Most chemistry instruction and assessment lie in the symbolic domain of Johnstone's representational levels, despite years of chemistry education researchers calling for increased emphasis to be placed on the molecular or particulate level of chemistry. Without a deep understanding of the particulate nature of matter and molecular-level…

Nanoscience and Technology (NST) have revolutionized the world. It has led to many innovations since it entered our lives. Meanwhile, the number and quality of people trained in this field gained importance. Currently, initiatives are being taken to integrate this field into the primary education curriculum in many countries. This study focuses on…

Research suggests that students hold misconceptions about the immune system, but little is known about how they reason about the mechanisms by which the immune system operates. This study investigated how students reasoned about the immune system in Beirut, Lebanon. The study used a qualitative approach and investigated 16 Grade 12 participants…

Understanding the general ideas and methods of detecting molecular structures is essential in high school chemistry. However, there is a need for more practical activities in teaching. A hands-on activity was designed in this study, which uses flexible foam balls and long sticks such as knitting needles to imitate how scientists construct the 3D…

The basic knowledge of chemical formula writing is fundamental for chemistry students, yet many still struggle to learn it. To provide a more interactive and engaging approach that facilitates and reinforces student understanding of chemical formulas and stoichiometry of chemical reactions, we have designed a chemical jigsaw puzzle. Only eight…

Many students in secondary grade levels struggle with proportional reasoning. Calisici (2018) found that 48 percent of students were unable to solve a multiplication problem involving fractions. Furthermore, many students struggle with complex Chemistry topics due to the difficulty many students have visualizing the microscopic scale. "3D…

The understanding of complex molecular representations is crucial for comprehending molecular scientific phenomena, but many students struggle with them. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of short written clues in dealing with molecular representations, specifically their impact on performance, self-efficacy, and stress reactions. A…

This paper investigated the effect of TRIZ ("Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch"-Theory of Inventive Problem Solving)--STEM activities customized for nanotechnology education on middle school students' problem-solving, critical thinking, and research inquiry skills. Since STEM requires both multidisciplinary work and…

Central to conceptual understanding of STEM disciplines is visuospatial processing. Despite its acknowledged role in assuring learners' success, less is known about the underlying reasoning students must employ when solving 3-D problems and the ways in which gaining an understanding of this can inform formative assessment and learning in STEM…

An absorption line at 900 nm has been observed in Perspex. Samples of 1 and 2 cm thickness were used and the integrated absorption (line width times peak absorption) of the line was proportionate to the thickness. Facilities for lowering the sample temperature were not available and therefore both measurements were carried out at room temperature.…

The aim of this study was to develop molecular genetics inquiry programs using the "eyes absent" gene of "Drosophila melanogaster." The program was composed of various molecular genetics experiments, including mutation observation, cross-breeding, searching for genetic information in web databases, gDNA extraction, and PCR.…

The focus of the present study is the learning processes of concepts related to hydrogen bonds, which were developed using a didactic sequence (DS). Based on the perspective of Imre Lakatos, it was observed whether the explanatory models created by upper-secondary students form progressive transition sequences, which are similar to what Lakatos,…

Recent progress in elucidating chemical reactions allows to explain chemistry by the potential energy of the involved chemical structures. Nevertheless, from an educational point of view, empirical results indicate that students often do not connect the core idea of energy with other chemical concepts. From a resource-oriented perspective,…

The basics of organic chemistry nomenclature were introduced in a laboratory organized in a nonformal environment such as a science festival. The laboratory, divided into three distinct but interconnected activities, was aimed not only at secondary school students but also at lay people. The intent was to explain the importance of associating a…

Using three-dimensional models in chemistry is a common teaching practice aimed at elevating the level of understanding of abstract concepts. However, the experience of using chemical models is still quite passive in terms of students' input, requiring the students to utilize mainly visual, auditory, and some tactile information processing…