Difficult concepts in chemistry as seen by Moroccan high school students: A survey in the Fez-Meknes region

This study aimed to examine research literature on how the think-pair-share strategy affects teaching and learning of difficult chemistry concepts for academic achievement in secondary schools. A review of about 680 published articles from 2012 to 2024 was carried out. The articles were categorized into research focus, methods, teaching strategies, article focus and subjects. The article’s focus was further categorized into achievement, gender and sample size. The subject was further narrowed down to chemistry. The think-pair-share strategy has been found to improve academic achievement. The review indicated that the implementation of the think-pair-share strategy was carried out on a few chemistry concepts. It was observed that the sample sizes used in many of the studies were small and cannot be used to generalize to the population of students offering chemistry in secondary schools. The study also indicated that most of the studies did not consider that the effect of gender was significant. It is recommended that the think-pair-share strategy be recommended to education bodies, school administrators and teachers for inclusion as a teaching method in the curriculum. Table 1 provides a concise summary of the contribution of researchers to teaching strategies and thus forms a compendium for researchers to identify future research gaps and directions in teaching strategies. Analysis performed and results obtained from this study provide justification for the application of the think-pair-share strategy in secondary schools and a basis for inclusion in schools’ curriculum across the globe. This would improve understanding and achievement in difficult chemistry concepts.

This study focused on addressing underperformance in chemistry in Anglophone West African countries. The main purpose of the study was to determine if factors such as gender, school location and ownership impact students’ perception of the difficulty of chemistry concepts and to suggest how these difficult concepts can be made easy to learn from the perspectives of the students. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Participants were 1,292 chemistry students from nine public and 12 private secondary schools in Nigeria and Ghana with about three-quarters of the schools from urban areas. About 51% of the participants were females. Twenty-four students were interviewed to gather qualitative data. The Difficult Concept in Chemistry Questionnaire (DCCQ) and the Difficult Concepts in Chemistry Interview Guide (DCCIG) were used for data collection. The test-retest reliability coefficient of the DCCQ was 0.88. We found a slight difference in the perception of male and female students while school type came as a major determinant factor on students’ perception of difficult concepts in chemistry, just as school location. Phobia for calculations came out as a major cause of difficulty in the top five perceived difficult concepts. Findings on causes of learning difficulties were reported as well as suggestions for improvement as viewed by the students. Recommendations were made for improving the teaching and learning of chemistry in Anglophone West African schools.

본 연구는 도시 농촌지역 고등학생들의 자살에 대한 생각을 파악하고, 일반적 특성, 학교생활특성, 자살경험특성 및 자살생각과의 관련성을 알아보기 위하여 수행하였다. 우리나라 중부권에 소재한 K시의 도시지역 학생 1,114명, 농촌지역 학생 968명을 대상으로 2009년 7월 1일부터 7월 31일까지 구조화된 자기기입식 설문지를 이용하여 설문조사하였다. 연구결과 최근 1년간 자살생각을 갖은 고등학생은 38.8%였으며 도시와 농촌 간에 유의한 차이가 없었다. 다변량분석 결과 자살 생각에 영향을 미치는 관련요인으로 도시학생은 성별[남자에 비하여 여자의 교차비가 1.80 (95%CI: 1.31-2.47)]과 학년[1학년에 비하여 2학년 교차비가 1.40(95% CI: 0.98-2.00), 3학년 교차비 2.15(95% CI: 1.49-3.12)이 유의하였다. 농촌학생은 성별[남자에 비하여 여자의 교차비가 2.71 (95%CI: 1.23-2.38)], 경제악화 [비경험군에 비하여 경험군의 교차비가 1.81(95% CI: 1.24-2.64)], 그리고 학년[1학년에 비하여 2학년 교차비가 2.80(95% CI: 1.82-4.32), 3학년 교차비 3.84(95% CI: 2.52-5.87)이 유의하였다. 본 연구를 통해 밝혀진 고등학생들의 자살생각에 영향을 주는 가정환경 변인, 학교생활 변인, 자살에 대한 경험적 변인 등을 적극적으로 관리하는 자살 예방프로그램개발 및 자살예방을 위한 지속적인 관심과 지도가 필요하다. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to find out the suicide ideation of high school students in urban and rural areas, and especially to research the relationship between suicide ideation, and general characteristics, characteristics of school life, and empirical characteristics of suicide. Methods: This research targeted four urban and four rural high schools in two cities. The study subjects were 1,114 students in urban area and 968 students in rural area, total 2,082 students. The survey was conducted from July 1, 2009 to July 31, 2009. For statistical analysis, chi-square test, t-test and ANOVA were used for investigating related factors with suicide ideation in urban and rural areas, respectively, with multiple logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Results: The results showed that 38.8% of respondents had suicide ideation within 1 year. The percentage of female students (44.8%) was significantly higher than that of male students (33.4%). However, there was no significant difference between urban (38.0%) and rural area (39.9%). The significant influencing factors on suicide ideation in multiple logistic regression were gender [female student OR(odds ratio)=1.80 (95% CI 1.31-2.47) compared with male student] and grade [second year OR=1.40 (95% CI 0.98-2.00), third year OR=2.15 (95% CI 1.49-3.12) compared with first year] in urban area. Those in rural area were gender [female student OR(odds ratio)=2.71 (95% CI 1.23-2.38) compared with male student], economic deterioration [yes OR=1.81 (95% CI 1.24-2.64) compared with no], and grade [second year OR=2.80 (95% CI 1.82-4.32), third year OR=3.84 (95% CI 2.52-5.87) compared with first year]. Conclusions: This study showed about 40% of high school students had suicide ideation within 1 year. A suicide prevention program may be implemented considering factors related with suicide ideation identified in this study.

