INVESTIGATION OF UNIVERSITY CHEMISTRY STUDENTS’ MENTAL MODELS OF METALLIC BONDING AND STRUCTURE OF METAL

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 490 - 492, 01.09.2016

Canan Nakiboğlu

Abstract

This study identifies second-year chemistry students’
mental models of metallic bonding and structure of metals by using a
phenomenographic analysis. Mental models are real representations of objects,
ideas or process which individuals generate during the learning process. Sample
group consisted of 64 (43 female and 21 male) chemistry students taught all metallic
bonding theories. To obtain an in-depth understanding of chemistry students’
mental models, the data were collected by using a written instrument with two
open-ended questions. They were asked to explain the bonding in the cupper
metallic structure by drawing in the first question.  In the second question, they were asked to
define what the metallic bonding is. The analysis of the data was conducted on
two different dates by using the content analysis method by the author. It was
concluded that most of the students’ mental models were simple, in contrast
with the sophisticated complex models taught. Some of the students have also
hybrid models of the bonding theories.

Keywords

University chemistry students, mental models, metallic bonding

References

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