Abstract
Achievement in science depends on a series of factors that characterize the cognitive abilities of the students and the complex interactions between these factors and the environment that intervenes in the formation of students' background. The objective of this study is to: a) investigate reasoning strategies students use in solving stoichiometric problems; b) explore the relation between these strategies and alternative conceptions, prior knowledge and cognitive variables; and c) interpret the results within an epistemological framework. Results obtained show how stoichiometric relations produce conflicting situations for students, leading to conceptual misunderstanding of concepts, such as mass, atoms and moles. The wide variety of strategies used by students attest to the presence of competing and conflicting frameworks (progressive transitions, cf. Lakatos, 1970), leading to greater conceptual understanding. It is concluded that the methodology developed in this study (based on a series of closely related probing questions, generally requiring no calculations, that elicit student conceptual understanding to varying degrees within an intact classroom context) was influential in improving student performance. This improvement in performance, however, does not necessarily affect students' hard core of beliefs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anamuah-Mensah, J. (1986). Cognitive strategies used by chemistry students to solve volumetric analysis problems.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 23, 759–769.
Atwater, M. M., and Alick, B. (1990). Cognitive development and problem solving of Afro-American students in chemistry.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27, 157–172.
Ben-Zvi, R., Eylon, B. and Silberstein, J. (1986). Is an atom of copper malleable?Journal of Chemical Education 63, 64–66.
Bitner, B. L. (1991). Formal operational reasoning modes: Predictors of critical thinking abilities and grades assigned by teachers in science and mathematics for students in grades nine through twelve.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28, 265–274.
BouJaoude, S. B. (1992). The relationship between students' learning strategies and the change in their misunderstandings during a high school chemistry course.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 29, 687–699.
Burbules, N. C., and Linn, M. C. (1991). Science education and philosophy of science: Congruence or contradiction?International Journal of Science Education 13, 227–241.
Chinn, C. A., and Brewer W. F. (1993). The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction.Review of Educational Research 63(1), 1–49.
Clement, J. (1982). Students' preconceptions in introductory mechanics.American Journal of Physics 50, 60–71.
Driver, R., and Easley, J. (1978). Pupils and paradigms: A review of literature related to concept development in adolescent science students.Studies in Science Education 5, 61–84.
Duschl, R. A., and Gitomer, D. H. (1991). Epistemological perspectives on conceptual change: Implications for educational practice.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28, 839–858.
Gabel, D. L., Sherwood, R. D., and Enochs, L. (1984). Problemsolving skills of high school chemistry students.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 21, 221–233.
Gilbert, J. K., and Swift, D. J. (1985). Towards a Lakatosian analysis of the Piagetian and alternative conceptions research programs.Science Education 69, 681–696.
Gilbert, J. K., and Watts, D. M. (1983). Concepts, misconceptions and alternative conceptions: Changing perspectives in science education.Studies in Science Education 10, 61–98.
Hafner, B., and Stewart, J. (1989). A comment on predicting genetics achievement in nonmajors college biology.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 26(6), 551–553.
Haidar, A. H., and Abraham, M. R. (1991). A comparison of applied and theoretical knowledge of concepts based on the particulate nature of matter.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28, 919–938.
Johnstone, A. H., and El-Banna, H. (1986). Capacities, demands, and processes—a predictive model for science education.Education in Chemistry 23, 80–84.
Johnstone, A. H., and El-Naeme, F. F. (1991). Room for scientific thought?International Journal of Science Education 13, 187–192.
Lakatos, I. (1970). Falsification and the methodology of scientific research programs. In Lakatos, I., and Musgrave, A. (Eds.),Criticism and the growth of knowledge. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 91–196.
Lawson, A. E. (1983). Predicting science achievement: the role of developmental level, disembedding ability, mental capacity, prior knowledge, and beliefs,Journal of Research in Science Teaching 20, 117–129.
Lawson, A. E. (1988). The acquisition of biological knowledge during childhood: cognitive conflict or tabula rasa?Journal of Research in Science Teaching 25, 185–199.
Lawson, A. E., McElrath, C. B., Burton, M. S., James, B. D., Doyle, R. P., Woodward, S. L., Kellerman, L., and Snyder, J. D. (1991). Hypothetico-deductive reasoning skill and concept acquisition: testing a constructivist hypothesis.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28, 953–970.
Linn, M. C., and Songer, N. B. (1991). Teaching thermodynamics to middle school students: What are appropriate cognitive demands?Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28, 885–918.
Lythcott, J., and Duschl, R. (1990). Qualitative research: from methods to conclusions.Science Education 74, 445–460.
