Chlorine is an oxide, heat causes molecules to melt, and sodium reacts badly in chlorine

Chlorine is an oxide, heat causes molecules to melt, and sodium reacts badly in chlorine: a survey of the background knowledge of one A level chemistry class.

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Abstract:

Teachers are advised to start from what the learners already know, and to teach them accordingly. If enrolment on a course is conditional on passing earlier examinations, as with Science A levels, it may be tempting to assume that the class will share some common background knowledge at the start of the course (that being the purpose of having entry requirements). With significant pressure to complete syllabuses there is little time for systematically exploring what students already know.This paper argues that – despite the time constraints – some attempt at surveying what new students understand about the basics of a subject can be very illuminating.The argument is illustrated by an example: a case study of a single group of new 'A level' Chemistry students. It is suggested that although the details of what was uncovered are idiosyncratic, the paucity of understanding of fundamental principles may be common. If this is so the foundations for advanced work are not in place. Some suggestions are made for responding to such a situation.


Contents:

Section 1: The importance of testing prerequisite knowledge
Section 2: A survey of the background knowledge of one A level chemistry class
Confusion over basic chemical terms
Student ideas about bonding
Confusion between the macroscopic and microscopic
Ideas about chemical processes
Thoughts about classes of chemicals
Ideas relating to valency
Student ideas about ‘chemicals’ and natural states
Section 3: Acting on the data collected
Conceptual analysis
Challenging alternative conceptions
Analogies
Metacognition
Concluding comments

Download the author's manuscript version here.