Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry

The galvanic cell is a typical interdisciplinary topic, which is primarily taught in chemistry but its underpinning is closely related to physics. Student learning in galvanic cell has been extensively studied in chemistry education, which has revealed a large number of misconceptions that are diffi...

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Main Authors: Dewei Ye, Jiali Qian, Wangyi Xu, Yuyang Lu, Shuli Wang, Longhai Xiao, Lei Bao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2024-10-01
Series:Physical Review Physics Education Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020129
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author Dewei Ye
Jiali Qian
Wangyi Xu
Yuyang Lu
Shuli Wang
Longhai Xiao
Lei Bao
author_facet Dewei Ye
Jiali Qian
Wangyi Xu
Yuyang Lu
Shuli Wang
Longhai Xiao
Lei Bao
author_sort Dewei Ye
collection DOAJ
description The galvanic cell is a typical interdisciplinary topic, which is primarily taught in chemistry but its underpinning is closely related to physics. Student learning in galvanic cell has been extensively studied in chemistry education, which has revealed a large number of misconceptions that are difficult to change through traditional instruction. A source of the learning difficulties is that most students lack an explanatory framework to integrate the many complex phenomena and processes into a coherent knowledge system. As a result, students often rely on memorization of terms, laws, and equations in solving problems but without a meaningful understanding of their reasoning. To address the deficit in learning, this study aims to help students develop an explanatory framework for supporting an integrated knowledge structure. Specifically, a conceptual framework model for galvanic cell is developed based on the central idea from physics, which is used as the core concept for mechanistic explanations of the related chemistry concepts. Guided by the conceptual framework, an instrument is developed to assess the knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell. A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures was used to assess the levels of knowledge integration in learning galvanic cell with a large number of Chinese high school and college students. The assessment results show that the conceptual framework model can effectively represent the knowledge structures of students at different levels of knowledge integration. The galvanic cell conceptual framework and assessment results can provide useful resources for teachers to develop instruction for promoting knowledge integration.
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spelling doaj-art-d4a2dfacb6e44b2db3adb359d5efdeae2025-08-20T01:47:34ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Physics Education Research2469-98962024-10-0120202012910.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020129Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistryDewei YeJiali QianWangyi XuYuyang LuShuli WangLonghai XiaoLei BaoThe galvanic cell is a typical interdisciplinary topic, which is primarily taught in chemistry but its underpinning is closely related to physics. Student learning in galvanic cell has been extensively studied in chemistry education, which has revealed a large number of misconceptions that are difficult to change through traditional instruction. A source of the learning difficulties is that most students lack an explanatory framework to integrate the many complex phenomena and processes into a coherent knowledge system. As a result, students often rely on memorization of terms, laws, and equations in solving problems but without a meaningful understanding of their reasoning. To address the deficit in learning, this study aims to help students develop an explanatory framework for supporting an integrated knowledge structure. Specifically, a conceptual framework model for galvanic cell is developed based on the central idea from physics, which is used as the core concept for mechanistic explanations of the related chemistry concepts. Guided by the conceptual framework, an instrument is developed to assess the knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell. A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures was used to assess the levels of knowledge integration in learning galvanic cell with a large number of Chinese high school and college students. The assessment results show that the conceptual framework model can effectively represent the knowledge structures of students at different levels of knowledge integration. The galvanic cell conceptual framework and assessment results can provide useful resources for teachers to develop instruction for promoting knowledge integration.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020129
spellingShingle Dewei Ye
Jiali Qian
Wangyi Xu
Yuyang Lu
Shuli Wang
Longhai Xiao
Lei Bao
Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
Physical Review Physics Education Research
title Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
title_full Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
title_fullStr Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
title_short Assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell: An interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
title_sort assessment of knowledge integration in student learning of galvanic cell an interdisciplinary approach connecting physics and chemistry
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020129
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