Studies aspects of the conceptual reorganization and change of students aged 12-18 (N=40). Describes conceptual change through case studies and students' identifications of chemical reactions. Contains 18 references. (DDR)

Examines relationships between a beginning high school chemistry teacher's articulated personal practice theories and his actions as demonstrated by his curricular decisions and instructional practices. Describes ways in which the formal articulations of this teacher's personal practice theories lent themselves to his development as teacher and…

Describes how the gas laws are an excellent vehicle for introducing the steps of the scientific method. Students can use balloons and a simple apparatus to observe changes in various gas parameters, develop ideas about the changes they see, collect numerical data, test their ideas, derive simple equations for the relationships, and use the…

Uses a constructivist framework in conjunction with an interpretive methodology to investigate the effect of an intervention using the metaphor "learning is constructing" on students' metacognition and learning process. Believes that contextual factors are key determinants of students' propensity towards enhancing their metacognition and…

Presents a laboratory experiment on determining the molecular weight of an unknown molecule by using gel filtration chromatography. Describes the procedure and lists required materials. (YDS)

Investigates patterns of students' science thinking across four different science phenomena focusing on changes that come with age and science education. Asks secondary school students whether offered sentences appearing on a computer screen that gave different explanations for four common changes in materials made any sense to them. (Contains 20…

Describes a program for students' first college chemistry course that used journal articles as a source for writing laboratory reports. Provides specific examples and discusses assessment of student work and student and faculty responses. (Contains 14 references.) (ASK)

Introduces an activity on the changes of matter. Uses different colors to represent the phases of water in different temperature ranges and discusses the phase changes of other chemicals. Includes an activity sheet. (YDS)

Given the evolution of biology, chemistry, and physics over the past 70 years, educators should question the traditional sequencing of high school science courses. Reversing the sequence helps students see the logical progression of modern scientific thought, from forces and the movement of objects to molecular structures and the development of…

Presents an activity involving balloons to help students understand characteristics of polymers. (MKR)

Evaluates an instructional method in general chemistry that attempts to bridge the gap between algorithmic problem-solving abilities and conceptual understanding of chemistry students and emphasizes conceptual problem solving in the initial phase of a concept. Concludes that using a conceptual focus for the chemistry courses had many positive…

Describes a general chemistry experiment that is carried out in sunlight to illustrate the ability of TiO2 to act as a photocatalyst by mineralizing an organic dye into carbon dioxide. Details about the construction of the reactor system used to perform this experiment are included. (DDR)

Presents suggestions for alternative presentations of some of the material that usually forms part of the introductory chemistry course. Emphasizes development of concepts from experimental results. Discusses electronic configurations and quantum numbers, experimental evidence for electron configurations, deducing the shell model from the periodic…

Presents an alternative approach to teaching reaction thermodynamics in introductory chemistry courses using calculations of enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of atomization. Uses a consistent concept, that of decomposition of a compound to its gaseous atoms, to discuss not only thermodynamic parameters but also equilibrium and…

Presents a creative, hands-on activity for teaching measurement skills inspired by Antoine Laurent Lavosier and a product called polyacrylamide spikes for students to develop their metric measurement skills and boost their math proficiency as they interpret data and results from their investigations. (ASK)