This work seeks to solve one of the basic problems in chemistry learning: understanding the chemical bond as a dynamic equilibrium between attractive and repulsive forces. This force-based model is difficult to grasp, as there are no analogues from everyday life for both attractions and repulsions happening simultaneously. In addition, current teaching approaches often mislead by using mainly the ‘octet rule’ heuristic. As a result, students construct naïve models of the chemical bond, usually viewing atoms as solid balls that are attached to each other in order to “achieve an octet.” To represent the force-based dynamics of the bond, we designed the ELI-Chem learning environment. This environment enables interaction as an atom with another atom while observing the underlying forces and the potential energy curve. Our theoretical framework is based on Embodied Learning theory by relating conceptual learning to bodily experiences. The study uses qualitative and quantitative methods with 21 high school chemistry students in a pretest–intervention–posttest design. During a 40 minute activity with the ELI-Chem simulation, students were prompted to discover the underlying forces of bonding and relate them to energy changes. Findings show that learning with the ELI-Chem simulation supports students in gaining the knowledge elements that are required to build the dynamic force-based mental model of chemical bonding, and to conceptualize chemical energy as due to forces. Finally, the design principles of the ELI-Chem environment are discussed. Aligned with science standards, attending to students’ difficulties, and using the advantages of a computer simulation, the ELI-Chem environment provides an appropriate representation of chemical bonding, which is more valid scientifically yet makes the abstract concept accessible.

中文翻译：

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吸引力与排斥力–通过ELI-Chem模拟了解化学键合中的力和能量

这项工作旨在解决化学学习中的一个基本问题：将化学键理解为吸引力和排斥力之间的动态平衡。这种基于力的模型很难掌握，因为日常生活中没有类似的事物同时吸引和排斥。另外，当前的教学方法通常通过主要使用“八位位组规则”启发式方法而产生误导。结果，学生构建了幼稚的化学键模型，通常将原子视为相互连接的实心球，以“达到一个八位位组”。为了表示基于力的键的动力学，我们设计了ELI-Chem学习环境。这种环境使一个原子能够与另一个原子相互作用，同时观察潜在的力和势能曲线。我们的理论框架是建立在将概念学习与身体经验联系起来的基于体验学习理论的基础上的。该研究采用定性和定量方法，对21名高中化学专业的学生进行了前测，干预和后测设计。在40分钟的ELI-Chem模拟活动中，系统提示学生发现潜在的键合力，并将其与能量变化相关联。结果表明，使用ELI-Chem模拟进行学习可帮助学生获得建立基于动态力的化学键心理模型以及将由于力而产生的化学能概念化所需的知识元素。最后，讨论了ELI-Chem环境的设计原理。符合科学标准，关注学生的困难，并利用计算机模拟的优势，