Examining Some of The Students’ Challenges in Learning Organic Chemistry

Salame, Issa I.; Patel, Sagar; Suleman, Shafic

doi:10.20885/ijcer.vol3.iss1.art2

Cited by 10 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Students fail to understand that acid strength in Brønsted-Lowry and Lewis models depends on the structure of the entire molecule, as well as any surrounding molecules present within the solution. In a recent report, students' challenges in learning acidity/basicity theory are related to rote-learning and memorization which do not serve students well in organic chemistry [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Challenges that Students Face in Learning Organic Chemistry Synthesis

Salame

Casino

Hodges

2020

Int. J. Chem. Educ. Res.

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Organic chemistry is the offered after general chemistry and is the course that many find it challenging and difficult. Synthesis is first introduced in organic chemistry I course and is widely considered as one of the topics in which students struggle with and is evident in their performance in the topic. Our method of data collection is a Likert-type and open-ended questionnaire that was distributed at the end organic chemistry I course in an anonymous fashion. The collected data enabled us to examine the challenges students face in learning organic chemistry synthesis. Our findings support the notion that students have many difficulties with multistep organic chemistry synthesis including challenges recalling all of the varied required reactions, the amount of content and topics covered in organic chemistry, conceptual understanding of needed important topics such as mechanisms, acids and bases, nucleophiles and electrophiles, and stereochemistry, and problem-solving competency. Students view organic chemistry synthesis as challenging because of their reliance on memorization of a large number of reactions, reagents, and rules, poor conceptual understanding of the topics, ineffective teaching methods which lacks active learning and student engagement, and the myriad number of possible pathways to solve synthesis problems. Our participants suggest that memorization and rote-learning plays an important role in the learning of multistep organic synthesis, which might cause a hindrance to process of learning and can impede students’ problem-solving ability.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Challenges that Students Face in Learning Organic Chemistry Synthesis

Salame

Casino

Hodges

2020

Int. J. Chem. Educ. Res.

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“…The conceptual difficulties demonstrated by teachers in this study are not only limited to introduction to organic chemistry where nature, tetravalency, and hybridization of the carbon atom are introduced to students, but the IUPAC nomenclature, structural formula, functional group, and reactions of hydrocarbons, aromatics, and derivatives of hydrocarbons. This implies that teachers' conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry cut across most concepts confirming that organic chemistry is difficult (Chang & Goldsby, 2016;Childs & Sheehan, 2009;Miheso & Mavhunga, 2020;Salame et al, 2019). These teachers' difficulties in most concepts of SHS organic chemistry could be a major block to an effective transformation of the content (PCK) to students (Van Driel et al, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the importance of chemistry is indisputable, organic chemistry has been reported widely by researchers and chemical educators as being difficult (Chang & Goldsby, 2016;Childs & Sheehan, 2009;Salame et al, 2019). Chemistry (for that matter organic chemistry) is often considered a difficult subject and this observation has repelled learners from progressing with their studies in chemistry (Salame et al, 2019;Sibomana et al, 2021;Sirhan, 2007). Research has identified some areas of organic chemistry such as drawing and representing organic compounds (Johnstone, 2006;Taber, 2002), naming and writing structural formulae of organic compounds using the IUPAC nomenclature system (Adu-Gyamfi et al, 2012, isomerism (Schmidt, 1992), properties of organic compounds OPEN ACCESS (Anderson & Bodner, 2008), and aromatic compounds (Ealy & Hermanson, 2006) as difficult areas for students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For far too long, research has been directed to students. For instance, research to find out; what students say about teaching and learning chemistry (Donkoh, 2017), the effect of peer-led guided inquiry on students' performance (Ogunleye & Bamidele, 2013), how the use of demonstration and lecture methods enhance students' performance on chemistry (Omwirhiren, 2015), students' misconceptions in chemistry (Omwirhiren & Ubanwa, 2016;Taber, 2002), students' challenges in learning organic chemistry (Salame et al, 2019), and the efficacies of cooperative learning approach, learning activity package, and lecture method on enhancing chemistry students' academic retention (Udu, 2019). Johnstone (2010) reported that despite the numerous research done over the last 40 years, many of the problems identified in the 1970s are still there.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Teachers’ Conceptual Difficulties in Teaching Senior High School Organic Chemistry

Adu-Gyamfi

Asaki

2022

Contemporary Mathematics and Science Education

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Teachers are one of the important factors influencing students' learning of chemistry as they (teachers) transform the content for students. When teachers do not have a sound scientific understanding of the chemistry behind the organic concepts considered to be difficult, they are likely, not able to transform sound scientific understanding for their students. Hence, the need to examine the conceptual difficulties of teachers in teaching organic chemistry to senior high school students. Teachers, teaching chemistry in 31 schools were sampled through multi-stage sampling procedures and responded to a diagnostic test on organic chemistry. The data from the test were manipulated using quantitative and qualitative methods, such as means, standard deviations, percentages, and themes. The quantitative results were merged with the qualitative results to examine teachers' conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry. The findings showed that teachers have conceptual difficulties with organic chemistry. This study has added to the literature that teacher conceptual difficulties were partial understanding with misconceptions such as preconceived notions, factual misconceptions, and conceptual misunderstandings. Therefore, in order to deal with those misconceptions, chemistry educators should implement instructional approaches that will help preservice teachers challenge and deal with their misconceptions in organic chemistry.

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Hybridization Gamified: A Mobile App for Learning About Hybridization

Petritis

Byrd²,

Schneller

2022

J. Chem. Educ.

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For years, hybridization in chemistry has been taught using static pictures and model kits. We decided to reimagine how students learn hybridization through the development of a mobile learning tool. The tool contains gamification features, such as achievements and progressive leveling that keep students engaged, while the mobile platform allows students to study anywhere, anytime. A study conducted at the University of Arizona showed that playing the hybridization exercises increased academic performance, confidence, and engagement on the topic of hybridization. This work highlights the development and course implementation of a novel mobile hybridization learning tool.

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Examining Some of The Students’ Challenges in Learning Organic Chemistry

Cited by 10 publications

References 22 publications

Examining Challenges that Students Face in Learning Organic Chemistry Synthesis

Examining Challenges that Students Face in Learning Organic Chemistry Synthesis

Teachers’ Conceptual Difficulties in Teaching Senior High School Organic Chemistry

Hybridization Gamified: A Mobile App for Learning About Hybridization

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