Teaching and learning difficult chemistry topics: The need for a content framework

Abstract

Students have difficulties in learning certain topics in chemistry, for example, bonding, equilibrium, chemical reactions, electrochemistry, mole concept, and qualitative analysis. Possible reasons why students find such topics difficult include the abstract nature and the inter-relatedness of the concepts involved, the need to shift between four representation systems, and the involvement of process skills. A sound starting point for the teaching and learning of a difficult topic would be the clarification of the knowledge base that is required for the topic. Lists of conceptual and propositional knowledge statements and facts, process skills and metacognitive strategies, as well as concept maps should be drawn up to define the content framework for the topic. This would help teachers and learners to know what exactly is required for the topic. In this paper, the authors describe how they define the content framework for secondary chemistry qualitative analysis to facilitate the teaching and learning of qualitative analysis.