Problem Solving Instruction for Overcoming Students' Difficulties in Stoichiometric Problems

Autor/inn/en	Shadreck, Mandina; Enunuwe, Ochonogor Chukunoye
Titel	Problem Solving Instruction for Overcoming Students' Difficulties in Stoichiometric Problems
Quelle	In: Acta Didactica Napocensia, 10 (2017) 4, S.69-78 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2065-1430
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; High School Students; Problem Solving; Chemistry; Quasiexperimental Design; Achievement Tests; Science Tests; Pretests Posttests; Statistical Inference; Statistical Analysis; Scientific Concepts; Equations (Mathematics); Science Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Teaching Methods; Comparative Analysis; Stoichiometry; Zimbabwe + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Problemlösen; Chemie; Achievement test; Achievement; Testing; Test; Tests; Leistungsbeurteilung; Leistungsüberprüfung; Leistung; Testdurchführung; Testen; Inferential statistics; Schließende Statistik; Statistische Analyse; Equations; Mathematics; Gleichungslehre; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Unterrichtserfolg; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Stöchiometrie; Simbabwe
Abstract	The study sought to find out difficulties encountered by high school chemistry students when solving stoichiometric problems and how these could be overcome by using a problem-solving approach. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design. 485 participants drawn from 8 highs schools in a local education district in Zimbabwe participated in the study. A validated stoichiometry achievement test was used to collect data at pre-test and post-test stages. The researchers also prepared a difficulty identification index to analyse the difficulties encountered by students. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential statistics and ANCOVA. From the findings, the difficulties identified were lack of understanding of the mole concept, inability to balance chemical equations, use of inconsistent stoichiometric relationships, identifying the limiting reagent, determination of theoretical yields and identification of substances in excess. The study also found that the use of problem-solving instruction as effective in remedying the identified difficulties in comparison to the conventional lecture method. It was strongly recommended that chemistry educators should analyse and understand student difficulties if they are to assist the learners to become confident and efficient problem solvers. Furthermore chemistry educators should implement the problem-solving pedagogical technique as a means of addressing the difficulties students have in stoichiometry problem-solving. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Babes-Bolyai University. Kogainiceanu 1, Cluj-Napoca, 400084 Romania. e-mail: submit_adn@yahoo.com; Web site: http://adn.teaching.ro
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01