Using a Molecular Modeling Application to Introduce Structural Isomerism

Novice chemists often struggle with the highly visual nature of some chemistry topics. To make visually demanding concepts, such as isomerism and stereochemistry, more accessible to students, chemistry instructors have long recommended the use of molecular model kits as visual aids. However, studies pertaining to student model usage have shown that students are unlikely to spontaneously use molecular models to solve problems, even though it was shown that students that actively manipulated the models are more likely to correctly complete visually demanding organic chemistry tasks. Here we report an activity that engages students in molecular model usage while exploring structural isomerism. The activity consists of three sections and is designed to be completed after students have been introduced to structural isomerism. We chose to implement the activity during the first laboratory session after the content introduction. The activity takes approximately 35 min to complete, regardless of virtual or in-person administration. Postactivity surveys from two academic quarters showed that over 70% of students indicated that the modeling tool improved their 3D perception of molecules. However, a smaller percentage of students indicated that they would use the modeling tool as a supplement to their normal study habits.