Teaching electronegativity and dipole moment in a TUI

This paper describes how a tangible user interface (TUI) that was designed to construct molecules was extended to also visualize electronegativity and dipole moment. Using interactive tools working with the system, elements can be chosen from a booklet menu and composed into three-dimensional (3D) molecular models. The system is used to teach aspects of organic chemistry such as the octet ride. Based on user experience and expert interviews, a new mode to visualize electronegativity and dipole moment was realized. Evaluation of usability and the learning effectiveness of the AC system is in progress, also examining the dipole tool presented here. We currently compare AC with a ball-stick tool for chemistry education. The paper is an example of joint disciplines: Tangible UI, educational media for chemistry education, and interactive learning.