Assessment of electrochemical concepts: a comparative study involving senior high-school students in Indonesia and Japan |
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| Authors: | Sri Rahayu David F Treagust AL Chandrasegaran Masakazu Kita Suhadi Ibnu |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Chemistry , State University of Malang , Jl, Semarang 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia srirahayu_um@hotmail.com;3. Science and Mathematics Education Centre , Curtin University , GPO Box U1987, Perth, 6845, Australia;4. Department of Natural Sciences , Okayama University , Okayama, Japan;5. Department of Chemistry , State University of Malang , Jl, Semarang 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia |
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| Abstract: | This study investigated Indonesian and Japanese senior high-school students’ understanding of electrochemistry concepts. Sample The questionnaire was administered to 244 Indonesian and 189 Japanese public senior high-school students. Design and methods An 18-item multiple-choice questionnaire relating to five conceptual categories (reactions occurring during electrolysis, differences between electrolytic and voltaic cells, movement of ions in voltaic cells, poles in voltaic cells, voltaic cell reactions) was administered. Results The findings of this study show that difficulties and alternative conceptions previously reported in the literature are held equally by students from a developing and developed country, Indonesian and Japan respectively. Conclusions Collectively, the findings suggest that students’ understanding of electrochemistry concepts is relatively weak. Students from both samples shared common difficulties and displayed several alternative conceptions dealing with electrolysis, electricity flow, the voltaic cell and the electrode reactions. Not surprisingly, the students displayed limited consistency in understanding of the concepts in the five categories. This study has implications for teaching and learning, particularly in classroom discussions using models and computer animations in order to reinforce understanding at the sub-microscopic level. |
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| Keywords: | alternative conceptions electrolytic cells students’ understandings voltaic cells |
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