Chemical Education Research Articles

Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Learning Cycle Models and Online Teaching Strategies in Chemistry Education

Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Learning Cycle Models and Online Teaching Strategies in Chemistry Education

Augmented reality for chemical engineering education

Augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a highly beneficial tool in the educational context, and its potential impact on chemical engineering teaching is notable. This study addresses AR as an accessible and effective alternative for representing complex concepts and safely visualizing industrial processes in the area. By incorporating immersive resources, AR provides an innovative means of teaching and promotes greater engagement among students, contributing to improved learning and the development of interpersonal, investigation, and autonomy skills. This study systematically reviews the literature on the application of augmented reality in chemical engineering. Twenty-two articles in the Scopus and Web of Science databases were chosen, and a bibliometric analysis was used to extract the data in the discussions. The results highlighted the success of AR applications, predominantly employed in disciplines such as molecular chemistry, unit operations, transport phenomena, and practical chemistry. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, were the most common means of implementing these applications. The positive perception of students and teachers was evident, with both agreeing that the integration of AR contributed significantly to improving learning and facilitated the understanding of more challenging concepts. As a result of this research, a framework was developed that outlines the steps necessary to develop AR applications to teach chemical engineering effectively. This framework can serve as a valuable guide for future initiatives in this field, providing a solid framework for creating and successfully implementing AR-based educational resources.

Physical Chemistry Education and Research in an Open-Sourced Future.

Proficiency in physical chemistry requires a broad skill set. Successful trainees often receive mentoring from senior colleagues (research advisors, postdocs, etc.). Mentoring introduces trainees to experimental design, instrumental setup, and complex data interpretation. In lab settings, trainees typically learn by customizing experimental setups, and developing new ways of analyzing data. Learning alongside experts strengthens these fundamentals, and places a focus on the clear communication of research problems. However, this level of input is not scalable, nor can it easily be shared with all researchers or students, particularly those that face socioeconomic barriers to accessing mentoring. New approaches to training will therefore progress the field of physical chemistry. Technology is disrupting and democratising scientific education and research. The emergence of free online courses and video resources enables students to learn in a style that suits them. Higher degrees of automation remove cumbersome and sometimes arbitrary technical barriers to learning new techniques, allowing one to collect high quality data quickly. Open sourcing of data and analysis tools has increased transparency, lowered barriers to access, and accelerated scientific dissemination. However, these advances also can lead to "black box" approaches to acquiring and analyzing data, where convenience replaces understanding and errors and misrepresentations become more common. The risk is a breakdown in education: if one does not understand the fundamentals of a technique or analysis, it is difficult to correctly discern the practical limits of an experiment, distinguish signal from noise, troubleshoot problems, or take full advantage of powerful analytical procedures. Our vision of the future of physical chemistry is built around democratized learning, where deep technical and analytical expertise from physical chemists is made freely available. Advancements in technical education through expert-generated educational resources and AI-based tools will enrich physical chemistry education. A holistic approach to education will prepare the physical chemists of 2050 to adapt to rapidly advancing technological tools, which accelerate the pace of research. Technical education will be enhanced by accessible open-source instrumentation and analysis procedures, which will provide instruments and analysis scripts specifically designed for education. High quality, comparable data from standardized open-source instruments will feed into accessible databases and analysis projects, providing others the opportunity to store and analyze both failed and successful experiments. The coupling of open-source education, hardware, and analysis will democratize physical chemistry while addressing risks associated with "black box" approaches.

Teaching Ethics and Core Values in Chemistry Education—Call for Papers

Abstract In October 2015, the The Hague Ethical Guidelines were adopted by OPCW and were endorsed by IUPAC 4 May 2016. In line with that development, attention has been focused on formulating core values for chemists, focusing specifically on the ethical aspects of the use of chemical knowledge, as well as the use of chemicals within the environment. There are many examples of misuse of chemical knowledge, as demonstrated in the TV series Breaking Bad focusing on the production of illicit drugs. Within chemical industry the use of (micro)plastics, the use and production of pesticides is another issue. Within education, codes of academic conduct have always played an important role. Recently more attention has been given in education to ethical use of chemical knowledge and the relationship between the use of chemically produced compounds, and the production of chemical compounds and the environment. This is demonstrated for example by the development of Green Chemistry.

