What Is This Substance? What Makes It Different? Mapping Progression in Students' Assumptions about Chemical Identity

Autor/inn/en	Ngai, Courtney; Sevian, Hannah; Talanquer, Vicente
Titel	What Is This Substance? What Makes It Different? Mapping Progression in Students' Assumptions about Chemical Identity
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science Education, 36 (2014) 14, S.2438-2461 (24 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0693
DOI	10.1080/09500693.2014.927082
Schlagwörter	Science Instruction; Chemistry; Scientific Concepts; Concept Formation; Literature Reviews; Data Analysis; Learning Processes; Cues; Secondary School Students; Secondary School Science; Elementary School Students; Elementary School Science + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Chemie; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Auswertung; Learning process; Lernprozess; Stichwort; Sekundarschüler
Abstract	Given the diversity of materials in our surroundings, one should expect scientifically literate citizens to have a basic understanding of the core ideas and practices used to analyze chemical substances. In this article, we use the term 'chemical identity' to encapsulate the assumptions, knowledge, and practices upon which chemical analysis relies. We conceive chemical identity as a core crosscutting disciplinary concept which can bring coherence and relevance to chemistry curricula at all educational levels, primary through tertiary. Although chemical identity is not a concept explicitly addressed by traditional chemistry curricula, its understanding can be expected to evolve as students are asked to recognize different types of substances and explore their properties. The goal of this contribution is to characterize students' assumptions about factors that determine chemical identity and to map how core assumptions change with training in the discipline. Our work is based on the review and critical analysis of existing research findings on students' alternative conceptions in chemistry education, and historical and philosophical analyses of chemistry. From this perspective, our analysis contributes to the growing body of research in the area of learning progressions. In particular, it reveals areas in which our understanding of students' ideas about chemical identity is quite robust, but also highlights the existence of major knowledge gaps that should be filled in to better foster student understanding. We provide suggestions in this area and discuss implications for the teaching of chemistry. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10