Students' misunderstandings and misconceptions in college freshman chemistry (general and organic)

Abstract

Both chemistry teachers and nonmajor students appear to agree that freshman chemistry may well be the most problematic traditional science discipline taught in the first year of college—as far as students' misunderstandings, learning difficulties, and misconceptions are concerned. The above is probably due to the many abstract, nonintuitive concepts, which are not directly interrelated. Consequently, in such cases, the powerful, general teaching strategy of “concept mapping” must be replaced by alternative, specific strategies. Selected illustrative examples of students' learning difficulties and misconceptions in freshman general and organic chemistry are presented in the students' terms, followed by the corresponding successfully applied, specific, concept‐oriented, eclectic intervention strategies the author uses in order to overcome the difficulties. Based on longitudinal in‐class observations, interpretive study, and analysis it is suggested that those students' misconceptions in freshman chemistry which are not interrelated logically and/or derived from one another are not prone to the general “concept mapping” approach and should be dealt with by using the appropriate, specific teaching strategy.