Secondary Chemistry Research Articles

Process drama as a tool for participation in explorations of ‘wicked problems’ in upper secondary chemistry education

This study targets a special form of educational drama called process drama, as a potential means for enabling student engagement with wicked problems. The overarching aim is to explore how process drama may afford student agency in dealing with wicked problems in upper secondary chemistry education. It is a design-based study with two cycles of intervention in two schools. A process drama plan was designed to focus on the wicked problem of plastic pollution. The interventions were video- and audiotaped and thereafter transcribed. The data were analysed using a combination of qualitative content analysis and a sociocultural framework of the two dialectics agency|structure and margin|centre. The analysis resulted in three themes regarding how plastic pollution and plastic use was explored in the process drama. The students participated in a constant flow between margin and centre where different spaces for students’ agency was afforded. In brief, our main finding is that process drama enables students and teachers to participate in a variety of ways in the exploration of wicked problems, and talk about plastic pollution and plastic use, while drawing on knowledge and perspectives of science as well as values and societal and social science perspectives and knowledge.

Addressing the Lacuna in Critical Thinking in Kenyan Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum

Abstract: There are numerous studies on critical thinking (CT), but very few studies have been done that relate CT dispositions especially self-efficacy in classroom theory and practice, particularly in Kenya's secondary school chemistry curriculum. This paper analyzed reports from scholars, policymakers, and the curriculum reforms for Kenyan secondary schools to establish the extent to which CT is incorporated into the curriculum. These reports were used to experiment with the standard critical thinking analysis model. The analyzed categories were used to develop key theoretical propositions for the study. Theoretical propositions formed an explanatory theory that supported the analysis. From the analysis, although education reforms recognize CT as a key skill, it is not clear how CT self-efficacy should be developed in Kenyan secondary school chemistry learners. In this paper, we argue that CT can only be realized in the Chemistry classroom if the learning approach is learner-centered as opposed to the current teacher-centered approach. CT self-efficacy indicators also ought to be infused into the secondary school education curriculum for chemistry learners to acquire CT skills.

Effects of dissolved oxygen on the corrosion-related unidentified deposit formed of 304 SS in the flow accelerated zone under the simulated secondary water chemistry

Effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the deposition characteristics of corrosion-related unidentified deposit (CRUD) were investigated by using 304 stainless steel micro-orifices. The main results indicate that the change of DO concentration resulted in a change of the composition of the outermost deposition layer. The DO concentration amplifies/diminishes the porosity in CRUD effect by changing the rate of ion transport. Meanwhile, the electrokinetic effect is weakened by the decrease of the thickness of the electric double layer, which is caused by the dissolution of Cr ions increased by increasing the DO concentration. Meanwhile, the chromium ion concentration increases with the dissolved oxygen concentration, which leads to a decrease in the thickness of the electric double layer, weakening the electrodynamic effect. The above results in the thickness and width of CRUD in the flow acceleration zone vary in varying degrees. This suggests that the deposition process of CRUD occurs under the mechanism of mass transfer and electrokinetic mechanism.

Coniocybe Ach. Revisited.

Calicioids form a research field that has encompassed ascomycetous fungi with stalked ascomata similar to those of the lichen genus Calicium. Early generic circumscriptions of calicioid lichens and fungi were mainly based on morphological and secondary chemistry information. After the introduction of molecular data, taxonomy in the group has been reconsidered. Here, based on a broad geographical sampling, Coniocybe Ach. was revised using molecular and morphological features. Three loci (ITS, LSU and rpb1) were compared to infer its phylogenetic position, and a total of 52 new sequences (14 ITS, 24 LSU and 14 rpb1) were produced. Apart from its type C. furfuracea, Coniocybe was revised and emended to also include C. brachypoda and C. confusa. In addition, a new species, Coniocybe eufuracea, was described, and a key to the species of Coniocybe was provided.

EMMAs: Implementation and Assessment of a Suite of Cross-Disciplinary, Case-Based High School Activities to Explore Three-Dimensional Molecular Structure, Noncovalent Interactions, and Molecular Dynamics.

