From Molecular Visualization to Deep Learning: A Study on Virtual Laboratory-Empowered Transformation of Organic Chemistry Teaching Paradigm

随着信息技术的飞速发展与教育数字化转型的深入推进，虚拟实验室及在线模拟工具已成为化学教育革新的关键驱动力。在有机化学教学中，反应机制的理解不仅是课程的核心难点，更是培养学生化学思维的重要基石。然而，传统实验教学受限于实验条件、资源投入及微观过程的不可见性，往往导致学生对复杂反应机制的理解停留在表象层面，难以深入把握电子转移、过渡态演变等核心概念。在此背景下，虚拟实验室凭借其动态可视化、交互式探索和安全无风险等特点，为有机化学教学提供了革命性的解决方案。本研究以虚拟实验室在化学反应机理教学中的应用为切入点，重点探讨其教学赋能机制。通过系统分析虚拟实验技术在分子层面动态可视化、三维空间结构展示、交互式情境模拟等方面的独特优势，深入阐释了该技术对促进学生机理认知建构、激发自主学习动机以及培养科学探究素养的多维教育价值，从而为化学教育创新提供理论与实践支撑。The rapid development of information technology and ongoing digital transformation in education have positioned virtual laboratories and online simulation tools as key innovators in chemical pedagogy. Understanding reaction mechanisms constitutes both a central challenge in organic chemistry education and a critical foundation for developing students’ chemical reasoning. Yet traditional lab instruction, limited by physical constraints, resource availability, and the inherent invisibility of molecular processes, frequently leaves students with only a surface-level grasp of complex mechanisms. This approach particularly hampers comprehension of fundamental concepts like electron transfer dynamics and transition-state transformations. In this context, virtual laboratories offer transformative solutions for organic chemistry education by enabling dynamic visualization, interactive exploration, and safe experimentation. This study focuses on the enabling mechanisms of virtual laboratories in teaching chemical reaction mechanisms. Through a systematic analysis of the unique advantages of virtual experiment technology—including dynamic molecular-level visualization, three-dimensional structural representation, and interactive scenario simulation—it comprehensively explores the technology’s multidimensional educational value in enhancing students’ mechanistic cognition, fostering self-directed learning motivation, and cultivating scientific inquiry skills. The findings provide both theoretical and practical support for innovation in chemistry education.