This study explored learning competency based on the Indonesian National Examination focusing especially on chemistry performance and the circumstances of senior high school students and teachers in rural areas of Simeulue Island, Indonesia. The National Examination total score and chemistry score for students in rural areas were consistently lower than students in urban areas during 2008–2010. The majority of rural students were failing to master key chemistry concepts. Their low performance on laboratory-based questions appeared to indicate that the associated practical work was not done as part of the chemistry courses. Some chemistry topics were not taught due to insufficient time, student weaknesses, insufficient textbooks, and other reasons. The issues of low competency of teachers, poverty for the majority of students, low enrollment in schools, and low competition among students in these rural senior high schools appeared to be common problems across rural settings. The local government has recommended providing a consolidated rural high school with qualified chemistry teachers, laboratories, and transportation to address factors negatively influencing student achievement. Furthermore, local rural school officials need to recruit and retain qualified teachers in these isolated areas, provide effective textbooks and instructional resources, and facilitate the professional development of chemistry teachers.

The aim of the study was to investigate prospective gymnasium teachers' conceptions of chemistry learning and teaching. Data were collected through individual interviews with nine prospective teachers at one German university. Phenomenography served as the methodological framework for the study. The findings revealed that chemistry learning is conceptualized as gaining knowledge, problem-solving and constructing personal understandings; and that chemistry teaching is conceptualized as transferring knowledge, problem-posing and interacting with pupils. The majority of the prospective teachers' conceptions of learning chemistry were considered reproductive rather than constructive and their conceptions of chemistry teaching were viewed as facilitating reproductive learning. Comparisons of the dominant conceptions of learning chemistry and teaching chemistry held by each prospective teacher revealed mixed support for the assumption that if one holds a reproductive (or constructive) conception of teaching, then (s)he will also hold a reproductive (or constructive) conception of learning. Support for the assumption was found in the reproductive-oriented relationship between conceptions of learning chemistry as gaining knowledge and of teaching chemistry as transferring knowledge, but not found in the relationships between learning chemistry as problem-solving and teaching chemistry as problem-posing and between learning chemistry as gaining knowledge and interacting with pupils.