Students frequently develop misconceptions about noncovalent interactions that make it challenging for them to appropriately interpret aspects of molecular structure and interactions critical to myriad applications. We hypothesized that computational molecular modeling and visualization could provide a valuable approach to help address these core misconceptions when students are first exposed to these concepts in secondary school chemistry courses. Here, we present a series of activities exploring biomolecular drug-target interactions using molecular visualization software and an introduction to molecular dynamics methods that were implemented in secondary school classrooms. A pre- and postsurvey approach that incorporated Likert response type, written free response, and drawing-based items demonstrated that students gained an enhanced conceptualization of intermolecular interactions, particularly related to aspects of shape complementarity, after completing the activities. Students also expressed increased comfort with and facility in utilizing different three-dimensional representations of molecules in their postsurvey responses. The activities led to an increased appreciation of interdisciplinary connections of chemistry with mathematics and physics. Overall, the modular activities presented provide a relatively time-efficient and accessible manner to help promote an understanding of a traditionally challenging topic for beginning chemistry students while introducing them to contemporary research tools.

Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation and Chemistry from the OH-Initiated Oxidation of Monofunctional C10 Species

Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation and Chemistry from the OH-Initiated Oxidation of Monofunctional C₁₀ Species

Technical Note: A technique to convert NO2 to NO2− with S(IV) and its application to measuring nitrate photolysis

Abstract. Nitrate photolysis is a potentially significant mechanism for “renoxifying” the atmosphere, i.e., converting nitrate into nitrogen oxides – nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO) – and nitrous acid (HONO). Nitrate photolysis in the environment occurs through two channels which produce (1) NO2 and hydroxyl radical (⚫OH) and (2) nitrite (NO2-) and an oxygen atom (O(3P)). Although the aqueous quantum yields and photolysis rate constants of both channels have been established, field observations suggest that nitrate photolysis is enhanced in the environment. Laboratory studies investigating these enhancements typically only measure one of the two photo-channels, since measuring both channels generally requires separate analytical methods and instrumentation. However, measuring only one channel makes it difficult to assess whether secondary chemistry is enhancing one channel at the expense of the other or if there is an overall enhancement of nitrate photochemistry. Here, we show that the addition of S(IV), i.e., bisulfite and sulfite, can convert NO2 to NO2-, allowing for measurement of both nitrate photolysis channels with the same equipment. By varying the concentration of S(IV) and exploring method parameters, we determine the experimental conditions that quantitatively convert NO2 and accurately quantify the resulting NO2-. We then apply the method to a test case, showing how an ⚫OH scavenger in solution prevents the oxidation of NO2- to NO2 but does not enhance the overall photolysis efficiency of nitrate.

The impact of puzzle game and video-based puzzle strategies on students’ achievement and retention in periodicity

Periodicity in chemistry is often regarded as a challenging or difficult subject owing to its seemingly abstractness and factors such as ineffective pedagogies, leading to poor achievement and low retention of knowledge. Also, the knowledge of periodicity is fundamental to students’ understanding of a substantial range of chemistry concepts. Therefore, there is a need for the adoption of activity-oriented teaching methods, which have the capacity to not only foster achievement, but also encourage retention. Therefore, this study determined the effects of puzzle game and video-based puzzle strategies on secondary school students’ achievement and retention in periodicity concept in chemistry. Pre-/post-test, delayed post-test control group quasi experimental research design was adopted in the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in the sampling of participants. A total of 183 senior secondary school chemistry students were drawn from six purposively selected public secondary schools in Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. Two categories of research instruments (stimulus and response) were developed, validated and used to collect data, which were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Bonferroni’s post-hoc test. The findings of the study revealed improved achievement and retention among students exposed to experimental groups (puzzle game and video-based puzzle) than the control group (conventional teaching). Puzzle game appeared to be the most efficacious. It was therefore suggested that teachers should adopt activity-based learning approaches such as puzzle games for teaching periodicity and other chemistry concepts as an attempt to reduce the abstractness perceived by learners and consequently enhance learning outcomes including retention.

Enhancing secondary school students’ engagement in chemistry through 7E context-based instructional strategy supported with simulation

Now days, the level of students’ engagement in secondary school chemistry is low. The aim of this study was then to enhance student chemistry engagement through simulation-integrated 7E context-based instructional strategy and compared its efficacy with 7E context-based instructional strategy, simulation-integrated conventional teaching approach, and conventional teaching approach. For the quantitative part, 15-item chemistry engagement scale was utilized to collect data from 229 grade 10 students as part of a quasi-experimental pre-/post-test non-equivalent control group design. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. The study’s findings revealed that, when compared to the other instructional strategies, the simulation-integrated 7E context-based instructional strategy was the most successful at raising students’ overall engagement and its dimensions. This study implies that implementing a simulation-integrated 7E context-based instructional strategy can boost students’ overall and individual levels of engagement in chemistry. Thus, to enhance chemistry learning, teachers may progressively move from the conventional approach to the use of simulation-integrated 7E context-based approach over the other strategies.

