Productive representational errors – Investigating the potential of alternative mechanistic reactions in learning organic chemistry - Research portal of Justus Liebig University Giessen:

Conference paper

Productive representational errors – Investigating the potential of alternative mechanistic reactions in learning organic chemistry

Authors list: Lieber, Leonie; Graulich, Nicole

Appeared in: ESERA Virtual Doctoral Network 2020 Book of Synopses

Editor list: ESERA; University of Oxford, Department of Education

Publication year: 2020

Pages: 245-254

URL: https://esera2020ss.web.ox.ac.uk/book-synopses

Conference: ESERA Virtual Doctoral Network 2020

Abstract:

Students have various problems with decoding representations, inferring implicit properties
and causal reasoning. Moreover, studies revealed that students struggle with connecting representations and chemical concepts and thus have fragmented understanding of fundamental chemical concepts in organic chemistry, such as nucleophilicity and electrophilicity. As a result, students have problems predicting the outcome of reactions through balancing potential mechanistic pathways. Therefore, my current research project puts emphasis on confronting students with alternative mechanistic reactions (AMR). The AMRs are focused on the chemical concept of nucleophilicity and electrophilicity. The
objectives of my research project are to answer qualitatively 1.) what type of mechanistic features do students use when reasoning about nucleophilicity and electrophilicity, 2.) how they connect those features to make a claim about the plausibility, and based on these initial diagnostic questions 3.) to develop an instructional scaffold, and 4.) to test quantitatively if students’ mechanistic features improves through an explicit analysis of AMRs.

Authors/Editors

- Uni.-Prof. Dr. Nicole Graulich

Citation Styles

Harvard Citation style: Lieber, L. and Graulich, N. (2020) Productive representational errors – Investigating the potential of alternative mechanistic reactions in learning organic chemistry, in ESERA and University of Oxford, D. (eds.) ESERA Virtual Doctoral Network 2020 Book of Synopses. pp. 245-254. https://esera2020ss.web.ox.ac.uk/book-synopses

APA Citation style: Lieber, L., & Graulich, N. (2020). Productive representational errors – Investigating the potential of alternative mechanistic reactions in learning organic chemistry. In ESERA, & University of Oxford, D. (Eds.), ESERA Virtual Doctoral Network 2020 Book of Synopses. (pp. 245-254). https://esera2020ss.web.ox.ac.uk/book-synopses