Augmented Reality Integrated with Mobile Learning in Chemistry Education: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2012–2022

Augmented Reality Integrated with Mobile Learning in Chemistry Education: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2012–2022

A Digital Instructional Book: A Tool For Improving Students' Learning Outcomes on the Redox Reaction

The rapid development of information and communication technology demands the production of digital products. This study aims to produce a digital instructional book based on Balinese local cultures to enhance the learning outcomes of high school students. The development of this book used the ADDIE model. The analysis phase included an analysis of the chemistry curriculum, teachers’ and students’ opinions about digital books, digital learning, and Balinese local cultures related to the chemistry content. The design phase included creating a framework and preparing a digital instructional book based on Balinese local cultures. The development phase included validation by content, language, and media experts. The implementation phase included testing the practicality and effectiveness of the book. The evaluation phase was carried out at all phases of the ADDIE model. The characteristics of this book were that it was made in a digital form and integrated with local Balinese cultures. It met the criteria of being a very valid category based on content, language, and media aspects. It also met a practical and effective category to improve students’ learning outcomes. It is very useful to enhance chemistry learning outcomes in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Formation of Professional Training of Future Chemistry Teachers in the Discipline 'Analytical Chemistry'

Today, the results of training in universities that train chemistry teachers are determined on the basis of the first level of Dublin descriptors for undergraduate studies and are reflected through specific competencies. Therefore, the results of training are formed at all levels of the educational program (EP) that trains chemistry teachers, that is, at the level of a separate discipline, module. High-quality organization of the content of basic disciplines is of particular importance for future chemistry specialists to achieve special competencies. In this regard, the presented article focuses on the methodological aspects of teaching chemical disciplines that contribute to the formation of a broad worldview, a high culture of thinking, an educated person in the training of chemistry specialists at the International Kazakh-Turkish university named after Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The purpose of our research work is a comprehensive analysis of the components of the professional competencies of the Analytical Chemistry course and preparing for future professional activity by creating a methodology that forms the general and professional competencies of the future chemistry teacher. Therefore, as the object of research work, the course “Analytical Chemistry” is taken as a basis. Features, meaningful and effective opportunities for general and professional competencies are provided, which are analyzed for its content, the place and significance of the subject in the chemical education system is determined, and is also formed when teaching other chemical disciplines. The course of the study of the problem of organizing the education system with a focus on the principles of competence was organized in the field of control, data collection, analysis of statistical data, their generalization, oral and written requests. From the results obtained, it follows that in the formation of fundamental chemical-analytical knowledge and professional motivational and value relationships among students, the presence of various tasks focused on effective teaching methods and competencies is of great importance.

Development of Electronic Modules Based on Collaborative Problem Solving on Buffer Solution Materials

The aim of developing an electronic module based on Collaborative Problem Solving is to determine the characteristics and quality of an e-module based on Collaborative Problem Solving on buffer solution material. This research is motivated by the lack of learning processes that utilize e-learning; one e-learning application is electronic modules based on Collaborative Problem Solving. This development research design uses the 4-D model, namely Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate. The type of data obtained is qualitative data, which contains interview results, comments, suggestions, or input regarding the development of electronic modules. In contrast, quantitative data is obtained using questionnaire scores, which include four categories, namely strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The quality of electronic modules is assessed based on expert assessments, chemistry teacher assessments, and student assessments. The results of the expert assessment were 96%, the Quality Assessment by the Chemistry Teacher was 86.77%, and the Student Assessment was 81.94%, obtaining very high validity results, so it can be concluded that the development of electronic modules can be used in schools on buffer solution materials.

