CHED 214 |
| Organic chemistry is a course where students must establish groupings of different chemical compounds presented to them either as pictures or via nomenclature. Being able to group molecules is necessary for transfer of what was learned in one context to another. Categorization is one of the most basic functions of cognition. Classic models of categorization emphasize similarity as the primary means of categorization: if two items are similar, they belong in the same category and if they are dissimilar, they belong in different categories. These models also underscore a unidimensional mechanism of categorization where a single salient feature is used as the basis of categorization, even though multiple salient features may be present. This paper examines the primary feature organic chemistry students (n = 33) used to categorize eight organic compounds possessing similar salient features related to structure, functional groups, and stereochemistry and how the primary feature changed over time. |
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Research in Chemical Education
8:30 AM-11:55 AM, Monday, March 26, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N227A, Level 2, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |