The effect of a conceptual change approach on understanding of students’ chemical equilibrium concepts

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a conceptual change approach over traditional instruction on tenth‐grade students’ conceptual achievement in understanding chemical equilibrium. The study was conducted in two classes of the same teacher with participation of a total of 44 tenth‐grade students. In this study, a pre‐test/post‐test control group semi‐experimental design pattern was used. During teaching the topic of chemical equilibrium concepts in the chemistry curriculum, a conceptual change approach was applied in the experimental group whereas traditional instruction was followed in the control group. Data were analysed with an independent samples t‐test, and an analysis of covariance using the pre‐test scores as the covariate. The results showed that the conceptual change approach was statistically more effective than traditional instruction in terms of students’ conceptual understanding. After the six‐week intervention, interviews were conducted with 18 selected students in the study. In the interviews a prevailing alternative conception was detected beside many alternative conceptions. When they were asked to compare equilibrium constants of two different reactions they mostly responded to mean that ‘the bigger the mol number of the products, the bigger the equilibrium constant’ without considering what proportions the reactants were transformed into products in a reaction. Also, in this study a two‐tier multiple choice test was developed related to chemical equilibrium to detect students’ concepts and alternative concepts.     

Conflict Resolution Strategies Adopted From Parenting Coordination: Assisting High‐Conflict Coparenting Students

This article examines the challenges faced by nontraditional college students who are coparents as a result of divorce. The need for college counseling centers to have counseling options designed to assist this special population in successfully completing their academic pursuits is presented. Conflict resolution techniques based on the Parenting Coordination model are offered to help these students deal with the challenges of coparenting responsibilities.     

化学平衡若干典型问题的辨析

分析了化学平衡中若干容易造成理解错误的问题，对大学无机化学的教学和中学教学中对该类问题的理解有很大帮助。     

The Effect of Cooperative Learning Approach Based on Conceptual Change Condition on Students' Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium Concepts

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the cooperative learning approach based on conceptual change conditions over traditional instruction on 10th grade students' conceptual understanding and achievement of computational problems related to chemical equilibrium concepts. The subjects of this study consisted of 87 tenth grade students from two intact classes of a Chemistry Course instructed by the same teacher. One of the classes was randomly assigned as the experimental group, which was instructed with cooperative learning approach based on conceptual change conditions and the other class was assigned as the control group, which was instructed with traditional instruction. Chemical Equilibrium Concept Test (CECT) was administered to the experimental and the control groups as pre- and post-tests to measure the students' conceptual understanding, and Chemical Equilibrium Achievement Test (CEAT) was administered to the experimental and the control groups as a post-test to measure the students' achievements related to computational problems. Science Process Skills Test was used at the beginning of the study to determine the students' science process skills. Multivariate Analysis of Covariate (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results showed that students in the experimental group had better conceptual understanding, and achievement of computational problems related to the chemical equilibrium concepts. Furthermore, students' science process skills were accounted for a significant portion of variations in conceptual understanding and achievements related to the computational problems.     

Design and Development of a Computer Learning Environment on the Basis of Students' Initial Conceptions and Learning Difficulties About Chemical Equilibrium

This paper describes the design and development of an interactive learning environment inspired from the constructivist view of learning and aiming at helping students improve their conceptions about chemical equilibrium. The design of the software was based on data that emerged from research we undertook with 175 Greek students (aged 17–18), in order to detect their conceptions and learning difficulties about chemical equilibrium. The students' answers to a written questionnaire showed that they had inadequate representations of systems of substances at chemical equilibrium related to the empirical and the atomic level, manifested serious difficulties in conceiving the initial situation of a system at chemical equilibrium and the equilibrium shift, made overextended use of the Le Chatelier principle and applied intuitive personal rules instead of the equilibrium constant law. The aim of this computer application is to help students to create and/or improve their own representations about substances at chemical equilibrium in the empirical, atomic and symbolic level, to establish appropriate links among thes multiple representations, and to construct appropriate conceptions about the Le Chatelier principle and the equilibrium constant law. The software contains simulations and visualizations of experiments representing systems at chemical equilibrium, simulations of chemical reactions related to the atomic level, symbolic representations and dynamic graphs, and a step-by-step derivation of the equilibrium constant law.     

浅析无机化学中的化学平衡及其应用

化学平衡内容在无机化学课程中,涉及诸多章节,占较大篇幅。正确理解平衡概念和掌握相关计算技巧,在无机化学教学中至关重要,它会影响到本课程及后续课程的学习。由于学习的阶段性,大多数无机化学教材对这部分内容分章节介绍,学生难以将有关内容进行联系融合,学习有难度。本文将无机化学中有关化学平衡问题进行浅析、综合,目的是使看似复杂的问题简单化,使学生对该内容更易理解、学习和掌握。     

无机化学中化学平衡常数的推导

在现行的无机化学教课书中,化学平衡常数有三种完全不同的推导方式．对于化学工作者,弄清究竟哪一种推导最为合情合理尽管相当重要,但是,更有意义的是研究这些推导过程中所引出的新的问题．     

