Abstract
Organic chemistry education is one of the youngest research areas among all chemistry related research efforts, and its published scholarly work has become vibrant and diverse over the last 15 years. Research on problem-solving behavior, students' use of the arrow-pushing formalism, the investigation of students' conceptual knowledge and their cognitive skills have shaped our understanding of college students' understanding in organic chemistry classes. This review provides an overview of research efforts focusing on student's perspectives and summarizes the main results and pending questions that may guide subsequent research activities.
Highlights
One-tenth of an iceberg’s volume is above the water; the rest is beneath the surface
This review aims at providing an overview of what is known from current, student-centered research about the nature of college students’ understanding in organic chemistry with an emphasis on problems encountered in traditional organic chemistry classes
Studies on the problem-solving performance of students in organic chemistry can be considered as the starting point of a variety of different research efforts and have shaped our understanding in organic chemistry education
Summary
One-tenth of an iceberg’s volume is above the water; the rest is beneath the surface. To get the whole picture, you have to consider the deeper level or what you can infer from the surface. This analogy of an iceberg could represent the nature of organic chemistry taught in a classroom context (Fig. 1). Understanding the embedded basic concepts in organic chemistry and using this knowledge as a source of prediction are huge challenges for students. Students’ sense-making processes at the symbolic level became the emergent topic in the organic chemistry research. This review aims at providing an overview of what is known from current, student-centered research about the nature of college students’ understanding in organic chemistry with an emphasis on problems encountered in traditional organic chemistry classes. Laboratory studies and curriculum improvements are not discussed in this overview, but teaching implications and an outline of pending research questions are given at the end of each section
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