Students‟ conceptual difficulties in thermochemistry

Abstract

This study investigated conceptions of senior high school students in thermochemistry. This led to the exploration of students‟ alternative conceptions in thermochemistry and the factors that contribute to those alternative conceptions. A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was employed in the study to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The design used three stages, which included collection of quantitative and qualitative data, analysis of data and merging of results, and interpretation of data on conceptions in thermochemistry and prerequisite concepts. Through a multistage sampling procedure, 141 students responded to two tests, one on thermochemistry and the other on prerequisite concepts to thermochemistry. Also, 12 out of the 141 students were purposively sampled for interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using frequencies and percentages, bar charts, and Pearson product-moment correlation statistic, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results showed that students had alternative conceptions and other conceptual difficulties in thermochemistry in the form of factual misconceptions, conceptual misunderstandings, preconceived notions, and vernacular misconceptions, and the factors accounting for these alternative conceptions were teacher-related, textbook-related, and daily experiences. Though weak, a positive correlation existed between students‟ achievements in the prerequisite concepts and thermochemistry. It is, therefore, recommended among others that chemistry teachers in the SHS should build their capacity on identification and correction of students‟ alternative conceptions in thermochemistry.