The Effect of Conflict Resolution Training on Turkish Elementary School Students: A Quasi-Experimental Investigation

This study investigated the effect of conflict resolution training on Turkish elementary school students' conflict resolution strategies. The participants were 54 fourth grade students. A pre-test, post-test, follow-up control group quasi-experimental design was used. Two 4th grade classes were selected out of three eligible 4th grade classes on the basis of Conflict Scenario Written Measure (Johnson, Johnson, & Dudley, 1992) and randomly assigned as control and experimental group. The experimental group consisted of 28 students (17 boys, 11 girls) and the control group consisted of 26 students (15 boys, 11 girls). Those in experimental group received 45 minutes of conflict resolution training twice a week, for four weeks. The results indicated that treatment was effective in changing the conflict resolution strategies used by the experimental group subjects in three different hypothetical situations and this effect was maintained six months after the treatment.     

冲突理论视角下语文课堂师生交往冲突的应对策略

在社会学冲突理论的视角下,语文课堂师生交往冲突有利于整合师生关系,增强学生主体意识,促进师生身心健康。为了合理应对师生交往冲突,语文教师在教学过程中应积极营造民主和谐的教学环境,优化教学内容,创新教学方法,积累教学智慧并重视学生的创新行为。     

The Function of a Research Bureau in a State Department of Education

ABSTRACT

A hands-on instructional approach with medium-achieving 10th-grade students (N = 294) successfully demonstrated the achievement of a conceptual change. Two teaching variations were applied (I-1, I-2), both dealing with a hands-on gene technology lesson in an out-of-school laboratory. I-2 additionally confronted the participants with alternative conceptions to some of the central issues involved in gene technology following a constructivist teaching model. The authors monitored the percentage of alternative conceptions by pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest. In the long term, I-2 abandoned more of students’ alternative conceptions in favor of the orthodox scientific view. Furthermore, a gender effect appeared: In the short term, more young men within I-2 were forced to shift to more scientific conceptions. Young women filed their alternative conceptions also in the long term, independently of the applied instructional method.     

An Analysis of Metaphors Used by Students to Describe Energy in an Interdisciplinary General Science Course

The meaning of the term energy varies widely in scientific and colloquial discourse. Teasing apart the different connotations of the term can be especially challenging for non-science majors. In this study, undergraduate students taking an interdisciplinary, general science course (n?=?49) were asked to explain the role of energy in five contexts: radiation, transportation, generating electricity, earthquakes, and the big bang theory. The responses were qualitatively analyzed under the framework of conceptual metaphor theory. This study presents evidence that non-science major students spontaneously use metaphorical language that is consistent with the conceptual metaphors of energy previously identified in the discourse of students in introductory physics, biology, and chemistry courses. Furthermore, most students used multiple coherent metaphors to explain the role of energy in these complex topics. This demonstrates that these conceptual metaphors for energy have broader applicability than just traditional scientific contexts. Implications for this work as a formative assessment tool in instruction will also be discussed.     

Promoting Pre-service Elementary Students' Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium through Discussions in Small Groups

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of small group discussion on students' conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium. Students' understanding of chemical equilibrium concepts was measured using the Misconception Identification Test. The test consisted of 30 items and administered as pre-posttests to a total of 81 pre-service elementary students in two intact classes of the same university. One of the classes was randomly assigned as experimental group (n = 40) which was instructed with discussion propositions related to chemical equilibrium concepts in small group and the other class was assigned as control group (n = 41) which was instructed through traditionally designed chemistry instruction. Analysis of covariate (ANCOVA) was used to determine treatment effects on students' conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium when pre-test result was used a covariate. The analysis of results showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups' posttest mean scores in favor of the experimental group after treatment (F(1,78) = 47,77; P < 0.05). The results indicated that while the average percentage of students in the experimental group holding a scientifically correct concept had risen from 35.0% to 59.1%, a gain of 24.1%, the percentage of correct responses of the students in the control group had increased from 32.5% to 43.82%, a gain of 11.32% after treatment. In addition, the percentages of students' correct responses and keyed misconceptions on posttest results were discussed for six areas related to: (1) the mass vs. concentration, (2) rate vs. extent, (3) constancy of the equilibrium constant, (4) misuse of Le Chatelier's principle, (5) constant concentration, and (6) competing equilibria related to chemical equilibrium concepts in experimental and control groups.     

A Lakatosian Framework to Analyze Situations of Cognitive Conflict and Controversy in Students' Understanding of Heat Energy and Temperature

The objective of this study is to analyze secondary school students' interactions (conflicts, controversies, and arguments) as they participate in an intact classroom activity designed to facilitate their understanding of heat energy and temperature. The study is based on 32 ninth-grade students in a public school in Londrina, Brazil. Results obtained show that the differentiation between heat energy and temperature constitutes considerable difficulties for the students, and can be considered as part of the hard-core of their understanding (Lakatos, 1970, Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 91–196). Student interactions (video taped) were classified into an Alternative Model, Transitional Model, and Scientific Model, depending on the degree to which they reflected a progressive transition in their hard-core. Students generally resisted a change in their conceptual understanding. Some students were able to question the hard-core of their beliefs and construct a Transitory Model. Some students experienced a further progressive transition by constructing a Scientific Model, based on the understanding that Temperature only measures the energy of agitation. Methodology used also provided a glimpse of how a particular student grappled with the conflicts in order to facilitate progressive transition in understanding. It is concluded that given the opportunity to discuss, reflect, consider alternative/conflicting situations, students can construct models that increase progressively in their heuristic/explanatory power.     

