Careful! It is H<sub>2</sub>O? Teachers’ Conceptions of Chemicals

Salloum, Sara; BouJaoude, Saouma

doi:10.1080/09500690601113743

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…By 8th‐grade, students consider water pollution to be chemicals, and by 11th‐grade they may understand pollution as having more than one source. Research with teachers shows that many teachers use informal conceptions of the term “chemical,” defining chemicals as artificial, poisonous, and dangerous substances, rather than as all substances that have mass (Salloum & BouJaoude, 2008).…”

Section: Literature Review Of Student Thinking About Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

et al. 2012

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Providing model‐based accounts (explanations and predictions) of water and substances in water moving through environmental systems is an important practice for environmental science literacy and necessary for citizens confronting global and local water quantity and quality issues. In this article we present a learning progression for water in environmental systems for students in elementary through high school grades. We investigated student accounts of water and substances in water moving through atmospheric, surface, and soil/groundwater systems, including human‐engineered components of these systems. Using an iterative process of model design, assessment, and interpretation, we identified four levels of achievement in student reasoning. Levels 1 and 2 force‐dynamic accounts explain movement of water as interactions between natural tendencies of water and countervailing powers. Level 3 incomplete school science accounts put events in order and trace water and substance along multiple pathways that include hidden and invisible components. Only Level 4 qualitative model‐based accounts include driving forces and constraining factors to explain or predict where water and substances in water move in given situations. The majority of high school students on average provide accounts between levels 2 and 3. We discuss the significance of these results for citizen participation in addressing common water issues. We end with suggestions for how the water learning progression can be used to inform changes to curricula, assessment, and instruction to support students in achieving level 4 performance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 843–868, 2012

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Section: Literature Review Of Student Thinking About Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

et al. 2012

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“…Yet it is common for younger learners to think that a general property of metals is to be magnetic Students, and even science teachers, may have a conception of “chemicals” limited to substances found and used in the laboratory Students commonly consider that the product of a neutralisation reaction must be neutral, i. e., neither acidic nor basic …”

Section: Examples Of Learners’ Alternative Conceptions In Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative Conceptions and the Learning of Chemistry

Taber¹

2018

Israel Journal of Chemistry

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A great deal of research has indicated that teaching is rarely a matter of introducing learners to material that simply replaces previous ignorance, but is more often a matter of presenting ideas that are somewhat at odds with existing understanding. In subjects such as chemistry, learners at school and university come to their studies already holding misconceptions or 'alternative conceptions' of subject matter. This has implications for subsequent learning, and so for teaching. This article reviews a number of key issues: (i), the origins of these alternative conceptions; (ii), the nature of these ideas; and, (iii), how they influence learning of the chemistry curriculum. These issues are in turn significant for guidance on (a) how curriculum should be selected and sequenced, and (b) on the pedagogy likely to be most effective in teaching chemistry. A specific concern reported in chemistry education is that one source of alternative conceptions seems to be instruction itself.

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“…The literature that specifically addresses ideas about chemicals and classification of chemical substances is limited to one study with teenagers (Solomonidou & Stavridou, 2000), a few studies with college‐level students (Nicoll, 1997, 1999; Stains & Talanquer, 2007), and one study with teachers (Salloum & BouJaoude, 2008). While ideas about chemicals among students of all ages merit additional investigation, the ideas of elementary children are of particular interest because this is when their ideas about “chemicals” initially form.…”

Section: Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Salloum and BouJaoude (2008) found that although secondary chemistry teachers may have scientifically acceptable definitions of the word “chemical,” when asked to give examples of chemicals, they named only substances such as additives or substances found in a laboratory. Only after being explicitly probed about common substances such as water or sugar did the teachers agree that these common substances were also chemicals.…”

Section: Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…An increase in scientific instruction suppressed the tendency for adults to use teleological explanations (Kelemen & Rosset, 2009). However, given that Salloum and BouJaoude (2008) found even chemistry teachers will offer examples of chemicals that serve a purpose, it merits investigation to determine if children will offer similar explanations.…”

Section: Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Hannah's Prior Knowledge About Chemicals: A Case Study of One Fourth‐Grade Child

Bretz

Emenike

2012

School Sci & Mathematics

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Chemical principles are taught in elementary education across much of the United States because the National Science Education Standards include concepts about the nature of matter, states of matter, and changes in matter among other science concepts within the first to fifth grade levels. “Chemicals” is a word related to the nature of matter that is used not only in formal instruction, but also in everyday conversations. Children's prior knowledge about chemicals gained from everyday experiences will influence how they learn about chemical principles. The research described herein reveals insights into one child's conceptual structure related to the word “chemical,” which includes how she uses the word both inside and outside of school. Hannah was purposefully chosen for this case study because she exemplified “children's science.” Her understanding of chemicals as cleaners, in foods, and used for a purpose were primarily gained from everyday experiences. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to both future research and elementary science education.

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Careful! It is H₂O? Teachers’ Conceptions of Chemicals

Cited by 5 publications

References 15 publications

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

Alternative Conceptions and the Learning of Chemistry

Hannah's Prior Knowledge About Chemicals: A Case Study of One Fourth‐Grade Child

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Careful! It is H2O? Teachers’ Conceptions of Chemicals

Cited by 5 publications

References 15 publications

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

A learning progression for water in socio‐ecological systems

Alternative Conceptions and the Learning of Chemistry

Hannah's Prior Knowledge About Chemicals: A Case Study of One Fourth‐Grade Child

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Product

Resources

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Careful! It is H₂O? Teachers’ Conceptions of Chemicals