Seventh-grade Students'
Understanding of Chemical
Reactions: Reflections from an
Action Research Interview Study

Ingo Eilks; Jens Moellering; Nicos Valanides

doi:10.12973/ejmste/75408

Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study

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Ingo Eilks ¹ ^* , Jens Moellering ², Nicos Valanides ³

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¹ University of Bremen, Bremen, GERMANY² Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium, Garbsen, and University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, GERMANY³ University of Cyprus, Nicosia, CYPRUS^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This paper discusses seventh-grade students' explanations of dissolution and combustion and also identifies their understanding of the differences between physical and chemical changes. A teaching strategy was initially negotiated within an action research group and this strategy was then employed in teaching seventh-grade students. The teaching approach applied the idea that discrete particle changes can be used to differentiate chemical reactions from simple physical changes. Data were collected by an action research group teacher who conducted interviews with dyads of students from different chemistry classrooms. The interviews were transcribed, subsequently analyzed and evaluated in co-operation with researchers from the university. The main mistakes and alternative conceptions that have been identified are discussed. Further, some implications for developing appropriate teaching strategies and curriculum materials are also summarized.

Keywords

chemical reactions
students' conceptions
Action research

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2007, Volume 3, Issue 4, 271-286

https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

Publication date: 23 Dec 2007

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How to cite this article

APA

Eilks, I., Moellering, J., & Valanides, N. (2007). Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 3(4), 271-286. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

Vancouver

Eilks I, Moellering J, Valanides N. Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2007;3(4):271-86. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

AMA

Eilks I, Moellering J, Valanides N. Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2007;3(4), 271-286. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

Chicago

Eilks, Ingo, Jens Moellering, and Nicos Valanides. "Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2007 3 no. 4 (2007): 271-286. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

Harvard

Eilks, I., Moellering, J., and Valanides, N. (2007). Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 3(4), pp. 271-286. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408

MLA

Eilks, Ingo et al. "Seventh-grade Students' Understanding of Chemical Reactions: Reflections from an Action Research Interview Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 3, no. 4, 2007, pp. 271-286. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75408