The Role of Regulation and Processing Strategies in Understanding Science Text Among University Students

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of regulation and processing strategies in understanding science text. A total of 91 student teachers answered open-ended questions concerning photosynthesis before and after reading either a traditional or a refutational science text. After this, they also answered parts of the Inventory of Learning Styles. Understanding of photosynthesis increased after the text reading among all the students. However, deep and independent learners reached a better understanding than reproductive and support-dependent students. The refutational text seemed to promote understanding more than the traditional text. The study supports the assumption that personal characteristics play a role in learning complex scientific concepts. Further, refutational texts seem to facilitate high quality learning.     

Preventing Violence by Promoting the Development of Competent Conflict Resolution Skills: Exploring Roles and Responsibilities

This article explores the relationship between conflict and violence through a review of the literature about young children's conflict with their peers. Information about the nature of young children's conflicts and how teachers respond is presented and discussed in relation to 3 questions. First, do conflicts between children lead to violence? Second, what constitutes competent conflict resolution behavior? Third, how do children develop competent conflict resolution skills? This review of the literature indicates that conflicts between children do not naturally lead to violence. Rather, it is when children are unable to resolve their own conflicts, and when they are not supported in their efforts at resolutions, that violence is likely to result. While conflicts with peers provide a natural opportunity for children to develop competent conflict resolution skills, teachers must provide assistance as needed. Suggestions for further reading on this topic are provided.     

The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme

This paper reports a study ofthe effectiveness of an innovative approach tostaff development, the conceptual changeapproach, which attempts to change teachers'frameworks for conceptualising teaching andlearning. The evaluation investigated theprogramme at three levels: the impact on theconceptions of teaching of the participants,the resultant impact on teaching practices, andthe consequential effect on student learning.Encouraging results were obtained. Theprogramme brought about detectable conceptualchange or conceptual development in two-thirdsof the sample group. Subsequently, all the`changed' teachers received better ratings ontheir teaching practices from their students inthe following academic year while none of thosewho did not change their conceptions showedsimilar gains in student rating scores. Aresultant positive impact on their students'studying approaches was observed for half ofthe teachers who changed their conceptions.     

由单组分浓度的测定求连串反应平衡常数的极限值

介绍了利用求极值的方法 ,通过对反应体系中单组分平衡浓度的测定 ,求连串反应的平衡常数。     

一项关于中国工科学生英语学习策略使用的调查

文章用问卷调查的方式了解了中国工科学生英语学习策略的使用.该研究的目的是为了找到:1)中国工科学生所使用的英语学习策略类型;2)学习策略的选择与学习者性别的关系.研究使用SILL问卷来收集数据,但稍作了些改动.数据统计分析发现工科学生使用最多的学习策略为补偿策略.而使用最少的为社交策略.学习者的性别对于策略的使用有很大的影响.     

大学生心理健康教育的新视野:冲突教育初探

人际交往和人际关系问题是影响大学生心理健康的重要因素，提高人际交往的能力和水平是大学生心理健康教育的重要内容。人际交往中，人际冲突是一种常见的社会现象，大学生如果不能正确认识和合理应对人际冲突，势必对个体心理健康和人际交往造成一定的负面影响。新形势下高校应该重视和加强对大学生的冲突教育，提高大学生人际交往能力和心理健康水平。     

Enhancement of Quality in Chemical Inquiry by Pre-University Students

Our pre-university chemistry students face problems achieving sufficient quality in chemical inquiry. To try to enhance the quality of student performance in chemical inquiry, Dutch pre-university chemistry students (age 17) carried out an authentic research project on Diffusion of ions in distilled water. The learning materials for this student inquiry project, the teaching scenario and the website were designed in cooperation with five chemistry teachers. Three teachers from this network and two other teachers also implemented the project with 80 students to find out whether the emphasis on relevant concepts of evidence (CoE) improves the quality of student inquiry outcomes. This part – with its emphasis on the CoE – in the student inquiry task is based on four key features: the students feel motivated to explore, focus their attention on, give meaning to and reflect upon CoE. In teams students conducted a guide experiment, analysed a scientific article, did an inquiry and wrote a report, discussed CoE with peers on the Internet and rewrote their reports. All lessons were observed, field notes were made and analysed on whether the intended student activities had been realised. The Internet discussion was recorded in a database and analysed. The first and final reports of all teams were coded and analysed. Also the students appreciation of the activities was assessed. The teaching and learning activities were realized to a very large extent as planned in the design. The emphasis on CoE resulted in 65% of the students achieving a sufficient level of quality in their final reports.