본 연구는 과학학습의 어려움이나 낮은 흥미도의 한 원인으로 과학 교과학습에서의 중요한 통로 혹은 입구에 해당하는 문지방개념의 존재를 가정하고 특히 화학의 어떠한 개념들이 여기에 해당하는지를 알아보았다. 또한, 각 개념의 속성이 무엇이며 개념을 이해하고 "아~하"의 깨달음을 얻는 경험은 어떠했는지도 함께 알아보았다. 이를 위해, 화학 II를 학습한 239명의 고등학생이 연구에 참여하였고 설문에 대한 응답으로 화학 교과의 어려운 개념이 무엇인지, 문지방에 해당하는 개념이 무엇인지, 혹은 문지방개념을 이해한 경험이 화학 학습에 어떠한 영향을 주었는지를 설명하였다. 몰과 원자구조가 화학 교과의 문지방개념으로 제시되었고 구체적으로는 제시된 두 개념이 문지방개념이 되는 속성이 무엇인지를 집중적으로 분석하였다. 문지방을 극복하고 이해하는 것은 각자의 경험에 따르지만, 문지방개념을 분석하는 기준은 각각의 경험에 일정한 준거를 제시하여 서로 다른 경험들을 객관화 시킬뿐 아니라 개념의 과학적 의미와 본성을 잘 드러내어 준다. 특히, 교사가 제시하는 화학의 문지방개념을 조사한 사전연구와의 비교는 문지방개념의 통합적 속성이 학생들의 학습과 과학흥미도 증진에 중요함을 보여준다. Concerning the difficulty of learning science and reduced interest in science, the authors of this study searched for potential threshold concepts which are portals or gateways in the field of science (particularly chemistry). The nature of these concepts and how to overcome their troublesomeness were further questioned. For this study, 239 high school students completed chemistry II provided information about what difficult concepts and potential threshold concepts in high school chemistry are and how they affect learning chemistry. In particular, the mastery experience of the threshold concepts was explored in detail. Two, "mole and atomic structure" were selected as threshold concepts in chemistry. Not only as important but also as threshold, this study emphasized the importance of the two concepts in terms of features characterizing them as threshold concepts. In particular, the features objectify subjective experiences of students and provide information describing the scientific meaning and distinctive nature of threshold concepts in science. Along with the data from teachers, this study shows the integrative feature as key criteria for students to make meaningful understanding of the two threshold concepts.

This study investigated the effect of instructional strategies and mathematical ability on students’ performance in the Chemistry concept of Acid-Base Titration. Specifically, the study examined differences in performance among students taught Acid-Base Titration using Virtual laboratory instruction, Physical laboratory instruction, and the Expository method. It further explored the influence of Mathematics ability (high, average, low) on students’ performance. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study employed the quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design. A sample of 128 SS3 students from public senior secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria, was selected for the study. Two validated researcher-constructed instruments, titled Acid-Base Titration Performance Test and Titration Basic Mathematics Test, were used to obtain data for the study. The Kuder Richardson 21 formula was used to obtain reliability coefficients of 0.87 and 0.91 for the Acid-Base Titration Performance Test and Titration Basic Mathematics Test, respectively. For data analysis, the research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while Analysis of Covariance and Partial Eta squared were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the Expository method significantly enhanced students’ performance in Acid-Base Titration concept more than Virtual and Physical laboratory instructions. A significant difference was discovered among students of high, average, and low Mathematics abilities in their performance in the concept of Acid-Base Titration, in favour of the students with high Mathematics ability. Also, the interaction of instructional strategy and Mathematics ability on students’ performance in the concept of Acid-Base Titration was not statistically significant. The study recommended that Chemistry teachers should make use of the expository method along with the Physical laboratory instruction when teaching difficult Chemistry concepts, such as Acid-Base Titration, and also provide additional support in Mathematics to students with low Mathematics ability to improve their learning outcomes in Chemistry concepts.

Several studies have indicated education inequality between rural students and urban students. In language learning, students in rural areas have lower proficiency in English than those in urban areas.The aims of the present study were to investigate the perceptions,instructional knowledge and classroom practices of English teachers in teaching reading in rural areas in Sabah.An online survey was conducted on a sample of 20 secondary English teachers in a teacher professional development programme in Kudat, Sabah. The implications of these findings for future practice in rural high schools are discussed.

The article "Environmental Education in Rural High School: A Didactic Sequence Based on the Story 'Monica's Gang: Caring for the World'" proposes an educational approach that uses the narrative of comics to introduce concepts of environmental awareness to high school students in rural areas. The story of Monica's Gang addresses issues such as pollution, deforestation and waste of resources, presenting practical solutions through the adventures of the characters. Through a didactic sequence, students are encouraged to explore environmental problems and reflections on conscious consumption, recyclability and nature preservation, seeking to promote changes in students' attitudes towards ecological issues. The methodology highlights the use of comics as an effective tool in teaching, as it creates a playful and participatory learning environment, favoring student engagement. The study was carried out in Vila Santa Ana, a rural community in Pará, where teaching challenges include a lack of infrastructure and resources, making it essential to adapt methodologies to the local context. The results indicate that the use of the story of Monica's Gang has a significant positive impact on student engagement and awareness of sustainable practices. Students reported an increased interest in environmental education activities, demonstrating a better understanding of sustainable practices, and developed a more positive attitude towards the environment. The project reinforces the importance of environmental education in the formation of responsible citizens, empowering students to face contemporary environmental challenges and promoting sustainable actions in their daily lives. In short, the article shows that environmental education is essential for raising awareness and building a sustainable future.