Guided Inquiry Learning Model in Chemistry Education: A Systematic Review

The abstractness of chemical concepts can be understood easily through learning chemistry using guided inquiry. This article uses the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method to review eleven articles published from 2018 to 2023. Articles were systematically obtained from the online article databases ERIC, Scopus, and Google Schloar. The purpose of the review is to provide information to teachers and researchers in the field of chemistry education about the definition of guided inquiry models, the effect of guided inquiry models on chemistry learning outcomes, and how to apply guided inquiry models/strategies in chemistry learning. The review results show that the definition of various guided inquiry models involves students into a problem and confronts students with an investigation, and directs students to solve the problem of the problem. The effects of guided inquiry models on chemistry learning outcomes include improving metacognition, concept understanding, critical thinking skills, science process skills, learning outcomes, and creative thinking skills. Various chemistry learning models have also been applied in several learning models or strategies such as Guided Inquiry, Guided Inquiry-Based on Blended Learning, Flipped Classroom Based on Guided Inquiry Learning, Guided Inquiry Model Integrated with STEM, Guided Inquiry and Task Hierarchy Analysis Model in Cooperative Learning Strategy

Relationship between secondary school science teachers’ teaching experience and students’ performance in Minna, Niger state

The study was conducted to determine the relationship between Secondary School Science Teachers’ Teaching Experience and Students’ Performance in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Secondary school Science teachers and students used for this study are Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics teachers and students. The study was guided by one research question and a corresponding hypothesis. Correlational research design was used for the study. A total of one hundred and twenty three (123) Science teachers and three hundred and eighty five (385) Science students made up the sample size of the study. Instrument used for data collection from Science teachers is a Likert type questionnaire designed by the researchers and titled “Questionnaire on Science Teachers’ Teaching Experience (QUSTTE)” The instrument was validated by experts and its reliability coefficient was also determined to be 0.72 using Cranach Alpha statistical tool. Data collected from Science teachers was correlated with SSIII Science students’ Mock examination result conducted by Niger State Ministry of Education (NSMOE) during 2022/2023 academic session to establish a relationship. Findings of the study revealed a positive relationship between Science teachers’ teaching experience and students’ performance. Based on this finding, it was recommended that Science teachers’ teaching experience should be one of the major criterions to be considered by the government during recruitment of Science teachers. In addition, Government should intermittently expose Science teachers to training and retraining programs through seminars, conferences and workshops so as to improve their mastery of their respective subject areas as well as their teaching experience.

Systematic Literature Review of Chemistry Learning to Improve Students’ Creative Thinking Skills

The purpose of this study is to discuss novel approaches to teaching chemistry that enhance students' creative thinking skills (CTSs), as well as the kinds of research that are conducted and the tools that are used to measure CTSs. . This research use the PRISMA paradigm in conjunction with a systematic literature review approach. This method was employed by searching for Google Scholar. The analysis results of eight relevant journals and proceeding articles show five articles discussing the implementation of chemistry learning strategies to improve students’ CTSs, with the distribution as follows: problem-based learning-scaffolding, STEAM-PjBL, case-based Learning, STMCpE textbooks based on chemo-entrepreneurship, and students’ worksheet with the mind mapping strategy which amounts to 20.00% each. The types of research used were experimental methods (37.50%), research and developmental methods (12.50%), survey research (12.50%), ex post facto research (12.50%), and qualitative research (descriptive approach) (25.00%). Instruments for measuring CTSs are in the form of a CTS test with indicators developed by Torrance (75.00%), non-test (interview and observation) (12.50%), and unclear instrument (12.50%).

Chemistry teachers’ utilization of three different constructivist-based teaching strategies in senior secondary schools in Dekina local government area of Kogi state

The study investigated chemistry teachers’ utilization of three different constructivist-based teaching strategies in senior secondary schools in the Dekina local government area of Kogi state. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised 33 chemistry teachers in all the public secondary schools in the Dekina local government area. Purposive sampling was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was an observational rating scale on chemistry teachers’ utilization of constructivist-based teaching strategies developed by the researcher. The reliability of the instrument was obtained. Cronbach alpha reliability estimate was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument which gave a reliability index of 0.71. Kendell’s coefficient of concordance was used to determine the inter-raters’ reliability, which was obtained as 0.75. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the z-test was used in testing the hypothesis formulated at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed the following: it was revealed that chemistry teachers’ qualifications and experience influence the utilization of constructivist-based teaching strategies. Based on the findings and conclusions, it was recommended among others that the government and Ministry of Education should employ qualified and experienced teachers to handle chemistry courses in senior secondary schools.

