Analysis of undergraduate chemistry students' responses to substitution reaction mechanisms: a road to mastery.
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| Title: | Analysis of undergraduate chemistry students' responses to substitution reaction mechanisms: a road to mastery. |
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| Authors: | Nartey, Esther1 (AUTHOR) enartey@uew.edu.gh, Koranteng, Ernest1 (AUTHOR), Oppong, Emmanuel Kyame1 (AUTHOR), Hanson, Ruby1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Chemistry Teacher International. Sep2024, Vol. 6 Issue 3, p231-240. 10p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Chemistry students, *Learning strategies, Organic reaction mechanisms, Reaction mechanisms (Chemistry), Substitution reactions |
| Abstract: | This study analyzed third-year undergraduate Chemistry major students' drawings and written explanations of substitution reactions. Seventy (70) students were purposively selected for this study. The main data collection instrument was a diagnostic test and students' responses were analyzed using deductive coding. The study aimed to unearth students' conceptual understanding and difficulties on substitution reactions to provide significant insights into improving teaching strategies and learning outcomes. The findings revealed that: 1. Students were more familiar with SN2 reaction mechanisms and could answer questions on SN2 reaction mechanisms better than SN1 reaction mechanisms; 2. Students' use of 'chemical vocabulary' did not translate into an understanding of electron movement and causal mechanistic explanation; 3. About 97 % of the students who gave a correct/partially correct description provided a description of what was happening in the reaction without any further explanation of why the reaction occurred; 4. Students had a slightly better understanding of drawing the correct mechanisms than providing accurate explanations. This study recommends that, in teaching organic reaction mechanisms, instructors should emphasize on electron-pushing formalisms and explain how and why reactions occur to encourage mechanistic thinking in students. Also, students should be given ample practice in organic reaction mechanisms to improve mastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Chemistry Teacher International is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 179942939 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Analysis of undergraduate chemistry students' responses to substitution reaction mechanisms: a road to mastery. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nartey%2C+Esther%22">Nartey, Esther</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> enartey@uew.edu.gh</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koranteng%2C+Ernest%22">Koranteng, Ernest</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oppong%2C+Emmanuel+Kyame%22">Oppong, Emmanuel Kyame</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hanson%2C+Ruby%22">Hanson, Ruby</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Chemistry+Teacher+International%22">Chemistry Teacher International</searchLink>. Sep2024, Vol. 6 Issue 3, p231-240. 10p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry+students%22">Chemistry students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+strategies%22">Learning strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organic+reaction+mechanisms%22">Organic reaction mechanisms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reaction+mechanisms+%28Chemistry%29%22">Reaction mechanisms (Chemistry)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substitution+reactions%22">Substitution reactions</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This study analyzed third-year undergraduate Chemistry major students' drawings and written explanations of substitution reactions. Seventy (70) students were purposively selected for this study. The main data collection instrument was a diagnostic test and students' responses were analyzed using deductive coding. The study aimed to unearth students' conceptual understanding and difficulties on substitution reactions to provide significant insights into improving teaching strategies and learning outcomes. The findings revealed that: 1. Students were more familiar with SN2 reaction mechanisms and could answer questions on SN2 reaction mechanisms better than SN1 reaction mechanisms; 2. Students' use of 'chemical vocabulary' did not translate into an understanding of electron movement and causal mechanistic explanation; 3. About 97 % of the students who gave a correct/partially correct description provided a description of what was happening in the reaction without any further explanation of why the reaction occurred; 4. Students had a slightly better understanding of drawing the correct mechanisms than providing accurate explanations. This study recommends that, in teaching organic reaction mechanisms, instructors should emphasize on electron-pushing formalisms and explain how and why reactions occur to encourage mechanistic thinking in students. Also, students should be given ample practice in organic reaction mechanisms to improve mastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Chemistry Teacher International is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1515/cti-2023-0075 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 10 StartPage: 231 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Chemistry students Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning strategies Type: general – SubjectFull: Organic reaction mechanisms Type: general – SubjectFull: Reaction mechanisms (Chemistry) Type: general – SubjectFull: Substitution reactions Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Analysis of undergraduate chemistry students' responses to substitution reaction mechanisms: a road to mastery. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nartey, Esther – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Koranteng, Ernest – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Oppong, Emmanuel Kyame – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hanson, Ruby IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Sep2024 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 25693263 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 6 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Chemistry Teacher International Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