McCloskey, M., Caramazza, A., and Green, B. (1980). Curvilinear motion in the absence of external forces: naive beliefs about the motion of objects.Science 210, 1139–1141.
McDermott, L. C. (1984). Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics.Physics Today 37, 24–32.
Nakhleh, M. B. (1992). Why some students don't learn chemistry.Journal of Chemical Education 69, 191–196.
Niaz, M. (1988). Manipulation of M-demand of chemistry problems and its effect on student performance: a neo-Piagetian study.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 28 643–657.
Niaz, M. (1992). From Piaget's epistemic subject to Pascual-Leone's metasubject: Epistemic transition in the constructivist-rationalist theory of cognitive development.International Journal of Psychology 27, 443–457.
Niaz, M. (1993a). Problem solving in science: the role of environment, creativity, developmental level, mental capacity, and cognitive style.Journal of College Science Teaching 23, 18–23.
Niaz, M. (1993b). If Piaget's epistemic subject is dead, shall we bury the scientific research methodology of idealization?Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30, 809–812.
Niaz, M. (1993c). Progressive ‘problemshifts’, between different research programs in science education: A Lakatosian perspective.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30, 757–765.
Niaz, M. (1993d). Competing research programs in science education: A Lakatosian interpretation,Interchange 24, 181–190.
Niaz, M. (1994a). Mas allá del positivismo: Una interpretación Lakatosiana de la enseñanza de las ciencias.Enseñanza de las ciencias 12, 97–100.
Niaz, M. (1994b). Enhancing thinking skills: Domain specific/domain general strategies—A dilemma for science education.Instructional Science 22, 413–422.
Niaz, M. (1994c). Pascual-Leone's theory of constructive operators as an explanatory construct in cognitive development and science achievement.Educational Psychology 14(1), 23–43.
Niaz, M. (1995). Progressive transitions from algorithmic to conceptual understanding in student ability to solve chemistry problems: A Lakatosian interpretation.Science Education 79, 19–36.
Niaz, M. (in press). Reasoning strategies of students in solving chemistry problems as a function of developmental level, functional M-capacity, and disembedding ability.International Journal of Science Education.
Niaz, M., and Lawson, A. E. (1985). Balancing chemical equations: the role of developmental level and mental capacity.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 22, 41–51.
Niaz, M., and Robinson, W. R. (1992). Manipulation of logical structure of chemistry problems and its effect on student performance.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 29, 211–226.
Nurrenbern, S. C., and Pickering, M. (1987). Concept learning versus problem solving: is there a difference?Journal of Chemical Education 64, 508–510.
Pascual-Leone, J. (1987). Organismic processes for neo-Piagetian theories: A dialectical causal account of cognitive development.International Journal of Psychology 22, 531–570.
Pascual-Leone, J., and Burtis, P. J. (1974).FIT: Figural Intersection Test, a group measure of M—capacity. Unpublished manuscript, York University, Toronto, Ontario.
Piburn, M. D. (1990). Reasoning about logical propositions and success in science.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27, 887–900.
Roadrangka, V., Yeany, R. H., and Padilla, M. J. (1983).The construction and validation of Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT). Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), April, Dallas, Texas.
Roth, W. M. (1990). Neo-Piagetian predictors of achievement in science.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27, 509–521.
Rowell, J. A., and Dawson, C. J. (1985). Equilibration, conflict and instruction: A new class-oriented perspective.European Journal of Science Education 7, 331–344.
Staver, J., and Jacks, T. (1988). The influence of cognitive reasoning level, cognitive restructuring ability, disembedding ability, working memory capacity, and prior knowledge on students' performance on balancing equations by inspection.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 25, 763–775.
Staver, J. R., and Lumpe, A. T. (1993). A content analysis of the presentation of the mole concept in chemistry textbooks.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30, 321–337.
Strike, K. A., and Posner, G. J. (1992). A revisionist, theory of conceptual change. In Duschl, R. A., and Hamilton, R. J. (Eds.)Philosophy of Science, Cognitive Psychology, and Educational Theory in Practice. State University of New York Press, Albany, NY, pp. 147–176.
Witkin, H. A., Oltman, P. K., Raskin, E., and Karp, S. A. (1971).A Manual for the Embedded Figures Tests. Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Astudillo, L.R., Niaz, M. Reasoning strategies used by students to solve stoichiometry problems and its relationship to alternative conceptions, prior knowledge, and cognitive variables. J Sci Educ Technol 5, 131–140 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01575153
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01575153