The literature review shows that student alternative conceptions or misconceptions are important for teaching and learning. Causes of such student difficulties may include the counter-intuitive nature of some chemistry concepts or to instruction itself. However, over 30 years research into student conceptual difficulties has had little impact on teaching and learning chemistry. In this study, a critical analysis and synthesis of published research into student conceptions in acid-base chemistry was carried out in the naturalist nomothetic paradigm using a constructivist framework. Historical models which were included were an operational macroscopic model and the theoretical Arrhenius and Brønsted models. Firstly, a comprehensive search strategy with defined inclusion/exclusion criteria identified 42 suitable reports which were mostly peer-reviewed. The identified research was not limited to Anglophone countries although Africa and South America were underrepresented and research among secondary students predominated. Then a critique of the research showed it was of variable quality and often poorly reported. An outcome was a set of guidelines for research into student conceptions. The variable quality and reporting of research then also necessitated a four-level framework to reflect the stability of descriptions of student difficulties. A new method for synthesis of descriptions of student conceptual difficulties was developed which entailed mapping qualitative data on the difficulties, which had been extracted from research publications, to propositional knowledge statements derived in this study. This was an iterative process which simultaneously honed descriptions of difficulties and illuminated propositional knowledge implicated in them. The second major outcome was synthesized descriptions of 10 student difficulties with acid-base species, 26 difficulties with acid-base properties and 17 difficulties concerning terminology and symbolism particular to acid-base chemistry. Some conceptions were also found to have been mis-reported as ‘misconceptions’. The difficulties could be broadly due to student conceptions concerning acid-base models, or students not relating empirical observations to theoretical models or their poor understanding of underlying chemical principles. Some difficulties were found to have been over-researched, while further work was needed to clarify the nature some difficulties with conceptions of bases, acid-base reactions, and symbolism used in acid-base chemistry. The third major outcome from the synthesis was 218 propositional knowledge statements which were shown to be suitable for teaching high-school students, avoided hybrid historical models and were acceptable to expert chemists. These propositional statements were integrated as a set of 11 concept maps. The maps showed the hierarchy and interconnectedness of concepts as well as the propositional links which had been implicated in the difficulties. Furthermore the concept maps indicated critical concepts where teaching in each topic should focus as well as cross-linked concepts that can be used to integrate different aspects of the topic. Accordingly they contribute to PCK in the acidbase topic as they represent the fine-grained yet well integrated conceptual knowledge characteristic of a teacher with highly developed PCK. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

The study investigated the attitudes of high school learners towards Physics and Chemistry. The learners were in Sastri College, a high school in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The study also investigated the relationship between attitude and performance. The sample consisted of 50, Grade 12, Physical Science learners. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire, a semi-structured and individual interviews and the matriculation results from the Department of Education and Culture. The SPSS package was used to analysis the quantitative data. The interviews were used to qualify and elaborate on the statistical findings. The findings showed that majority of the learners had a positive attitude towards Physics while few learners had positive attitude towards Chemistry. It was also found that attitude did not affect the performance of the learners and there was no gender difference between attitudes and performance. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 1999.

In the typical general chemistry environment, the use of lecture and laboratory are important components to the instruction. The Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE) Project, now being implemented at Ball State University, uses a research module approach to provide laboratory instruction. This new approach not only engages students in authentic research practices but applies the Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) concept to the learning environment. In this study, the implementation of training techniques and the overall development of the peer leaders at Ball State were investigated. As a result, several recommendations are presented to improve the overall experience of the peer leaders and the students they serve. These include the continuation of current training techniques with more emphasis given to reflection with the peer leaders and the faculty of their impact and the institution of a training schedule for peer leaders that includes student learning styles, module content and instrumentation, and techniques for interacting with students. / Department of Chemistry

