Organic chemistry students' fragmented ideas about the structure and function of nucleophiles and electrophiles: a concept map analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1019-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Anzovino ◽  
Stacey Lowery Bretz
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Reaction Mechanisms ◽  
Concept Map ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Cognitive Map ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Second Year ◽  
And Function ◽  
Map Analysis

Organic chemistry students struggle with multiple aspects of reaction mechanisms and the curved arrow notation used by organic chemists. Many faculty believe that an understanding of nucleophiles and electrophiles, among other concepts, is required before students can develop fluency with the electron-pushing formalism (EPF). An expert concept map was created to depict an understanding of nucleophiles and electrophiles ideally held by undergraduates. Second year organic chemistry students were interviewed and asked to give examples of nucleophiles and electrophiles and to identify them in reactions. A cognitive map was created to represent each student's understanding. The students' maps were compared to the expert map, revealing that students possess fragmented ideas about the structure and function of nucleophiles and electrophiles.

scholarly journals Why school-related content knowledge for pre-service chemistry teachers should include basic concepts in organic chemistry

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanda Hermanns ◽  
Nico Ermler
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Chemistry Teacher ◽  
Chemistry Teachers ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
The Moment ◽  
And Function

Abstract In this paper we describe and evaluate a study on the use of concepts in organic chemistry while solving tasks that are designed after the concept of school-related content knowledge (SRCK). The study was designed as a mixed methods study and conducted at a German university for the content of “organic chemistry”. As the results of this study show, the students rate the tasks and the use of anchoring concepts as for example “bonds” or “structure and function” as relevant for their future profession as a chemistry teacher. They therefore propose that concepts should be an integral part of their university studies as they find it lacking at the moment. Concepts can also be seen as an opportunity to build a bridge between school knowledge and university knowledge.

Organic chemistry students’ challenges with coherence formation between reactions and reaction coordinate diagrams

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 732-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maia Popova ◽  
Stacey Lowery Bretz
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Reaction Mechanisms ◽  
Reaction Coordinate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Student Difficulties ◽  
Need Support ◽  
Elimination Reactions

The purpose of this study was to elucidate and describe students’ thinking when making connections between substitution and elimination reactions and their corresponding reaction coordinate diagrams. Thirty-six students enrolled in organic chemistry II participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Three major themes were identified that characterize students’ difficulties with integrating the information from the reactions and the reaction coordinate diagrams: incorrect ideas about the meanings of the reaction coordinate diagrams’ features, errors when examining reaction mechanisms, and an inability to assess the relative energies of reaction species. These findings suggest that students need support for coherence formation between reactions and reaction coordinate diagrams. Implications for teaching to address these student difficulties are suggested.

scholarly journals Sir James Baddiley. 15 May 1918 — 19 November 2008

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 3-23
Author(s):  
J. Grant Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Adenosine Triphosphate ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Cell Walls ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Cambridge University ◽  
Teichoic Acids ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Organic Chemist ◽  
And Function

James Baddiley was a biochemist who used the methods and insight of the organic chemist to answer important questions in biology, notably coenzyme structure and the structure and function of bacterial cell walls. A graduate of Manchester University, he moved to Cambridge in 1944 with A. R. Todd, where he synthesized adenosine triphosphate, the nucleotide concerned with essential energy transformations in all forms of life. As an independent researcher at the Lister Institute in London he elucidated the structure of coenzyme A and other coenzymes. He was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry in Newcastle, where the exploration of the structures of two cytidine nucleotides led to the discovery of the teichoic acids, major components of the cell walls and membranes of Gram-positive bacteria. These discoveries were extended to cover the structures, biosynthesis, function and immunology of the teichoic acids. Baddiley became Professor of Chemical Microbiology in 1977. Moving to Cambridge after his retirement, he was able to continue his researches in the Department of Biochemistry. He was elected a Fellow of Pembroke College and as an elder statesman undertook extensive committee work, often as chairman, both in Cambridge University and nationally. He was knighted in 1977.

scholarly journals Factors Controlling Macrophyte Breakage in Jackson Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

1984 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
Michael Parker ◽  
Carol Brewer ◽  
Thomas Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Littoral Zone ◽  
National Park ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Main Axis ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Macrophyte Community ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The Absolute ◽  
And Function

The research described here is part of a two year study to characterize the structure and function of the littoral macrophyte community in Jackson Lake, Wyoming. The objectives for the second year were to perform experiments to: 1) Index water movement in the littoral zone of the lake; 2) Identify the zones where the greatest plant breakage occured; 3) Determine the mechanisms and the absolute force required to break the main axis of a plant, and; 4) Measure the productivity of several species of macrophytes.

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