A Study of Web-Based Learning Environments focusing on Atomic Structure

The World Wide Web is a promising medium for chemical education. The availability of huge chemical databases, of three-dimensional and dynamic graphics together with the computational power and the communicational features of the Web, offer exciting new ways to learn complicated chemical phenomena. However, to what extent do web authors in chemistry utilize these advanced tools? We developed a classifi cation scheme, and examined 95 websites that teach atomic structure. The results show that advanced communication means and graphical tools are rarely used. While the content of the majority of websites can be considered reliable, their structure, level of graphics, and content resemble an online version of textbooks rather than constituting a new, interactive, learning environment. Nevertheless, we claim that the transition into web-based learning is only at its inception. We identify the potential of using the Web for chemical education and provide specifi c examples.f