Traces of Bildung in Upper Secondary Science Education: A Critical Investigation of Chemistry Teachers’ Orientation Towards Promoting Bildung in Chemistry Education

AbstractThere is a need of a component in science education that can orient students to the complexity characterising the natural sciences position in relation to a globalised risk society and the Anthropocene. Recently, the implications of the German philosophical and educational construct Bildung have been discussed in this regard. In this paper, we investigate in what aspect an orientation towards promoting Bildung manifests in Swedish upper secondary school chemistry teachers’ visions and views for their teaching. In view of the reported impact of neoliberal policy in narrowing the scope of education, with such narrowing possibly excluding dimensions of philosophical-ethical reflection in science teaching, we also investigate in what aspect economic goals associated with neoliberalism might hinder a Bildung orientation in the vision and views of the five chemistry teachers that were interviewed. Results revealed “Bildung-related elements” to be present in the chemistry teaching visions of all the teachers, however without strong Bildung orientation. Significantly, four of the five teachers reported contextual factors consistent with the impact of neoliberal policy in education as marginalising their work to realise Bildung-related elements. In addition, factors outside of teachers’ awareness were also found to marginalise Bildung. Common for all five teachers were neoliberal values at the level of teachers’ implicit beliefs, with our analysis pointing to the possibility that teachers view Bildung-related elements in their chemistry teaching as commodifiable entities. We argue that these implicit beliefs disempower the teachers in relation to a teaching praxis that seeks to guide students towards their own Bildung.

Bacterial communities associated with an island radiation of lichen-forming fungi.

Evolutionary radiations are one of the most striking processes biologists have studied in islands. A radiation is often sparked by the appearance of ecological opportunity, which can originate in processes like trophic niche segregation or the evolution of key innovations. Another recently proposed mechanism is facilitation mediated by the bacterial communities associated with the radiating species. Here we explore the role of the bacterial communities in a radiation of lichen-forming fungi endemic to Macaronesia. Bacterial diversity was quantified by high throughput sequencing of the V1-V2 hyper-variable region of 172 specimens. We characterized the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of the bacterial communities associated with the different species, tested for compositional differences between these communities, carried out a functional prediction, explored the relative importance of different factors in bacterial community structure, searched for phylosymbiosis and tried to identify the origin of this pattern. The species of the radiation differed in the composition of their bacterial communities, which were mostly comprised of Alphaproteobacteria and Acidobacteriia, but not in the functionality of those communities. A phylosimbiotic pattern was detected, but it was probably caused by environmental filtering. These findings are congruent with the combined effect of secondary chemistry and mycobiont identity being the main driver of bacterial community structure. Altogether, our results suggest that the associated bacterial communities are not the radiation's main driver. There is one possible exception, however, a species that has an abnormally diverse core microbiome and whose bacterial communities could be subject to a specific environmental filter at the functional level.

Acid Base Global - An Escape Room to Teach the Chemistry of Acids and Bases

In recent years the popularity of educational escape rooms increased. To escape as fast as possible, learners must solve different puzzles in a collaborative manner. The puzzle structure is reminiscent of problem- or inquiry-based learning. Therefore, educational escape rooms are particularly suitable for science education. This paper describes the development and first evaluation of an educational escape room for the chemistry classroom called Acid Base Global. Acid Base Global deals with typical acid-bases reactions, neutralization, chemical formulas, the pH-value, identification of acids, bases and ampholytes as well as the Brønsted-Lowry-theory. It can be used to review and consolidate content knowledge and to diagnose learning difficulties. Acid Base Global was first implemented in an upper secondary chemistry course consisting of 16 students. A questionnaire containing six open questions and 16 Likert items was used for evaluation. All groups were able to escape within the given time limit, although the format was challenging for the students. Overall, learners were interested in the game concept and found it to be a fun approach to repeat and apply their chemical knowledge in a different way.

Phylogeny of the genus Loxospora s.l. (Sarrameanales, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota), with Chicitaea gen. nov. and five new combinations in Chicitaea and Loxospora.

