This study aims to analyse prospective chemistry teachers' cognitive structure related to the subject of covalent and ionic bonding. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants in order to determine their cognitive structure, and the interviews were audio recorded to prevent the loss of data. The data were transcribed and…

Reports on a qualitative investigation of the effects of integrating concept maps into freshman-level general chemistry curriculum. Indicates that students in the experimental section had significantly more links and nodes in their concept maps than students in the traditional section. There were no significant differences between the two sections…

Describes a novel method for analyzing concept maps for research and analysis purposes. Examines 56 complex concept maps generated from student interviews on the topic of chemical bonding. (Contains 32 references.) (Author/YDS)

Investigates the changes in students' understanding of chemistry concepts when concept mapping is used as an instructional method and assessment technique. (Contains 24 references.) (YDS)

Integrates concept mapping into the chemistry laboratory and requires students to construct a concept map for each experiment. Reports a decrease in student questions concerning set up and procedure. Recommends using computer software such as Chem Sketch 5.0 which is free and available from the Internet. (Contains 15 references.) (YDS)

Concept-map construction was tested as a means of increasing the conceptual learning of first-year, non-major college chemistry students (n=32). No significant differences between the control (essay-writing) and treatment (concept-map-constructing) groups were found on post-lab multiple-choice achievement tests. Interviews with students indicated…

Discusses seven key concepts in Ausubel's learning theory which function to guide research and teaching. Also discusses concept mapping and Gowins Vee, providing examples of how they are used in chemistry instruction. (JN)

Describes how the technique of concept mapping can be useful for identifying gaps in preservice teachers' knowledge. Validity of the technique was tested using blind interviews with a representative sample of eight trainees. Has potential as a valuable self-diagnostic tool for teachers teaching outside their area of specialization. (DDR)

Describes an undergraduate chemistry curriculum that capitalizes on the strengths of mechanistic organic chemistry. Enables students to grasp the conceptual unity that allows professional chemists to understand unfamiliar results according to few well-defined principles. Describes some instructional strategies that evolved from efforts to connect…

Differences in the status of ontological categories on the concept maps of secondary-, undergraduate- and graduate-level chemistry students were analyzed with the "Pathfinder" scaling algorithm and multidimensional scaling. Results indicate differences among groups in the structural significance of abstract process-related nodes and…

Investigates the effects of web-based instructional materials on students' understanding of chemical concepts. Uses interviews with students, concept mapping, and a free-response survey for the study. (YDS)

This study presents a quantitative method for scoring concept maps generated by students learning introductory college chemistry. Concept maps measure the amount of chemical information the student possesses, reasoning ability in chemistry, and specific misconceptions about introductory and physical chemistry concepts. They provide a visualization…

Discusses appropriate methodologies for investigating how learning occurs in the laboratory. Presents two techniques, concept mapping and V-diagramming, which can be effective research tools in probing students' understanding of chemical principles. These techniques can also be effective instructional tools that help students integrate lecture…

Conceptual understanding of chemistry is an important issue in chemistry education. Examination questions with word answers are one way of reinforcing and testing conceptual knowledge and should be included in chemistry courses. Students involved in this study felt they did better on numerical questions and poorer on conceptual questions than they…

Describes a project based on the collaboration of scientists, science educators, graduate and undergraduate students, and master teachers for the improvement of teaching introductory science courses. Uses action-based research teams (ABRTs) as the teaching tool to change the curriculum, which provides a mechanism for the implementation of changes…