Conceptual difficulties with isomerism

Schmidt, Hans‐Jürgen

doi:10.1002/tea.3660290908

Cited by 21 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Schmidt (1992) reports that learners often limit their notion of isomer to members of the same class of compounds (so for example CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH and CH 3 CH 2 CH(OH)CH 3 would be seen as isomers, but not CH 3 CH 2 .O.CH 2 CH 3 ). Schmidt (1992) reports that learners often limit their notion of isomer to members of the same class of compounds (so for example CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH and CH 3 CH 2 CH(OH)CH 3 would be seen as isomers, but not CH 3 CH 2 .O.CH 2 CH 3 ).…”

Section: What's Special About Learning Chemical Concepts?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Building the Structural Concepts of Chemistry: Some Considerations From Educational Research

Taber

2001

Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.

205

199

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This paper sets out to consider how educational research into the learning of structural aspects of chemistry might inform teaching practice. The paper is based around a review of research findings into learners' difficulties in developing the scientific models of chemical structures (atoms, molecules, lattices etc.) This forms the second of the four sections into which the paper is organised. The paper begins by considering how ideas about the learning process can inform our understanding of alternative conceptions and frameworks in chemistry, and -therefore -how we should view the research reviewed in the second section. This is a consideration of the findings of studies into difficulties learning about the molecular model; atomic structure; molecular structure; and lattices. This review is followed by a section identifying some key 'pedagogic impediments' -alternative aspects of learners' thinking that seem to derive from the way the subject is taught. In the final section some practical suggestions are made regarding how the teaching of chemistry may be revised to help learners construct the scientific models rather than develop the alternative conceptions. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 123-158] KEY WORDS: alternative conceptions/frameworks; concept learning; pedagogic impediments to learning; research-based practice; constructivism in science education

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Section: What's Special About Learning Chemical Concepts?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Building the Structural Concepts of Chemistry: Some Considerations From Educational Research

Taber

2001

Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.

205

199

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“…In order to identify problems students have with the isomerism concept, 12 test items were assigned to a random sample drawn from 7441 students (Schmidt, 1992b). The following item 1 is representative of these questions.…”

Section: Not All Twins Are Identical: Isomeric Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They first analyzed teaching programs, textbooks, and syllabus statements to identify a sequence of propositions deemed necessary for an understanding of the concept under consideration. These formed the basis to develop a series of probing questions used in the interviews (Hackling & Garnett, 1985;Garnett et al, 1990;Garnett & Treagust, 1992a, 1992b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Students' misconceptions?Looking for a pattern

Schmidt

1997

Sci. Ed.

119

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This article describes four chemical terms that students with well‐considered reasons use in a way that is not accepted in chemistry. The studies identified students' misconceptions using multiple‐choice tests. The distractors of the questions were keyed to the errors observed in a pilot study. From 4300–7500 German senior high school students completed the written tests. They were asked to select an option and give reasons for their answers. Furthermore, discussions were conducted with additional groups of students. It emerged that students limit the term isomerism to compounds of the same class. This idea, however, is not compatible with the modern definition of isomerism. Yet, in practice, only isomers belonging to the same class of compounds are dealt with. Students apparently conclude from the syllable “ox” in redox that oxygen is involved in all redox reactions. Oxygen only had a predominant position in the old oxidation concept. This concept has, however, been extended and oxygen has lost its special position. The idea that in any reaction between an acid and a base a neutral solution is formed has been found to be quite common among students. The term neutralization, coined 300 years ago, can no longer be used in this way. However, words like neutralization or neutral seem to keep the old idea alive. Many students hold the misconception that conjugate acid‐base pairs consist of positively and negatively charged ions, which can somehow neutralize each other. The test questions developed can be easily used by teachers to find out whether the misconceptions described appear in a learning group. As it is known which misconceptions might occur teachers can reflect on how to respond to students' incorrect answers before entering the classroom. Discussions among the students have been found to be a good way of dealing with these problems. For further research the question is raised as to whether there are other concepts and terms that cause difficulties for students. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 81:123–135, 1997.

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“…It can misguide students to assume that only substances composed of branched chain molecules are isomers. Students may in fact define isomers in this way (Schmidt, 1992b). The terms ''isotope'' and ''isomer'' both contain the syllable iso.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing ideas about the periodic table of elements and students' alternative concepts of isotopes and allotropes

2003

Self Cite

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The Periodic Table of Elements (PTE) is one of the organizing principles in chemistry. Originally it was a list of elements (as substances). Later, the PTE developed into a list of atoms of the elements. However, isotopes and allotropes are difficult to integrate into the PTE. Therefore, difficulties in understanding these terms can be expected. The investigation set off to study secondary school students' concepts of isotopes and allotropes and how the concepts are linked to the PTE. Three specific research questions were addressed: (a) How do secondary school students describe the relationship between fundamental particles constituting an atom? (b) How do they conceive isotopes? and (c) What are students' concepts of graphite and diamond? Multiple choice items were given to 3074 senior high school students. In addition, six interviews were conducted with senior high school students. The data analysis revealed students' alternative concepts, which distinguished between standard atoms and atoms of isotopes. Standard atoms contain neutrons and protons in equal numbers and are more stable. The atomic masses are expressed as integers. Moreover, students considered graphite and diamond as isotopes. The analysis of the results shows that students actively tried to make sense of what they had experienced.

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Conceptual difficulties with isomerism

Cited by 21 publications

References 10 publications

Building the Structural Concepts of Chemistry: Some Considerations From Educational Research

Building the Structural Concepts of Chemistry: Some Considerations From Educational Research

Students' misconceptions?Looking for a pattern

Changing ideas about the periodic table of elements and students' alternative concepts of isotopes and allotropes

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