Applying Gradual Immersion Method to Chemistry: Identification of Chemical Bonds

Abstract

Understanding abstract concepts is a typical challenge when teaching Science, particularly among discipline areas that involve microscopic entities or chemical elements. However, certain digital techniques, such as augmented reality, may improve learning in such areas by using 3D modeling tools. To illustrate how transversal activities can be developed within STEAM, combining, for example, science, technology, and arts, we will show how we applied the Gradual Immersion Method (GIM) to an activity about chemical bonds. For this project, the objective was for students to identify the type of chemical bond, recognize bond characteristics based on the covalent and ionic bond model, distinguish among molecular structures created by different bonds, and relate the characteristics of everyday physical materials to chemical bond structures. The results showed that students retained about 90{\%} more information on the topic, compared to students who did not participate in the GIM activity, even as they developed creative, collaborative, and computational-thinking skills.