Acompanha: Sequências didáticas para o ensino de teorias atômicas e elementos químicos / Este trabalho investigou indícios do desenvolvimento da dimensão formadora e produtiva do processo de Alfabetização Científica (AC) no Ensino de Química, por meio da implementação de uma Unidade Didática (UD), composta por atividades fundamentadas na História da Ciência (HC), capaz de promover a construção do pensamento científico no ensino de teorias atômicas e elementos químicos. A principal questão de investigação foi “como desenvolver o pensamento científico, por meio da Alfabetização Científica Cultural para melhorar a compreensão do fazer Ciência?”. Para tanto, foi implementada uma UD, composta por duas Sequências Didáticas (SD1 – O pensamento científico construído por meio de desenhos e percepções no ensino dos modelos atômicos e SD2 – Ensino e aprendizagem dos elementos químicos por meio da História da Ciência) com estudantes do primeiro ano do Ensino Médio, do Colégio Estadual Nilo Peçanha, situado no município de Londrina, norte do Paraná. O trabalho foi de natureza descritivo exploratória, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa, desenvolvido por meio da pesquisa de campo com a intervenção participativa da professora-pesquisadora. Para coleta dos dados foram utilizadas atividades compostas por questionários pré e pós UD, cujas respostas serviram para investigação da existência de indícios de algumas habilidades desenvolvidas no processo de formação da AC. A análise dos resultados revelou a formação de uma visão reformulada, mais abrangente e interessante sobre a Ciência, caracterizando portanto, a AC cultural. Também, observou-se que a abordagem histórica facilitou a compreensão do pensamento científico e a desmistificação da Ciência, no sentido de mudar a concepção simplista comum a grande parte das pessoas, tornando o fazer científico mais humanizado e próximo da realidade. / This work has investigated the development of formative and productive dimension of Scientific Literacy (SL) in Chemistry Teaching by implementing of a Teaching Unit (TU), composed of activities based on the History of Science (HC), able to promote the construction of scientific thinking in the teaching of atomic theories and chemical elements. The main question was "how to develop scientific thought using Cultural Scientific Literacy to improve understanding of making science?” For this purpose, it has been applied a TU consisting of two Teaching Sequences (TS1 - Scientific thinking built through designs and insights in teaching atomic models and TS2 - teaching and learning about chemical elements through the History of Science) to students in the first grade of high school, of the State School Nilo Peçanha, located in Londrina, northern of state of Paraná, Brazil. The work was founded on an exploratory descriptive nature with qualitative approach, and was developed through field research with teacher-researcher participative intervention. For data collection were used activities consisting of pre and post TU questionnaires, whose responses was used to investigate the existence of evidence of some skills developed in the SL formation process. The analysis of the results revealed the formation of a reformulated vision, more comprehensive and interesting about Science, so characterizing a cultural SL. We also observed that the historical approach was useful to make easier the understanding of scientific thought and contributed to the demystification of Science, in order to change the simplistic conception common to the most people, becoming the making scientific more humanized and close to reality.

Several factors that are known to influence attitudes of students towards learning have been documented. Some of these factors have been found to affect the achievement of students. In this study the relationship of the attitudinal disposition of students to their learning outcomes were assessed. Chemistry attitude questionnaire was used to assess the attitude of students and a pen and paper examination comprising of questions requiring declarative and procedural knowledge were used to assess learning outcomes of students. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess relationship between attitude of students and their learning outcomes. The results showed that attitude of students had a positive but moderate influence on their performance. The ANOVA results showed a statistical significant relationship between attitude of students and students’ learning outcomes (F= 38.383, p=0.000). / Institute of Science and Technology Education / M.Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

The purpose of this study is to develop a set of behavioral objectives for the Second Year Chemistry Course in Kuwait Secondary Schools. This set of behavioral objectives will help school teachers to choose their activities, teaching methods, questions, and evaluation procedures; it will be useful in the preparation and use of behavioral objectives in their other courses. As a conclusion, the Chemical Education Material Study (CHEMS) appears more beneficial than the traditional chemistry course by its effect on student achievement and the stimulation of the cognitive abilities such as application and analysis processes. The present Kuwaiti chemistry course appears more organized than previous courses and the movement is toward the modern approach. Use of behavioral objectives appears more effective than the use of general objectives (or no objectives) in the area of students' achievements and attitudes, in the area of course content, and organization of complex cognitive processes. Recommendations for improvement of the Kuwaiti chemistry course and for further studies on behavioral objectives are listed.

