SAMTAL@SU: On the promise of adaptivity in learning chemistry

Welcome to a lunch seminar with Nicole Graulich who is the head of the Institute of Chemistry Education at Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany, who will share current research on mechanistic reasoning, adaptive learning support, and how machine learning can be used to trace and foster students’ reasoning over time. A seminar for researchers who teach at Stockholm University and want to further develop their practice through research-based and technology-enhanced approaches.

Wednesday 4 March, 12:00–13:30 (the seminar starts at 12:10 and ends at 12:55, with the opportunity to stay and talk with Nicole until 13:30).

Bio: Nicole Graulich's research focuses on learning chemistry at the tertiary level, with a particular emphasis on mechanistic reasoning and representational competence, as well as leveraging new technologies for adaptive learning. She uses eye-tracking to monitor students’ eye movements for insights into their developmental stages, as well as machine learning to track students’ reasoning in chemistry over time.

Abstract: Mechanistic reasoning is central to science learning yet challenging for students. These challenges intersect with educational debt, as systemic inequities shape students’ opportunities to succeed. This study applied a machine learning (ML) model to adaptively support undergraduates’ mechanistic reasoning in organic chemistry. Five learning trajectories emerged, showing that reasoning improved with adaptive support but varied by prior knowledge and student background, sometimes reinforcing educational debt. The findings highlight both the potential and limitations of ML-based adaptivity, informing equity-centered design of instructional support in science education.

Registration

Please register for coffee/tea and sandwich no later then March 2.

SAMTAL @SU seminars are arranged in collaboration with The Department of Teaching and Learning and Centre for the Advancement of University Teaching.