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Capturing Student Conceptions of Thermodynamics and Kinetics Using Writing

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Title: Capturing Student Conceptions of Thermodynamics and Kinetics Using Writing
Language: English
Authors: Finkenstaedt-Quinn, S. A. (ORCID 0000-0003-2098-074X), Halim, A. S., Kasner, G., Wilhelm, C. A., Moon, A., Gere, A. Ruggles, Shultz, G. V. (ORCID 0000-0002-7285-748X)
Source: Chemistry Education Research and Practice. Jul 2020 21(3):922-939.
Availability: Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2020
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Contract Number: 1524967
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Concept Formation, Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Chemistry, Content Area Writing, Writing Assignments, Teaching Methods, College Science, College Students
DOI: 10.1039/c9rp00292h
ISSN: 1756-1108
Abstract: Thermodynamics and kinetics are key topics in the chemistry curriculum that pose challenges to students across a range of educational levels. These struggles arise from the complexity and mixed representations inherent to the topics. Additionally, while thermodynamics and kinetics are related, students struggle to make conceptually correct connections, sometimes seeing them as two separate topics with no relation and other times conflating their meanings and explanatory powers. Herein we captured student conceptions about thermodynamics and kinetics through a Writing-to-Learn activity that utilized peer review and revision to engage students with the concepts by applying them to a real-world context. This study identified whether students focused on the concepts targeted by the assignment and characterized the chemistry content of the peer review feedback. Students' descriptions of thermodynamics and kinetics content, as well as the relationship between the two and how they connect to the application given in the assignment, improved during the process and suggests that peer review and revision played an important role in supporting students to describe these concepts. When guided by a content-focused peer review rubric, students provided constructive chemistry content-directed feedback. Specifically, analysis of student writing and comments demonstrated the potential of the assignment to engage students in building connections between complexly related topics, including distinguishing between spontaneity and rate and appropriately relating activation energy and rate. Findings from this study suggest that writing can be used to elicit student-specific conceptions of physical chemistry topics and develop students' explanatory skills of chemistry content even without direct instructor feedback.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2020
Accession Number: EJ1268918
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Finkenstaedt-Quinn%2C+S%2E+A%2E%22">Finkenstaedt-Quinn, S. A.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2098-074X">0000-0003-2098-074X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Halim%2C+A%2E+S%2E%22">Halim, A. S.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kasner%2C+G%2E%22">Kasner, G.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wilhelm%2C+C%2E+A%2E%22">Wilhelm, C. A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moon%2C+A%2E%22">Moon, A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gere%2C+A%2E+Ruggles%22">Gere, A. Ruggles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shultz%2C+G%2E+V%2E%22">Shultz, G. V.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7285-748X">0000-0002-7285-748X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Chemistry+Education+Research+and+Practice%22"><i>Chemistry Education Research and Practice</i></searchLink>. Jul 2020 21(3):922-939.
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  Data: Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
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  Data: Thermodynamics and kinetics are key topics in the chemistry curriculum that pose challenges to students across a range of educational levels. These struggles arise from the complexity and mixed representations inherent to the topics. Additionally, while thermodynamics and kinetics are related, students struggle to make conceptually correct connections, sometimes seeing them as two separate topics with no relation and other times conflating their meanings and explanatory powers. Herein we captured student conceptions about thermodynamics and kinetics through a Writing-to-Learn activity that utilized peer review and revision to engage students with the concepts by applying them to a real-world context. This study identified whether students focused on the concepts targeted by the assignment and characterized the chemistry content of the peer review feedback. Students' descriptions of thermodynamics and kinetics content, as well as the relationship between the two and how they connect to the application given in the assignment, improved during the process and suggests that peer review and revision played an important role in supporting students to describe these concepts. When guided by a content-focused peer review rubric, students provided constructive chemistry content-directed feedback. Specifically, analysis of student writing and comments demonstrated the potential of the assignment to engage students in building connections between complexly related topics, including distinguishing between spontaneity and rate and appropriately relating activation energy and rate. Findings from this study suggest that writing can be used to elicit student-specific conceptions of physical chemistry topics and develop students' explanatory skills of chemistry content even without direct instructor feedback.
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