Problem-Solving in Chemistry

Abstract

W hen the first au tho r be gan work in chem ical edu cation , he be cam e inte rested in researchon problem solving for several reasons. First, problem solving is what chemists do,regardless of whether they work in the area of synthesis, spectroscopy, theory, analysis,or the characterization of compounds. Second, it was clear that individuals who weresuccessful in chemistry courses either developed good problem solving skills — more orless on their own —or brought these skills to their chemistry courses. Finally, it wasobvious that we weren’t doing as good a job as we could in helping less successfulstudents learn how to build problem solving skills.This chapter provides a review of the research literature devoted to the study of problemsolving in chemistry, including research on instructional strategies that might lead toimprovements in students’ problem solving ability. This literature runs the gamut fromstudies of high-school students working on stoichiometry or gas law problems throughstudies of problem solv ing by advanced graduate st udents in chemis try. Our primar y goalin writing this chapter is to point the reader toward appropriate literature, that can (andshould) be read for further details. We will also provide our biased perspective on someof this work.

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