Functional Groups Detection: Do Chemistry Teachers Demonstrate Conceptual Difficulties in Teaching?

The chemistry chief examiner of the West African Examination Council has complaint a lot about the weak performance of students on organic chemistry including functional group detection The study therefore investigated whether senior high school teachers who teach chemical concepts to students also demonstrated conceptual difficulties on functional group detection under organic qualitative analysis The study adopted convergent mixed methods procedures to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from 47 chemistry teachers The 47 teachers were sampled through multistage sampling procedures to respond to the Organic Qualitative Analysis Diagnostic Test for Teachers The quantitative data was analyzed using means standard deviations and percentages to reflect no scientific understanding partial scientific understanding and scientific understanding of functional group detection The qualitative data was open-coded and constantly compared to established teachers alternative conceptions and factual difficulties on functional group detectio

FACTORS INFLUENCING HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ORGANIC QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Identification and characterisation of the structures of unknown substances are important parts of learning organic chemistry. This paper reports on a study that investigated factors that influence the teaching and learning of organic qualitative analysis in organic chemistry. In all, three teachers and nine students from three different categories of schools participated in the study. Interview guides and an observation checklist were developed and used to obtain qualitative data. The qualitative data gathered from the interview were transcribed by reducing them to patterns and themes and analysed thematically. The study revealed, among others, that teaching and learning resources, practical-based instruction and the nature of the chemistry curriculum were the factors that impede chemistry teachers’ and students’ teaching and learning of organic qualitative analysis in organic chemistry.  Article visualizations

A Comparative Study of Groups of Teachers on the Perceived Nature of Effective Teaching and Learning Science

The teacher is influential in the processes of teaching and learning science, organizing instruction to transform concepts into the understanding of students. Hence, teacher effectiveness is discussed in most educational forums as stakeholders look for more plausible ways of effective teaching and learning. As part of a large study on teachers’ conception of an effective science teacher, we studied comparative views of mentors, mentees, and supervisors on the perceived nature of effective science teachers in the processes of teaching and learning science in basic schools. In a triangulation mixed methods design, 271 mentees, 160 mentors, and 85 supervisors were selected through multistage sampling procedures to respond to Effective Science Teacher Questionnaire and Interview Schedule. The data from the questionnaires were reduced to three factors through exploratory factor analysis. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically in line with the three factors. It was revealed that there was no statistically significant difference as supervisors differed not in their perceived nature of an effective science teacher compared to that of mentors and mentees. The Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service should provide opportunities for the three groups of teachers to share experiences on effective teaching and learning science in basic schools