Misconceptions in General Chemistry Broader Study Skills / Behavioural

1. Misconceptions in General ChemistryBroader Study Skills / Behavioural • instructor misconceptions of students’ knowledge from high school • Math 30 / Chem 30 are often taken in grade 11 • 80 min/day for 12 weeks • RDC study found Math 30 to be the most important factor • administering Chemistry Concept Inventory to instructors (all levels) to assess their misconceptions • comprehension (text book and questions) • teaching students how to read science • integrating graphs & equations into reading the text • stopping & thinking about processes/equations • understanding information in graphs • students don’t know where to look for information in a graph • using the index

2. Broader Study Skills / Behavioural • misconception about student motivation • most of them are not like us! chemistry is not a priority in first year non-majors! • student misconception about required work • passed high school with rote memorization (e.g., studying for the 5 (or 7) question types used by AB Education in provincial test) • not used to scheduling self-study time • think they know it all (repetition from high school) • challenging to get them to comprehension, application • misconception about student learning: “Students will learn what we teach” • no..mostly will only learn what we test • “assessment is the tail that wags the dog”

3. Broader Study Skills / Behavioural • student misconception of “easy problems only” in lecture • watching the expert make no mistakes • they can follow (but maybe not lead so well) • student misconception: don’t need to know vocabulary/jargon • student misconception of separation of disciplines • “why is general chemistry more like physics?” • “chemistry is a math course” • instructor misconception of how general chemistry should be taught (content physchem heavy)?

4. General Misconceptions • misconception of size/scale • chemistry is unfathomable in magnitude • getting across just HOW small an atom is • Powers of 10 video/interactive website • Stacey’s comparison of 1 mol paperclips vs. money vs. water • misconception that chemistry is bad • inform about quantity (toxicity is in the dose) • clearing up misconceptions: use break time or 5 min at beginning of last lecture every week • chemistry in the news • topic of interest related or unrelated to current lecture • resources such as Joe Schwarcz’ books • misconception that a proton exists as H+ or H3O+

5. Misconceptions about Scientific Method • we don’t communicate that we are teaching models, don’t communicate scientific method • “science as the fountain of knowledge”, misconception that science is about facts, wrong & right answers • science is ongoing! it’s happening right now! • confused that something called a “law” can fail

6. Heat, Energy, Temperature Misconceptions • breaking bonds produces energy • biology: ATP -> ADP + energy • heat, energy, temperature • terms of general use, students have preconceptions • hard to redefine precisely, in contrast to new terms • compare: strong vs. concentrated (e.g., coffee) • heat is misconceived as a noun by both • Teaching aid: Youtube Eureka #21 Heat vs. T

7. Physical Transitions Misconceptions • misconceptions/concepts start early • AB 5th grade is about half of first year without math • difference between melting and dissolution, liquid and aqueous • instructor misconception: students have particle view of matter • matter is bulk to students • visualization: initiative at King’s – see kcvs.ca for examples • Odyssey (~$75) visualization software • e.g.linear vs. bent H2O - properties come from structure • using visualizations: test what you teach! • suggestion: project coloured images on screen during exam • Teaching Aids: Children’s Ideas and the Learning of Science by Rosalind Driver et al. • Talanquer, V. et al. “A2: Element or Compound” J. Chem. Ed. 2007, 84, 880.

8. Stoichiometry and limiting reagents • how to teach this best? • sandwich example (bread, cheese, meat) • macaroni/choc chip cookie example (how much of each ingredient) • misconception: students transfer the process (compartmentalization issue, as in K and other areas) • again, need to get to particle view of matter • students don’t make connections between letters/symbols and particles (maybe we don’t either until we teach) • Teaching Aids: • See publications by Miles Pickering and Mary Nockley(?) • George M. Bodner,“I have found you an argument: The conceptual knowledge of beginning chemistry graduate students” J. Chem. Ed. 1991, 68, 385.

9. Equilibrium Misconceptions • like heat/T, there is a meaning attached already • misconception: equilibrium means equal mass (not rate) • Stacey’s demo: 2 fish tanks (one empty, one full) 2 beakers scooping water from either side to the other ask students to predict, when equilibrium is reached • equilibrium problems ALL look different to some students

10. Electrochemistry Misconceptions • where do electrons come from? (electron transfer) • concept of potential • necessity in 1st year? • helpful doodles to show electrons transferring in or out of electrodes, corrosion and plating at electrodes etc. • Literature tip: T. J. Greenbowe & M. J. Sanger

11. Significant Figures • misconception/disagreement regarding importance • order of magnitude vs.actual sig. figs. • includes ability to evaluate an answer for validity • our obligation goes beyond just teaching chemistry (but how far?) • introduce concept in context in labs (+ use in lecture) • student misconception of meaning/origin • math rules come from physical reality of measurement • introduced too early in text book, needs more context (lab)

12. Lab – Lecture Connectivity • students expect a link – whose misconception? • issue of integrating early lectures with lab • effort on side of lecturer • labs as concept reinforcement – misconception about how we learn? • learning by doing: discovery labs • closer to scientific method / development of models • possible to pick up student data in lecture (.:relevance)