Use this URL to cite or link to this record in EThOS: | https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.278097 |
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Title: | A study of the nature and everyday basis of undergraduates' thermodynamic ideas about some chemical reactions | ||||
Author: | Ribeiro, M. Gabriela T. C. |
ISNI:
0000 0001 3515 4892
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Awarding Body: | University of East Anglia | ||||
Current Institution: | University of East Anglia | ||||
Date of Award: | 1990 | ||||
Availability of Full Text: |
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Abstract: | |||||
The nature of undergraduates' ideas about thennodynamics and the everyday basis of
those ideas was investigated.
A sample of fourteen Portuguese undergraduate students in their last year of university
studies in physics and chemistry (teacher training) were interviewed individually about
five chemical phenomena. The results showed that these students found it very difficult to
use thermodynamic concepts to discuss real situations. The physical reality of the
situation seemed to dominate thinking. The majority of the students used criteria based
mainly on observable features or everyday notions. There was very little spontaneous use
of thermodynamic concepts. It was found that non-science conceptions were persistent
despite formal instruction in advanced chemistry the students had received.
The second experiment investigated the everyday origin of the ideas the students used and
how everyday experiences and meanings and formal instruction may have influenced
these ideas. It was carried out by interviewing individually ten secondary school pupils
(9th and 12th grades) and five adults. The results showed that the intuitive way of
thinking about the physical world influences strongly what students learn about 'new',
'abstract' and 'scientific' ways of explaining what happens in nature.
The comparison of the results of both experiments showed that there was close similarity
between pupils' and university students' ideas. Several reasons were put forward as
explanation: (i) students are more confident using criteria based on perceivable features
(ii) the context of real phenomena makes the use of theoretical knowledge difficult (iii)
students spend more time dealing with 'everyday meanings' than with 'scientific
meanings' (iv) the concepts are abstract and (v) science uses words also used in ordinary
speech.
Implications for teaching are pointed out.
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Supervisor: | Not available | Sponsor: | Not available | ||
Qualification Name: | Thesis (Ph.D.) | Qualification Level: | Doctoral | ||
EThOS ID: | uk.bl.ethos.278097 | DOI: | Not available | ||
Keywords: | Chemical thermodynamics | ||||
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