Characteristics and Levels of Sophistication: An Analysis of Chemistry Students’ Ability to Think with Mental Models

Abstract

This study employed a case-study approach to reveal how an ability to think with mental models contributes to differences in students' understanding of molecular geometry and polarity. We were interested in characterizing features and levels of sophistication regarding first-year university chemistry learners' mental modeling behaviors while the learners were solving problems associated with spatial information. To serve this purpose, we conducted case studies on nine students who were sampled from high-scoring, moderate-scoring, and low-scoring students. Our findings point to five characteristics of mental modeling ability that distinguish students in the high-, moderate-, and low-ability groups from one another. Although the levels of mental modeling abilities have been described in categories (high, moderate, and low), they can be thought of as a continuum with the low-ability group reflecting students who have very limited ability to generate and use mental models whereas students in the high-ability group not only construct and use mental models as a thinking tool, but also analyze the problems to be solved, evaluate their mental models, and oversee entire mental modeling processes. Cross-case comparisons for students with different levels of mental modeling ability indicate that experiences of generating and manipulating a mental model based on imposed propositions are crucial for a learner's efforts to incorporate content knowledge with visual-spatial thinking skills. This paper summarizes potential factors that undermine learners' comprehension of molecular geometry and polarity and that influence mastery of this mental modeling ability.

Students' mind wandering in macroscopic and submicroscopic textual narrations and its relationship with their reading comprehension

“…Students' estimation of the spatial scales of submicroscopic entities is less accurate compared with macroscopic ones (Tretter et al, 2006;Jones and Taylor, 2009;Jones et al, 2011). Much of students' success in understanding different macroscopic and submicroscopic entities and phenomena is linked to their spatial ability (Carter et al, 1987;Pribyl and Bodner, 1987;Yang et al, 2003;Wu and Shah, 2004;Wang and Barrow, 2011). Students express more suspicion about the existence of more abstract theoretical entities, such as electron clouds and photons, than less abstract entities, such as meteorites, body cells and bacteria (Al-Balushi, 2011, 2013b.…”

The Use of Modeling-Based Text to Improve Students' Modeling Competencies

“…Gilbert () stated that modeling competencies of metavisual representation mainly acquire, retain, retrieve, amend, and monitor the corresponding process and outcomes. Other researchers recognize that modeling competencies, such as generating, revising, and evaluating, are necessary for models to develop from naive levels of sophistication to scientific models (Chang & Chiu, ; Dori & Kaberman, ; Kaberman & Dori, ; Wang & Barrow, ; Zöttl, Ufer, & Reiss, ). Kaberman and Dori () describe modeling competencies as thinking skills that not only generate correct three‐dimensional representations of the spatial structures of molecules but also transfer between different molecular representations.…”

“…Kaberman and Dori () describe modeling competencies as thinking skills that not only generate correct three‐dimensional representations of the spatial structures of molecules but also transfer between different molecular representations. Wang and Barrow () defined five characteristics of modeling competencies: (a) generating a mental model; (b) reconstructing, manipulating, or adjusting a generated mental model; (c) analyzing a problem and recognizing conditions and propositions; (d) monitoring the reasoning process; and (e) self‐checking using an alternative approach. In another study, Schwarz and her colleagues () integrated metamodeling knowledge and elements of the practice into students' practice of modeling.…”

“…The current literature relies heavily on the use of interviews to investigate students' modeling competencies. Interviews, while considered time consuming, do have the benefit of providing in‐depth information about students' understanding and preventing an overestimation of student knowledge (e.g., Chang & Chiu, , Dori & Kaberman, ; Wang & Barrow, ). As such, interviews were used in this study because paper and pencil tests were not sufficient to uncover how students used the modeling stages presented in the modeling‐based text to construct their understanding of the ideal gas law.…”

Kemampuan Berpikir Logis Dan Model Mental Kimia Sekolah Mahasiswa Calon Guru

“…Tes semacam ini sering dikenal dengan istilah tes diagnostik model mental. Banyak cara dilakukan oleh berbagai peneliti dalam mengeksplorasi model mental, di antaranya melalui pemberian soal secara gabungan, baik pilihan ganda beralasan, uraian, maupun wawancara dan observasi kelas (Lin and Chiu, 2007;Coll, 2008;Park and Light, 2009;Jansoon, Coll and Somsook, 2009;Adbo and Taber, 2009;Strickland, Kraft and Bhattacharyya;Wang and Barrow, 2010;Lin and Chiu, 2010).…”