The aim of this paper is to explore the various difficulties encountered by the Moroccan high schoolers (senior high) as they relate to the modelling of chemical reactions, microscopic concepts (electronic structure of atoms, valence band, valence electron...) and macroscopic (colour change, gas emission...) linked to the chemical reaction; hence the distinction between chemical transformation and physical transformation. All studies on this topic have shown that most learners still suffer from numerous unresolved difficulties in this area. The symbolic register of the balanced equation represents a chemical reaction; its reading can be done at a macroscopic level (observed phenomenon) and/or a microscopic level (interaction of particles, imagined phenomenon). The originality of our study consists of suggesting, for the first time, a progression between both the microscopic and macroscopic phenomena: Lewis structure (Lewis diagram of atoms and molecules), Gram’s model, and spatial representation of simple molecules in order to reach a symbolization of a chemical reaction. Consequently, our study was successful in reducing the degree of difficulty of obstacles encountered by learners at the level of symbolization of a chemical reaction by 55% and the representations aligned with the concept of a chemical reaction by 65%.Keywords: Modeling, chemical reaction, microscopic level, macro-level, symbolization, Lewis diagram, spatial representation,Gram model, high school.

The aim of this paper is to explore the various difficulties encountered by the Moroccan high schoolers (senior high) as they relate to the modelling of chemical reactions, microscopic concepts (electronic structure of atoms, valence band, valence electron...) and macroscopic (colour change, gas emission...) linked to the chemical reaction; hence the distinction between chemical transformation and physical transformation. All studies on this topic have shown that most learners still suffer from numerous unresolved difficulties in this area. The symbolic register of the balanced equation represents a chemical reaction; its reading can be done at a macroscopic level (observed phenomenon) and/or a microscopic level (interaction of particles, imagined phenomenon). The originality of our study consists of suggesting, for the first time, a progression between both the microscopic and macroscopic phenomena: Lewis structure (Lewis diagram of atoms and molecules), Gram’s model, and spatial representation of simple molecules in order to reach a symbolization of a chemical reaction. Consequently, our study was successful in reducing the degree of difficulty of obstacles encountered by learners at the level of symbolization of a chemical reaction by 55% and the representations aligned with the concept of a chemical reaction by 65%.Keywords: Modeling, chemical reaction, microscopic level, macro-level, symbolization, Lewis diagram, spatial representation,Gram model, high school.

Purpose Technological development is becoming an integrated element of the education sector, as it has a significant impact on the way students learn, teach and increase motivation in reading literacy (RL). This study aims to review the level of RL and digital-based socio-cultural knowledge in junior secondary schools in rural Indonesia. In addition, this study aims to review the relationship of learning technology (LTA) with students' reading literacy motivation (RLM) and socio-cultural knowledge. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a quantitative approach with online survey data collection techniques using the Qualtrics system. The analysis technique used in this study uses the structural equation model-partial least squares. Findings The test results show that LTA has a positive influence on students' RLM with a path coefficient of 0.744. This shows that mastery of LTA with a focus on cultural and social literacy provides a positive boost to students' motivation to read. LTA with socio-cultural knowledge also has a positive direction with a path coefficient of 0.624. The utilization of technology related to cultural literacy will enrich students' knowledge related to cultural values. Research limitations/implications This study examines an important context; however, researchers still face limitations in research with the method of finding respondents using a cross-sectional design where researchers look for participants who fit the criteria and are easily accessible to researchers, but the design used cannot generalize the results to broader conclusions. Practical implications The practical implications of this research involve the development of a curriculum adapted from culturally relevant digital literacy content, taking into account the socio-cultural context of rural students. Additionally, there is a need to improve access to technology in rural areas. Social implications Social implications can align digital literacy content with the local socio-cultural context. Rural students become more actively engaged in discussions and collaborative projects, creating a more inclusive learning environment. By incorporating local elements into digital literacy, rural students can build deeper connections with their cultural heritage, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their national identity. Originality/value The originality of this research lies in surveying the concept of digital literacy in the form of holistic LTA. In addition, no research discusses digital RL knowledge for junior high school students in rural areas. This research provides a new view of how digital literacy can be integrated with the socio-cultural context in a rural junior high school environment.

