This study aimed to uncover common difficulties and possible areas for improvement by focusing on the approaches and errors made by 3rd-year undergraduate chemistry students in solving organic synthesis problems. The study employed a purposive sampling technique to select 112 undergraduate chemistry major students to participate in this study.…

Understanding chemical models can be challenging for many university students studying chemistry. This study analysed students' understanding of molecular structures using the Lewis structure as a model, and examined what hinders their understanding. We conducted pre- and post-tests to analyse students' conceptions and changes in them. The…

IUPAC nomenclature competence (INC)--defined as the ability to name chemical structures using IUPAC rules and draw structures from IUPAC names--is considered a foundational skill in the training of professional chemists. For students of non-European language background, the challenge of acquiring INC is often complicated by the fact that IUPAC…

With the rapidly growing field of nanotechnology, there has been a pressing need to teach non-science undergraduate majors how to critically interpret science in popular media and news sources. The present work introduces students to chemistry concepts through the lens of relatable nanotechnology applications, including electronics, medicine,…

Introductory-level laboratory courses provide students with hands-on experience using the discipline's tools and theories. These courses often rely on recipe-based experiments due to the constraints of large enrollments, short lab periods, and the desire to minimize complexity. In addition, covering a breadth of topics can lead to a fragmented…

Background: Recently, there is a growing interest in independent learning approaches globally. This is, at least in part, due to an increased demand for so-called "21st century skills" and the potential of independent learning to improve student skills to better prepare them for the future. Purpose: This paper reports a study that…

Organic synthesis problems require the solver to integrate knowledge and skills from many parts of their courses. Without a well-defined, systematic method for approaching them, even the strongest students can experience difficulties. Our research goal was to identify the most successful problem-solving strategies and develop associated teaching…

Learning within the sciences is often considered through a quantitative lens, but acquiring proficiency with the symbolic representations in chemistry is arguably more akin to language learning. Representational competencies are central to successful communication of chemical information including molecular composition, structure, and properties.…

Fundamental to a student's understanding of organic chemistry is the ability to interpret and use its language, including molecules' names and other key terms. A learning gap exists in that students often struggle with organic nomenclature. Although many resources describe the rules for naming molecules, there is a paucity of resources…

Previously, we found that: (i) many students were unable to construct representations of simple molecular structures; (ii) a majority of students fail to make the important connection between these representations and macroscopic properties of the material; and (iii) they were unable to decode the information contained in such representations.…

The heart of learning chemistry is the ability to connect a compound's structure to its function; Lewis structures provide an essential link in this process. In many cases, their construction is taught using an algorithmic approach, containing a set of step-by-step rules. We believe that this approach is in direct conflict with the precepts of…

Presents a didactic model to improve the teaching/learning process in the representation of Lewis structures. Places special emphasis on the calculation and reduction of formal charges, and in the representation of molecules in which the central atom has expanded its valence shell. (MVL)

Describes a procedure for teaching the "generator orbital" (GO) approach of molecular orbital bonding in polyatomic molecules. Explains how the GO can be utilized with students in generating the vibrational, rotational, and translational modes of molecules in a completely pictorial manner. (ML)

Examines the effect of the manipulation of logical structure as well as the specific mental demand of general chemistry problems on student performance. Studies the relationship between student performance on these problems and a number of cognitive variables. Contains 96 references. (DDR)

A method designed to facilitate prediction of mechanism and products by developing critical thinking skills and reducing memorization is presented. The mechanistic disc method requiring students to utilize their understanding of charge stabilization, structural organic chemistry, and the fundamental mechanisms of aliphatic substitution and…