To solve the first problem the program was designed so that students could get information on new terms at any point in the program by clicking on a button. In a hardness test the student must try scratching the mineral with various objects and then analyze the results to determine a hardness range. The most difficult part of this task appears to be in the analysis of the results to determine the proper range. In the computer program the results of the scratch tests are given. This simplifies the activity for the user and allows the user to focus solely on the interpretation of the results.
Students often have problems moving through an identification key in the proper order.
The computerized key does not allow students to move through improperly. They can still make mistakes by choosing the wrong properties but only in the correct order. It is believed that by forcing the students through the key in the correct manner they will acquire an understanding of how a key works. The assessment comparing the two treatments had a high degree of similarity to the learning task completed during the treatment. They then had to use a computerized key to identify these minerals.