Loxospora is a genus of crustose lichens containing 13 accepted species that can be separated into two groups, based on differences in secondary chemistry that correlate with differences in characters of the sexual reproductive structures (asci and ascospores). Molecular phylogenetic analyses recovered these groups as monophyletic and support their recognition as distinct genera that differ in phenotypic characters. Species containing 2'-O-methylperlatolic acid are transferred to the new genus, Chicitaea Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer and four new combinations are proposed: C.assateaguensis (Lendemer) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer, C.confusa (Lendemer) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer, C.cristinae (Guzow-Krzem., Łubek, Kubiak & Kukwa) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer and C.lecanoriformis (Lumbsch, A.W. Archer & Elix) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer. The remaining species produce thamnolic acid and represent Loxospora s.str. Haplotype analyses recovered sequences of L.elatina in two distinct groups, one corresponding to L.elatina s.str. and one to Pertusariachloropolia, the latter being resurrected from synonymy of L.elatina and, thus, requiring the combination, L.chloropolia (Erichsen) Ptach-Styn, Guzow-Krzem., Tønsberg & Kukwa. Sequences of L.ochrophaea were found to be intermixed within the otherwise monophyletic L.elatina s.str. These two taxa, which differ in contrasting reproductive mode and overall geographic distributions, are maintained as distinct, pending further studies with additional molecular loci. Lectotypes are selected for Lecanoraelatina, Pertusariachloropolia and P.chloropoliaf.cana. The latter is a synonym of Loxosporachloropolia. New primers for the amplification of mtSSU are also presented.

Learning about Confucian ecological ethics to promote education for sustainable development in Chinese secondary chemistry education

Abstract Incorporating cultural aspects into science education has recently been stressed in many non-Western societies. However, Chinese traditional cultures are rarely discussed in Chinese science classrooms. Hence, a teaching intervention integrating Confucian ecological ethics and education for sustainable development in secondary chemistry classrooms was designed, implemented online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzed. It focuses on discussing aspects of Confucian ecological ethics in the context of a lesson plan on the socio-scientific issue of plastic use. Sixty-five 10th-grade students from an urban key public high school in Beijing voluntarily attended this research. Based on the analysis of their feedback it is suggested that Confucian ecological ethics can improve students’ environmental awareness. Most students acknowledged that Confucian ecological ethics could promote Chinese sustainability-oriented chemistry education with a value-oriented approach.

Attitudes of secondary school chemistry teachers towards the use of digital education in government schools (Amman-Jordan)

The study aimed to identify the attitudes of secondary school chemistry teachers towards the use of digital education in public schools in Amman, Marka District. The researcher used the (descriptive approach), through the use of the (electronic) questionnaire survey method, and the questionnaire was designed to collect study data, by distributing it to the study sample. The study population consisted of all secondary school chemistry teachers in public schools in the capital, Amman - Marka district. For the second semester of the academic year (2021/2022).The study sample consisted of (447) male and female teachers, and the study sample was chosen randomly. The researcher developed the study tool to measure the attitudes of chemistry teachers at the secondary stage towards the use of digital education, which consisted of (20) items that are consistent with the nature of the study objectives, in addition to the personal variables, which consisted of (gender, educational qualification, teaching experience). The five-point Likert scale was used to build the study tool.In order to answer the questions of the study, the following statistical methods were relied upon: arithmetic means and standard deviations. Iterations, stability coefficient (Cronbach Alpha). The results of the study showed that the attitudes of secondary school chemistry teachers towards the use of digital education in government schools, from their point of view, were (low). The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05α≤) in the attitudes of secondary school chemistry teachers towards the use of digital education in government schools

Development of Four-Tier Instrument at First Intermediate Level Chemistry Concepts

Chemical concepts are tiered from simple to complex. If misconceptions occur in simple concepts, they can cause misconceptions in complex concepts. The four-tier instrument is a tool for detecting misconceptions. This research aims to develop and describe the validity and reliability of a four-tier instrument on junior secondary-level chemistry concepts. This development research consists of 6 procedures: (1) concept mapping, (2) testing, (3) defining unscientific concepts, (4) developing four-tier instrument prototypes, (5) validating four-tier instrument prototypes, and (6) finalization of four-tier instruments. The developed four-tier instrument consists of 27 questions that measure chemistry concepts at the junior intermediate level. The instrument received an expert validation score of 92.81% with very valid criteria. The test results on 30 samples showed a reliability value based on a Cronbach alpha score of 0.713 with good criteria. The four-tier instrument on lower secondary level chemistry concepts meets the validity and reliability requirements so that it can be used to diagnose misconceptions on lower secondary level chemistry concepts.