Inquiry-Based Chemistry Education Activities in a Non-formal Educational Setting for Gifted Students

Student giftedness is a complex, developmentally dynamic and contextual phenomenon that teachers confront every day. In the classroom, teachers often meet students who have exceptional potential or achieve very high learning goals. The aim of this study is to illustrate the evaluation of inquiry-based learning activities in a specific context (Diversity in Science towards Social Inclusion learning modules) implemented in a non-formal educational setting for gifted students in relation to their level of individual interest and their autonomous and controlled motivation, comparing different groups of students. We investigate how these activities affect the students’ attitudes towards inquiry-based learning, their situational interest and their interest in science careers. A total of 264 Slovenian lower secondary school students participated in the study. The students participated in non-adapted and adapted activities based on the inquiry-based learning approach. The data were collected using pre- and post-activity questionnaires. Participation in the study, which took place in the period between the 2021/22 and the 2022/23 school years, was voluntary. The data was collected anonymously and used for research purposes only. The results show several statistically significant differences in how students’ level of individual interest, autonomous motivation and controlled motivation for learning chemistry affects their attitudes towards inquiry-based learning, their situational interest in Diversity in Science towards Social Inclusion activities and their interest in science careers. For the gifted and non-gifted students who participated in “Forensics Science” lab activities before and after the adaptations to the modules, the results related to their attitudes towards inquiry-based learning and situational interest are also reported. Thus, the results of the study provide useful insights for researchers in the field of chemistry education as well as for chemistry teachers in lower and upper secondary schools. The presented study is a good example of best practices that chemistry teachers can apply in teaching chemistry, thus enabling all students, not only the gifted ones, to learn chemistry using the inquiry-based learning approach.

How Should a Teacher Be According to The Teacher’s Views?

Identifying and enhancing teacher competencies and qualifications is crucial for advancing the quality of education. This qualitative study aimed to explore teachers' qualifications and self-perceptions through interviews with 78 teachers across various disciplines. The objective was to understand discrepancies between teachers' self-views and critical perceptions of colleagues, thereby identifying essential competencies. Semi-structured interviews, employing a qualitative approach, facilitated a thorough exploration of teacher perspectives. The study group included classroom, English, Turkish, math, science, philosophy, religious culture, computer, biology, history, chemistry, physical education, music, Turkish language, literature, painting, and physics teachers. Open-ended questions elicited opinions on colleague qualifications, essential teacher competencies, and self-perceptions. The findings revealed that experienced teachers demonstrated higher confidence, while beginners expressed a commitment to improvement. Communication skills, empathy, love for students, subject knowledge, self-development, patience, tolerance, and passion for teaching were highlighted as crucial competencies. Teachers emphasized the need for a balance between personal and professional qualities, advocating for pedagogical formation, contemporary teaching approaches, and technology proficiency. The study concludes that continuous professional development is vital, emphasizing the importance of both human-oriented qualities and technical competencies for effective teaching. This research provides a foundation for raising teachers' awareness of competence assessment and development, urging educational institutions to support ongoing teacher growth.

Misconceptions of Intermolecular Forces in General Chemistry Courses

The misconception is the most topic in chemistry learning that is important to analyze. There are many advantages for lecturers and students to know about misconceptions. This research aims to describe misconceptions in general chemistry courses, especially intermolecular forces (IMFs) topic. The two-tier multiple-choice tests have played an important role in helping researchers determine students’ level of understanding and in identifying specific misconceptions. The project used a convenience sample of 88 students (76 female and 12 male) chemistry education program that studied IMFs as participants. Misconception knew from the test’s second tier, which is the student’s reason for the answer. Surprisingly, 29 misconceptions were acquired from the test about IMFs concepts. This needs to be a special concern for lecturers of basic chemistry courses in order to evaluate the learning process that has been carried out. Students misconceptions in basic chemistry courses will have an impact on organic chemistry courses because the concept of intermolecular forces will be studied in depth in organic chemistry courses. The success of students in organic chemistry courses is highly dependent on the initial knowledge of students, especially in basic chemistry courses

ХИМИЯ ПӘНІН ОҚЫТУДА ИНТЕРБЕЛСЕНДІ ӘДІСТЕРДІ ҚОЛДАНУ

This article examines the effectiveness of using interactive methods of teaching chemistry at school. Through a series of experiments and analyses, ways to easily achieve student learning goals using interactive methods were explored. In addition, the analytical hierarchy process was used to evaluate and prioritize the effectiveness of interactive methods. During the study, when teaching chemistry to 7th grade students, the “timed round robin system” method, the game “Quiz”, “Debate”, and “Friends Hour” were used. The use of interactive methods in the subject of chemistry to increase student activity in the lesson, control over the subject, the ability to receive and exchange information, and the level of knowledge.

