Student-generated submicro diagrams: a useful tool for teaching and learning chemical equations and stoichiometry

Abstract

This paper reports on a pedagogical approach to the teaching of chemical equations introduced to first year university students with little previous chemical knowledge. During the instruction period students had to interpret and construct diagrams of reactions at the submicro level, and relate them to chemical equations at the symbolic level with the aim of improving their conceptual understanding of chemical equations and stoichiometry. Students received instruction in symbol conventions, practice through graded tutorial tasks, and feedback on their efforts over the semester. Analysis of the student responses to formative test and summative exam items over consecutive years indicates that there was a consistent improvement in the abilities of the various cohorts to answer stoichiometry questions correctly. The responses provide evidence for diagrams of the submicro level being used as tools for reasoning in solving chemical problems, to recognise misconceptions of chemical formulae and to recognise the value of using various multiple representations of chemical reactions connecting the submicro and symbolic levels of representation. The student-generated submicro diagrams serve as a visualisation tool for teaching and learning abstract concepts in solving stoichiometric problems. We argue that the use of diagrams of the submicro level provides a more complete picture of the reaction, rather than a net summary of a chemical equation, leading to a deeper conceptual understanding.

Metacognitive monitoring and learning gain in foundation chemistry

“…Tests could consist of tasks that require higher cognitive demand and deeper engagement which may force students to critically and realistically judge their performance. Student generated submicro diagrams can also be used as a teaching tool Table 4 Pre-and posttest performance data according to performance evaluation subgroup to expose misconceptions and achieve mastery in stoichiometry (Davidowitz et al, 2010). These approaches may prevent the damage caused by failure and preserve the positive contribution of confidence, albeit excessively positive.…”

Peningkatan Keterampilan Proses Sains Melalui Model Children Learning in Science (Clis) Di Kelas Xi Ipa Sma Negeri 3 Palembang

“…Mahasiswa belum mampu mendeskripsikan dan menjelaskan hasil pengamatan reaksi redoks (makroskopis) dalam bentuk atom, molekul dan ion yang terlibat dalam reaksi. Kemampuan submikroskopik digambarkan oleh teori atom materi, dalam istilah partikel seperti elektron, atom dan molekul yang secara umum berkenaan dengan level molekuler (Davidowitz, 2010).…”

An inventory for measuring student teachers' knowledge of chemical representations: design, validation, and psychometric analysis

“…Hence, it is necessary for students to know the rules and conventions according to which such equations are set up. However, the ability to balance chemical equations does not necessarily involve knowledge of what the equations represent on a sub-microscopic level (Davidowitz et al, 2010). This does not only apply to high-school students, but also to university students.…”