Pre-Service Science Teachers- Understanding of Chemical Multiple Representations
Eliyawati Eliyawati (a*), Rika Rafikah Agustin (a), Rossy Andini(a)
a) International Program on Science Education Study Program, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jalan Setiabudi no 229, Bandung, Indonesia
*eliyawati[at]upi.edu
Abstract
Chemistry deals with lots of concepts ranging from simple to more complex as well as concrete to abstract. Understanding of chemistry is needed mainly by pre-service science teachers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the understanding of preservice science teachers about chemical multiple representations at macroscopic, symbolic, and sub-microscopic levels. This study involved twenty-seven preservice science and data were collected using chemical multiple representations table. Results indicated that most of pre-service science teachers could not describe the substances when it is dissolved in water at macroscopic, symbolic, and sub-microscopic levels. A few of pre-service science teachers couldnt write correctly the symbolic level of potassium chloride. All of them couldn-t write correctly the ionization reaction of acetic acid and also describe the molecular view of acetic acid solution. Generally, they had some difficulties in investigating macroscopic, symbolic, and sub-microscopic levels nor integrating these levels with the contents.
Keywords: Pre-service science teachers, macroscopic, symbolic and microscopic levels
Topic: Integrated Science Education