Game-based learning in metaverse: Virtual chemistry classroom for chemical bonding for remote education

AbstractVirtual classrooms based on the metaverse or virtual reality are useful and effective for imparting basic chemistry concepts. Interactive and immersive environments can effectively teach fundamental chemistry concepts, such as chemical bonding and formulas, thereby making these otherwise abstract and intangible ideas more accessible and understandable. With the outbreak of Covid-19, e-learning platforms have also been developed for chemistry education. However, these platforms are unable to make learning chemistry interactive and enjoyable. Therefore, there is a need to motivate students to learn basic chemistry concepts in an immersive and interactive environment. In this paper, we propose an immersive virtual reality-based Virtual Chemistry Classroom for Chemical Bonding (VC3B) to facilitate the learning of chemical bonding and formulas through a game-based learning approach. It includes two different games for learning chemical bonding and formulas. In the first game, molecule construction, students reconstruct the structure of molecules by rearranging the atoms in order to learn about chemical bonding. In the second game, chemical formula, students compose the chemical formula of a given compound to help them memorize chemical formulas. The study, conducted on 90 middle school students, employed a randomized controlled study design, dividing participants into three groups. Each group learned about chemical bonding and formulas through three different mediums. After conducting the experiment, the students were given a questionnaire to evaluate the usability of VC3B. The results of the study were positive, with participants finding the VC3B to be more interactive than traditional book and online lecture methods. Participants were also motivated to learn and enhance their knowledge of chemistry.

Perception of Practical Activities by Chemistry Teachers

ABSTRACT The purpose of “practical work” in chemistry lessons as perceived by teachers varies and does not always correspond with an emphasis on procedural learning. Teachers project various objectives in them. These activities have various characteristics and potential. The goal of this study is to find out the set of characteristics of practical activities in chemistry lessons as perceived by teachers. We identify and characterize the diversity of the sets of participants’ perspectives across a given topic. Q-methodology was used to investigate the perspectives of 33 chemistry teachers regarding practical activities in chemistry lessons. The teachers ranked and sorted 61 statements about practical activities according to their preferences. The analysis showed three sets of perspectives: (Factor 1) focusing on experience with phenomena, (Factor 2) the teacher is in control, and (Factor 3) focusing on the process of learning. Based on the results, the study addresses some issues that need to be communicated with the teachers and their educators.

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.

Holographic pyramid as an instructional resource for inserting 3D images in the teaching of optical isomerism

The New Digital Information and Communication Technologies and their applications in the teaching of chemistry have been highlighted as a contributor to the promotion of abstract concepts. In search of innovations that can contribute to the teaching of Optical Isomerism, we investigated the collaboration of the teaching of this concept provided in a didactic sequence with a CTS focus and with the support of a pedagogical didactic resource, the holographic pyramid for the representation of 3D images. The research was qualitative in nature and the target audience consisted of 35 high school students from a state school located in Vera Cruz do Oeste, Paraná. The students took part in two lessons that made up a didactic sequence addressing "Optical Isomerism and Medicines", and based on the data collected, we analyzed the construction of knowledge and the establishment of the relationships necessary for learning. The methods of analysis were based on the procedures of Discursive Textual Analysis, categorization was adapted and carried out a priori using the deductive method with support from Bloom's Digital Taxonomy and the materials resulting from the application of the research were interpreted using the Double Coding Theory. We observed that some students contemplated the three levels of cognitive processing established by Paivio (1971): representational, referential and associative. However, for other students, we analyzed the need for different stimuli so that they could establish concrete connections. We suggest the Double Coding Theory for the analysis of teaching based on 3D images, contemplating the abstract concepts of Optical Isomerism and highlighting the importance of digital technology applied to chemistry teaching methods.