Avoiding crossed wires

By David Read2013-07-02T00:00:00

Source: © Shutterstock

Clarity avoids confusion across representation

A recurring theme in chemistry education research is the confusion experienced by students when moving between different levels of representation in explaining phenomena. Clear communication is essential in ensuring that students are able to develop and visualise models to relate the macroscopic behaviour of matter to processes occurring at a sub-microscopic level. By carrying out analysis of discursive practices in two classrooms, Stieff and colleagues have probed the origin of students' difficulties in this area.

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