“The Mole Environment”Development and Implementation of Studyware

Dori, Yehudit Judy; Hameiri, Mira

doi:10.1021/ci950121w

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The development of the studyware was based on the previous studies and recommendations in the fields of software and chemical and environmental education (Dori & Hameiri, 1996.…”

Section: Mole Environment Studywarementioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional analysis system for quantitative chemistry problems: Symbol, macro, micro, and process aspects

2003

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There is a consensus regarding the fact that students encounter difficulties in understanding scientific concepts, such as the particulate nature of matter, the mole, and the interpretation of chemical symbols. Researchers and practitioners have been looking for teaching methods to improve students' understanding of quantitative chemistry and their ability to solve related problems. This study describes the Multidimensional Analysis System (MAS), an approach to constructing, classifying, and analyzing quantitative chemistry problems. MAS enables classification based on complexity and transformation levels of a quantitative problem. We define three transformation levels: symbol $ macro, symbol $ micro, and symbol $ process. Applying this framework to teaching and research, we investigated the relationships between MAS-classified chemistry problems and student achievement in solving these problems. The research population, 241 high school chemistry students, studied problem solving according to MAS for 9 weeks; the control group studied the same topic for the same duration in the traditional way. Student achievement was sorted by mathematics level and gender. We found that the success rate of the entire student population in solving these problems decreased as the problem difficulty increased. Experimental group students scored significantly higher than their control group peers. The improvement in student achievement was significantly dependent on the pretest score and the mathematics level, and independent of gender. Students who studied mathematics in the basic level benefited significantly more from MAS-based teaching than their peers, whose mathematics level was advanced. Based on the research findings, we recommend applying the multidimensional analysis approach while teaching quantitative problems in chemistry. ß Chemical education is a complex human endeavor which involves deep understanding of diverse concepts and requires a mental transfer between several modes of representation.

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“…The development of the studyware was based on the previous studies and recommendations in the fields of software and chemical and environmental education (Dori & Hameiri, 1996.…”

Section: Mole Environment Studywarementioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional analysis system for quantitative chemistry problems: Symbol, macro, micro, and process aspects

2003

Self Cite

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“…Nevertheless we were able to prove that Examination Boards in Britain and the Netherlands chose sensible distractors in their multiple choice questions about stoichiometry (Schmidt, 1990(a)). Recently, the results of our research have been used to develop learning pro~ams about stoichiometric calculation (Dori & Hameiri, 1996). In order to find out the strategies that students use outside Germany our test questions have to be tested abroad-not too difficult a task to tackle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An alternate path to stoichiometric problem solving

Schmidt

1997

Research in Science Education

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Stoichiometric problem solving has always been a stumbling block for many students in introductory chemistry courses. Research has shown that it is quite common for students to rely on algorithms when doing stoichiometric calculations. In previous studies, students were confronted with simple stoichiometric problems that involved comparing molar masses with simple ratios to one another. It turned out that students very successfully used their own problem-solving strategies. It is typical of these strategies that students describe relations in their own words rather than applying mathematical calculations. In this paper, an alternate path to teaching introductory stoichiometry-based on the results of research-will be discussed. The recommendation given is to use problems of the kind mentioned above which can easily be solved by quick mental calculation.The simplest quantitative relationships in chemistry are described by chemical formulae and equations. These are typically covered in almost every chemical text. The field of chemistry which deals with quantitative relationships implied by chemical formulae and equations has been given a special name: stoichiometry.Chemical formulae and equations describe quantitative relationships on two levels, the phenomenological level (macroscopic level) and the particle level (microscopic level). On the macroscopic level, it is possible to deduce from a chemical's formula the mass relation of the chemical elements constituting the compound. Correspondingly, the proportions of masses of reactants and products can be derived from chemical equations.On the particle level, the chemical formula tells us the proportions of the atoms of the elements constituting a compound. In the same way, the proportions of reacting particles can be deduced from a chemical equation.Back~ound

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“…Researchers have also considered the potential of computers to assist in the teaching of the mole (Bilgin & Kirike, ; Dori, ; Green & Flinders, ; Nakhleh & Krajcik, ; Yalcinalp, Geban, & Ozkan, ). The Mole Environment by Dori and Hameiri (, ) is an example. This program incorporated mole‐related problems at several cognitive levels that progressed in difficulty and complexity.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This program incorporated mole‐related problems at several cognitive levels that progressed in difficulty and complexity. By comparing the results from a pretest and posttest, Dori and Hameiri () found that using this program to practice mole‐related problems could improve learners' understandings of the mole. Both the approach by Rowell and Dawson () and the computer programs focused on training students to solve stoichiometric problems.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying the critical components for a conceptual understanding of the mole in secondary science classrooms

2015

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The amount of substance and its unit the mole is a basic concept in chemistry. However, previous research has shown that teaching and learning the concept are challenging tasks for both teachers and students. The purpose of this study was to pinpoint the problems which emerge in the teaching and learning process, and provide integrated suggestions for classroom instruction. By means of videotaping and interviews, the case studies explored how the mole is presented and conceptualized in two secondary classrooms in two different countries, Australia and Taiwan. Data analysis was based on a concept map and focused on how two key ideas were presented in the lessons and perceived by the students: (1) the definition of the mole, and (2) the concept of molar mass. The findings show that during the lessons on the mole, most of the time was spent on solving stoichiometric problems. Conceptually, the number aspect of the mole, that is, Avogadro's number, was emphasized; the concept of molar mass was introduced without meaningfully connecting it to the concept of relative atomic/molecular mass. Although the students were able to solve relevant problems, they could not coherently explain the relations among the concepts. Two critical components for a conceptual understanding of the mole emerged: (1) the number aspect of the mole needs to be justified by its mass aspect, and (2) the connection between molar mass and relative atomic/molecular mass needs to be explicitly explained. The two components provide one explanation for students' algorithmic learning and their confusion in learning about the mole, and serve as concrete suggestions for improving classroom instruction. The study once again manifested the significance of teaching for conceptual understanding in science education. It also exemplifies how a concept map of a specific scientific concept can also be a useful analytical tool in educational research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 53: 181–214, 2016.

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“The Mole Environment”Development and Implementation of Studyware

Cited by 8 publications

References 13 publications

Multidimensional analysis system for quantitative chemistry problems: Symbol, macro, micro, and process aspects

Multidimensional analysis system for quantitative chemistry problems: Symbol, macro, micro, and process aspects

An alternate path to stoichiometric problem solving

Identifying the critical components for a conceptual understanding of the mole in secondary science classrooms

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