in a simulation as well as the charges, forces, bonding rules, and initial conditions.

Curriculum: Working with Models

Curriculum activities encourage students to uncover key attributes of molecular systems, develop their own models, and test these against a professional model. Proprioceptive activities (movement, haptic mouse), model play, prediction and discussion, all work to enrich the student's own models of the connection between the macro and molecular worlds.

The Engine: OSLET

The key technology is a modeling microworld. Students will be able to see animated atoms and molecules moving and interacting in a way that is consistent with the mental models they need to understand. To make this experience as vivid as possible, students will be able to feel atomic-scale forces using a haptic mouse, a tethered mouse that provides force feedback.

Based on cutting-edge molecular simulation
technologies, the Oslet is now being built into
a piece of multidisciplinary interactive modelling
software. With the assistance of friendly user
interface and molecular graphics, a variety of
microscopic models in physics, chemistry and
molecular biology, and of more importance, their
time evolution or reaction dynamics, can be made
accessible to kids.

This project is sponsored by a grant from the National Science Foundation. NSF is not responsible, however, for the content of the project.