Assessing Advanced High School and Undergraduate Students’ Thinking Skills: The Chemistry—From the Nanoscale to Microelectronics Module

Abstract

Chemistry students in Israel have two options for studying chemistry: basic or honors (advanced placement). For instruction in high school honors chemistry courses, we developed a module focusing on abstract topics in quantum mechanics: ChemistryFrom the Nanoscale to Microelectronics. The module adopts a visual–conceptual approach, which replaces mathematical derivations and includes interdisciplinary, real-life applications. The module has also been used as enrichment material for an undergraduate mathematically oriented quantum chemistry course. We assessed the comprehension of quantum mechanical concepts and the thinking skills of high school honors students and undergraduate chemistry students who studied this module. These skills included visual and textual chemical understanding, graphing, and far transfer of learning. Participants included over 100 high school honors students in high and intermediate levels, and over 60 undergraduate students, with students separated into groups of those exposed to the module and those who received mathematics enrichment instead. The questionnaires revealed that both high school honors students and undergraduate students improved their scores. High-level academic students outperformed their undergraduate peers, and undergraduate students who had been exposed to the module outperformed undergraduates who had studied the topic with mathematical enrichment. The research contributes to the field of teaching quantum mechanics and thinking skills, suggesting that high school honors students and undergraduate students could benefit from studying quantum mechanics using a visual–conceptual approach along with real-life applications. This contribution is part of a special issue on teaching introductory chemistry in the context of the advanced placement (AP) chemistry course redesign.

Context-based learning and metacognitive prompts for enhancing scientific text comprehension

“…For example, in the article 'Oceans are becoming more acidic', students learn about acids and bases through air pollution that affects oceans' pH. The context-based adapted scientific articles require also the application of at least a subset of the four chemistry understanding levels -symbolic, macroscopic, microscopic, and process (Dori et al, 2014;Dori & Hameiri, 2003;Dori & Sasson, 2008). These articles were presented to students at two intensity levels: high and low.…”

“…The Adapted scientific article questionnaire included open-ended questions that accompanied the adapted article, aimed at assessing students' chemistry understanding in the three aspects presented below, along with examples and criteria for scoring each aspect, based on previous studies (Dori, Dangur, Avargil, & Peskin, 2014;Dori & Herscovitz, 1999, 2005.…”

Integrating Nanoscience Activities in Enhancing Malaysian Secondary School Students’ Understanding of Chemistry Concepts

“…According to Jones et al (2003), a significant improvement in understanding of chemistry-related concepts was noticed when students involved in nanoscience hands-on activities. Dori et al (2014) mentioned that through nanoscience, students learn to apply and connect their chemical understanding to interdisciplinary aspects and everyday applications. This teaching approach helps students to transfer the knowledge in understanding basic chemistry concepts and their relevant applications.…”

“…According to Jones, Andre, Superfine, and Taylor (2003), a significant improvement in understanding of chemistry-related concepts was noticed when students involved in nanoscience hands-on activities. Meanwhile, Dori, Dangur, Avargil, and Peskin (2014) also claimed that through nanoscience activities, students apply and connect their chemical understanding to interdisciplinary aspects and everyday applications.…”

Essential Concepts of Nanoscale Science and Technology for High School Students Based on a Delphi Study by the Expert Community

“…Most of these programs have focused on different developmental levels and aspects for teaching NST (Ambrogi, Caselli, Montaltic, & Venturic, 2008;Blonder, 2011;Blonder & Dinur, 2011;Blonder & Sakhnini, 2012Bryan et al, 2015;Dori, Dangur, Avargil, & Peskin, 2014;Jones et al, 2013;Jones, Gardner, Falvo, & Tayler, 2015;Samet, 2009;Walters & Bullen, 2008) Although NST is considered a motivating interdisciplinary scientific field, it cannot be easily dropped or integrated into an existing broad and condensed curriculum. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of NST makes it difficult to determine (1) where and how NST should be integrated into the current curriculum in which scientific disciplines (e.g.…”