A contextualização dos conhecimentos científicos e a necessidade da participação ativa dos estudantes na construção coletiva dos discursos em sala de aula são dois importantes referenciais teóricos e metodológicos assumidos de forma quase consensual por professores de Ciências e pesquisadores da área, além de encontrar forte respaldo nas propostas oficiais do Ministério da Educação. Acredita-se que a contextualização leve os estudantes a uma maior participação durante as aulas e, assim, à aprendizagem dos conteúdos científicos. Sendo assim, buscou-se nesta investigação conhecer a natureza e a dinâmica das interações discursivas construídas por professor e alunos em aulas de Química em que o conhecimento científico é contextualizado. Partiu-se da hipótese de que a inserção de conteúdos ligados ao cotidiano dos estudantes ou que envolvam as relações CTSA (Ciência-Tecnologia-Sociedade-Ambiente) pode não promover interações discursivas que evidenciem um alto grau de envolvimento cognitivo por parte dos estudantes. Foram gravadas, transcritas e analisadas três aulas de duas professoras de escolas públicas diferentes, situadas próximo ao município de São Paulo. Essas aulas foram analisadas por apresentarem alguma forma de contextualização. As interações discursivas foram categorizadas nas dimensões verbal e cognitiva, ou seja, cada fala das professoras ou dos alunos foi enquadrada em uma categoria da dimensão verbal e em uma categoria da dimensão cognitiva. A análise dos resultados mostrou um acréscimo das interações cognitivas mais elaboradas (Interações Cognitivas de Ordem Alta), principalmente no discurso das professoras, quando a aula era contextualizada. Apesar disso, as falas dos alunos se mantiveram curtas e pouco elaboradas, mostrando pouca relação com a qualidade das interações cognitivas apresentadas pelas professoras e com a contextualização dos conteúdos. A freqüência da participação dos alunos também não foi afetada pela contextualização, permanecendo elevada e constante. / The context based learning and the students\' active participation in the classroom collective discourse construction are two important theoretical references consensually admitted by science teachers and educational researchers and is also endorsed by educational policy of Brazilian Ministry of Education. It´s assumed that context based learning enhances the active students participation and improves scientific contents learning. This research aims to understand the nature and dynamic of discursive interaction which take place between teacher and students in a context based chemistry classroom. The hypothesis was that the insertion of contents connected to the students daily life or that involve STSE (Science-Technology-Society-Environment) not necessarily promote discursive interactions that evidence a high student cognitive involvement. Three classes of two different public schools chemistry teachers were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. These classes were chosen because they presented some kind of context-based situation. The discursive interactions were categorized in verbal and cognitive dimensions. Each teacher\'s or students talks was classified in a verbal dimension category and in a cognitive dimension category. The analysis of the result showed an increase of the more elaborate cognitive interactions (Higher Order Cognitive Skills) when the class content was context based, mainly in the teachers discourse. Despite that, the students\' talk remained short and less elaborated, showing little relation with the quality of cognitive interactions presented by teachers and with the context-based nature of the content. The frequency of the students\' participation also wasn\'t affected by the context-based subject, it was high and constant.

O presente trabalho trata de uma abordagem com uso de metodologia alternativa, o Estudo de Casos, com o objetivo de facilitar a aprendizagem de conceitos específicos de eletroquímica para alunos de primeiro ano do curso de Licenciatura em Química. Esta pesquisa considera a importância do aluno atuar de modo ativo durante seu processo de aprendizagem. A metodologia de Estudo de Casos é uma variante do PBL (ProblemBased Learning) que proporciona ao aluno a oportunidade de vivenciar uma experiência real de aplicação de conceitos e habilidades que devem ser desenvolvidas ao longo de sua formação. Os estudantes trabalharam em grupos durante a aplicação do método que se deu em quatro encontros, onde, ao longo das atividades responderam a testes e elaboraram relatórios que foram os instrumentos de coleta de dados do estudo. No ultimo encontro os grupos apresentaram a solução do caso investigativo para o restante da turma e para o professor que mediou a atividade. Foram encontradas evidencias de que o método é eficiente na promoção de uma aprendizagem mais significativa. O método foi bem recebido pelos alunos e foi perceptível uma ampliação na coerência das respostas que se mostraram melhor fundamentadas após a intervenção. / The following paper is about an approach with an alternative methodology, Case Studies, with the intention of smoothing the act of learning specific content of electrochemistry for first graders of Chemistry graduation. This research considers the importance of the student on acting proactively on his learning process. The methodology of the Case Studies is a variant of the PBL (Problem Based Learning) which provides the student the unique chance to experience a real experiment of concept application and skills that must be developed during his formation as a professional. The students work in groups during the application of the method that took place in four encounters, where, during the activities they answered to tests and made reports that were the tools to collect the data. In the last encounter the groups presented the solution to the Investigative Case to the remainder of the class and the teacher that conducted the exercise. It was found evidences that the method is efficient on the promotion of a more meaningful learning experience. The process was well received and it was noticeable a rising coherence on the answers that were better substantiated after the intervention.

