Students’ Microscopic, Macroscopic, and Symbolic Representations of Chemical Reactions

Michael Hinton · Mary B. Nakhleh

101 citations0/0 files storedThe Chemical Educator

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Science Education and Pedagogy Various Chemistry Research Topics Chemistry Education and Research

Abstract

This study examined the mental representations of chemical reactions used by six students (three male, three female) who achieved above-average grades in a college freshman chemistry class at a large midwestern university. The representations expressed by the students in structured interviews were categorized as microscopic, macroscopic, or symbolic representations of chemical reactions. The study revealed that the participants did make at least some use of each of the three representations; however, there were wide variations among participants in the sophistication of the various representations they used and in their understanding of the relationships between representations. Also, participants receiving very similar course grades sometimes demonstrated very different conceptual understandings of chemical reactions.

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References

1983Learning science: A generative process 1987Concept learning versus problem solving: Is there a difference?1985The Generative Learning Model and its Implications for Science Education 1987Understanding the particulate nature of matter 1993Are Our Students Conceptual Thinkers or Algorithmic Problem Solvers? Identifying Conceptual Students in General Chemistry 1993Concept learning versus problem solving: There is a difference 1990Concept learning versus problem solving: Revisited 1985Student understanding of chemical equation balancing

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