Resources for reasoning of chemistry concepts: multimodal molecular geometry

Central to conceptual understanding of STEM disciplines is visuospatial processing. Despite its acknowledged role in assuring learners’ success, less is known about the underlying reasoning students must employ when solving 3-D problems and the ways in which gaining an understanding of this can inform formative assessment and learning in STEM education. Chemists must utilise their spatial understanding when visualising 3-D structures and processes from 2-D representations and so this exploratory practitioner-researcher study sought to identify the ways in which secondary school chemistry students reason when explaining their predictions about molecular geometry, and how the use of certain modalities was linked to assessed accuracy. Coding of students’ verbal and written responses to the research task revealed that students employed multiple reasoning strategies and conceptual resources to facilitate use of analytical heuristics and imagistic reasoning. Analysis of students’ verbal responses and spontaneous gestures provided insight into the extent of imagistic vs. analytical reasoning and the finer-grained conditions which promoted their use. Importantly, it was observed that despite being instructed on the use of VSEPR theory to find analytical solutions, some students exhibited preference for alternative reasoning strategies drawing upon imagistic reasoning; showing more nuanced and varying degrees of accuracy through their verbal responses and representations gestured in 3D space. This work has pedagogical implications as use of specific reasoning strategies and the identification of key conceptual resources is not readily promoted as classroom practice for learning or assessment. This study therefore raises questions and contributes to the evidence base for attending to learners’ visuospatial thinking, as revealed through the multiple modalities they may use to assist and communicate their understanding, and highlights the significance of this to formative assessment in Chemistry and STEM Education.

Enhancement of the electrochemical performance of zinc-silver batteries with a gold nano-scaffold.

Primary zinc-silver batteries are widely employed in military, aerospace, and marine applications. However, the development of secondary zinc-silver batteries is still a subject of on-going research. For example, these batteries suffer from rapid capacity loss during cycling due to instabilities of the zinc anode and the silver cathode. While there is a large body of work on the Zn anode, there is limited work toward stabilizing the Ag electrode and thereby achieving a long cycle life. In this work, we propose a gold-silver nanostructure where gold acts as a scaffolding material and improves the retention of structural integrity during cell cycling. We show that this nanostructure improves battery capacity as well as capacity retention after 35 cycles. Our work emphasizes the role of nanostructuring in enabling a newer secondary battery chemistry based on existing primary ones.

Effects of Field Trip and Inquiry Methods on the Teaching and Learning of Global Warming in Chemistry

Global warming is the long term heating of Earth’s surface caused as a result of natural or human activities primarily burning of fossil fuel, bush burning, logging, and other anthropogenic processes as a result of population increase, which result in increased emission of greenhouse gases such as, Carbon (iv) Oxide, Nitrous oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, Ozone, Methane, Sulphur oxide and so on. Teaching and learning of global warming in secondary school is still very unpopular. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design. This study explore field trip and inquiry methods to teach global warming to 300 Chemistry students drawn from 10 schools in Boki and Etung Local Government Areas in Central Educational zone of Cross River State (150 students from each area of study) by criterion reference sampling technique. The choice of these Local Government Areas is based on the fact that activities that can result in global warming are high in these areas. The students were selected by simple balloting with replacement from a population of 3000 senior secondary (SSII) Chemistry students in the area of study. The instrument used was a 20 item achievement test tagged Global Warming Achievement Test (GWAT).The reliability of the instrument which was tested with Cronbach Alpha gave a reliability of 0.68 which indicates that the test was reliable. Students from Boki L.G.A were taught using the field trip method, while those from Etung L.G.A were tutored using Inquiry method. The methods of instruction were carried mainly in the forest where activities of logging were prevalent for two weeks for each group simultaneously with the help of Research Assistants. At the end of the teaching session, a twenty (20) item achievement test, Global Warming Achievement Test (GWAT) was given as post-test for one hour. The scripts were collected and marked over 100%. The results were analysed using Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings indicated no significant relationship between the achievement scores of students taught with field trip and those taught without field trip. The findings also showed no significant relationship between achievement scores of students taught with inquiry method and those taught without inquiry method. The findings however indicated no significant interaction effects between male and female students when taught using the teaching approaches. The study recommended among others, that hands-on and practical teaching strategies to be introduced in the curriculum for effective teaching and learning of global warming.

How upper secondary students figure chemistry

The formation of chemistry identities among students is closely linked to the norms and practices prevalent in their chemistry learning environments. However, these norms may not be equally accessible or aligned with formal assessment criteria, leading to disparities for students in cultivating a positive chemistry identity. This study investigates how students conceptualise chemistry and the opportunities it affords for identity formation. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of figured worlds and science identity, data were collected from 45 upper secondary school students across three Danish schools through classroom observations and focus groups. The findings reveal that students perceive the laboratory and classroom settings as distinct in purpose, nature, and relevance, with varying degrees of celebration for enacted performance in each. While work in and related to the laboratory is highly valued by both students and teachers, individual enacted performance in the classroom is often equated with proficiency in chemistry. However, implicit norms for example governing the division of labour in laboratories indicate an inequitable distribution of tasks and underscore the need for a more equitable approach to identity formation in chemistry education.