Neste trabalho descrevemos as etapas de desenvolvimento do aplicativo computacional Construtor, a partir do qual estudantes de Ensino Médio podem construir objetos moleculares virtuais tridimensionais a partir unicamente da fórmula estrutural condensada de espécies químicas. Este aplicativo computacional foi adaptado em uma seqüência de ensino acessível pela internet através de navegadores hipertexto, o que resultou em um ambiente virtual de ensino de química. Também neste trabalho descrevemos a avaliação do uso do ambiente virtual descrito. Esta avaliação de uso foi feita por intermédio de dados obtidos com um sistema de captura sincronizada de vídeo, através do qual é possível gravar em arquivos de vídeo, de forma simultânea, a tela em uso pelo estudante e suas ações diante do computador, sendo os arquivos gravados no próprio computador em uso pelo estudante. Desta forma foi possível minimizar a introdução de equipamentos estranhos à aula durante o teste de usabilidade do sistema. Iniciamos nossa discussão a partir do conceito comumente aceito sobre o conhecimento químico ser composto por três dimensões, fazemos uma breve revisão sobre representações químicas, seus aspectos espaciais, a utilização de tecnologias da informação e comunicação e, mais especificamente, o uso de animações e simulações em ambientes de ensino de química, assim como uma revisão da bibliografia sobre os ambientes virtuais de ensino de química a partir de 1994. Neste trabalho, também fazemos uma discussão sobre a contribuição da teoria semiótica de Charles Sanders Peirce, com o objetivo de trazer uma compreensão mais aprofundada a respeito dos processos de significação de representações químicas, dos níveis macroscópico, submicroscópico e simbólico, na sala de aula. / In this work we describe the steps of the development of the software Construtor. With this computational program, High School students can build three-dimensional virtual molecular objects from the condensed structural formulas of chemical species. This computational program was adapted in a learning activity accessible through the internet with hypertext browsers, what resulted in a chemistry learning virtual environment. Also in this work we describe the use evaluation of the virtual environment described. We evaluated the use of this virtual environment from the data obtained with a video synchronized capture system, in witch it is possible to record in video files, simultaneously, the screen in use bye the students and their actions before the computer, in such a way the files are recorded in the same computer in use bye the student. Thus it was possible minimize the introduction of foreigner-class equipments during the usability test. We initiate our discussion from the concept about the chemical knowledge being composed by three dimensions, following a brief revision about chemical representations, its spatial aspects, the utilization of information and communication technologies and, more specifically, the use of animations and simulations in chemical teaching learning environments, as well as a revision about chemistry learning virtual environments from 1994. In this work we also discuss about thee contribution of the Semiotics theory of Charles Sanders Peirce, objecting to bring a deeper comprehension about the meaning processes of chemical representations, on the macroscopic, submicroscopic and symbolic levels, in classrooms.

Orientador: Pedro Wagner Gonçalves / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T23:04:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zanini_SilvanaMariaCorrea_M.pdf: 2926577 bytes, checksum: 2059099f499b0fd6182bab3bbfa001d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa realizada em ambiente de Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) pretendeu desenvolver aprendizagem de Química por meio de inovação curricular que, aplicada e analisada, trouxe perspectivas de ensino de Química contextualizado por meio do ambiente terrestre. Os conteúdos abordados foram organizados para proporcionar o entendimento de um tema sócioambiental. O tema escolhido, com o propósito de despertar o interesse dos alunos da EJA, teve como ponto de partida a história de moradores da cidade de Cajamar (SP), que tiveram suas casas destruídas ou danificadas pelo colapso do carste coberto. O estudo termodinâmico do fenômeno de dissolução e precipitação do carbonato de cálcio foi escolhido para aclarar a dinâmica natural e possibilitar debates sobre as causas que levaram ao colapso das casas. Os referenciais teóricos do movimento de Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS) e as contribuições das Geociências guiaram as opções metodológicas. O interesse do aluno pelo contexto estudado (Terra) e as estratégias utilizadas na construção e aplicação da inovação curricular possibilitaram explorar aspectos que dizem respeito ao sistema Terra, tais como dinâmicas, complexidade, fluxos e trocas de matéria e energia. Os diálogos ocorridos compuseram a metodologia de ensino, permitiram a participação dos alunos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem e serviram de fonte de dados para pesquisa. Três categorias foram analisadas a partir da aplicação da inovação curricular a um grupo de alunos da EJA: aprendizado químico, visão de ambiente e aprendizado sócio-ambiental. A pesquisa se constituiu como estudo de caso e visou examinar o aprendizado de aluno selecionado. Os indicadores utilizados demonstraram que as estratégias foram capazes de efetivar as aprendizagens propostas e promover o engajamento do aluno no processo de ensino-aprendizagem / Abstract: The curricular innovation was applied and evaluated to understand terrestrial environments in order to teach chemical concepts. Contents were organized to understand a social and environmental problem. The issue was chosen to attract adult students. The houses of people in the city of Cajamar (in the Brazilian state of São Paulo) were destroyed or damaged by the collapse of the covered karst. A study on thermodynamics of dissolution and precipitation of calcium carbonate was chosen to bring light to the concept of natural processes and encourage a debate on what lead the houses to collapse. The Science, Technology and Society (STS) movement and contributions of the Geosciences guided the methodology. The interest of students on the field (the Earth) and the strategies employed in developing and applying these innovations have helped examining Earth-related issues, such as dynamics, complexity, flows and exchanges of matter and energy. A dialogue with students was part of the teaching methods and allowed students to participate, thus providing data and information for the research. Innovations were evaluated along with three different aspects: the learning of chemistry, the perspective on the environment and the learning of social and environmental processes. The indicators used showed that the strategies applied brought students to learn as well as engaged them in the teaching-learning process / Mestrado / Ensino e Historia de Ciencias da Terra / Mestre em Ensino e Historia de Ciencias da Terra