Several lines of evidence have indicated that rat liver epithelial (RLE) cell lines may be related to a dormant stem cell compartment in the liver in vivo. We have demonstrated that keratin 14 (K14) is expressed together with vimentin in undifferentiated RLE cells. However, upon spontaneous transformation and differentiation to hepatoblast-like progeny the expression of these intermediate filaments (IF) is abrogated, while expression of another set of genes, among others keratin 18 (K18) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), is induced (Bisgaard et al., 1994, J. Cell. Physiol., in press). To better understand the mechanisms underlying IF expression during transformation and differentiation of RLE cells we examined the expression and regulation of IFs in clonal cell lines of chemically, oncogene, and spontaneously transformed RLE cells and their resulting tumors. These clonal lines provided a wide variety of tumor phenotypes including trabecular, solid and tubular adenocarcinomas, undifferentiated carcinomas, and spindle cell carcinomas. Northern blot analysis of the cell lines confirmed the differential expression of IF mRNAs. While keratin 8 (K8) was expressed at similar steady-state levels in all cell lines, K14 and vimentin but not K18 were expressed in the majority of cell lines chemically transformed with aflatoxin B1 or by transduction of oncogenes. In contrast, cell lines transformed spontaneously by prolonged passage in vitro expressed K18, while K14 and vimentin were absent. The keratin expression pattern in vitro was retained in the majority of the resulting tumors. However, the keratins expressed in vitro did not accurately predict the tumor phenotype in vivo. In particular, in tumors typed morphologically as adenocarcinomas, the keratin pair typically expressed in chemically transformed tumor cells was K8/K14, whereas K8/K18 was expressed in the tumors derived from spontaneously transformed cell lines. Finally we showed by nuclear run-on and in vitro translation analyses that the expression of K14, K18, and vimentin in transformed RLE cell lines was regulated at the transcriptional level, whereas that of K8 appeared to be posttranslational. These findings suggest that events controlling the differential expression of IF genes are involved in the processes leading to transformation and differentiation of the RLE cell lines. We conclude that the transformed RLE cell lines provide a valuable model to further examine the regulatory mechanisms involved in hepatic differentiation of undifferentiated "progenitor-like" RLE cells.

The study examined the level of implementation of chemistry curriculum by teachers and the available material resources necessary for the implementation of the curriculum in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey design. A sample of 250 chemistry teachers in Nigeria were used for the study. The instrument tagged “Chemistry Curriculum Implementation and Material Resources Questionnaire (CCIMRQ) was used for study. CCIMRQ was prepared by the researcher and validated by experts in curriculum studies with a reliability co-efficient of 0.78. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and t-test. Results showed that more than 30% of Chemistry teachers in secondary schools in Nigeria did not implement effectively the four themes in the curriculum as they tend to skip some difficult concepts in the curriculum. Also, results of t-test analysis (t = 3.01, p=0.03) revealed that there was a significant difference between the teachers’ view on the problem militating against the implementation of chemistry curriculum and the adequacy of material resources. The study concluded that some chemistry teachers in Nigeria did not implement the chemistry curriculum effectively due to inadequate material resources and lack of mastery of the subject matter. To meet the challenges for the 21st century, chemistry teachers in Nigeria should be exposed to capacity building on the subject matter and be retrained on how to handle difficult concepts in the chemistry curriculum.

Students attending community colleges are largely from local communities and of a wide range of age, experiences, and academic preparedness. Those taking chemistry courses are not usually intending careers in chemistry, and many do not have an innate passion or even interest for the subject. I have found that the majority of my students are not particularly receptive to seemingly abstract concepts taught via lectures with PowerPoint presentations that accompany textbooks. They do not often see the relevance of many of the core concepts covered in chemistry textbooks to their own lives and intended careers, and this often leads to perfunctory participation and poor performance. I have found that engaging case studies can be used to connect with these students and also teach core concepts in chemistry. My experiences developing and using case studies to connect with urban community college students and teach core concepts in organic chemistry and general, organic, and biological chemistry (GOB) are described. The cases include concepts pertaining to the mechanisms underlying liver toxicity of acetaminophen, the chemistry of curcumin, the chemistry of cocaine, the chemistry of commonly used painkillers, calorific values of foods, and the chemical principles underlying methemoglobinemia.