Analysis of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Heuristic Reasoning Processes about Hydrogen Bonding

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the heuristics used by pre-service science teachers in understanding the details of hydrogen bonding. The reasoning processes demonstrated were evaluated based on ten heuristic models suggested by Talanquer (2014). Phenomenographic assessment of the 30 participants indicated that all ten heuristics were utilized to make interpretations about hydrogen bonding. It was found that most students used short-cut strategies rather than efficient analytical reasoning processes. A total of 12 answer patterns were determined based on the answers of the participants. The percentage of students who gave the correct answer was low. The frequency sequencing of participants' heuristics demonstrated in this study was fluency, associative activation, recognition, one-reason decision making, attribute substitution, overconfidence, surface similarity, generalization, rigidity, and affect.

The Role of Heuristics in the Reasoning Process of Pre-Service Science Teachers on the “Chemical Structure – Acidity/Basicity Relationship” Topic

“…For example, in two different studies on students 'understanding of hydrogen bonding, the accuracy rate of participants' answers was found to be 27.00% and 16.66%. 7,37 The accuracy rate of the participants' answers was found to be 36.00% in a study on "chemical bond theories and molecular structures", and 31.00% in a study on addition reactions. 33,21 There is only one study in the literature that examines the heuristic reasoning of the students in the process of performing a task where it is desired to rank HCl, H 2 S and HI compounds according to their increasing acidity strength and KOH, Mg(OH) 2 and Ca(OH) 2 compounds according to their increasing basicity strength.…”

“…For example, two different research groups investigating the heuristics used by students on the hydrogen bonding topic used the ten heuristic models proposed by Talanquer in their studies. 7,37 Talanquer described and explained each of the ten heuristics that can be effective in the reasoning process of students in chemistry subjects, in his theoretical work, with examples specific to the field of chemistry. These ten heuristics are: 11 • Associative activation: Using mental structures present in memory to fill in the blanks.…”