Bonding concepts are communicated using a variety of representations. Traditionally students start by learning the differences between covalent and ionic bonds using simple symbolic representations and then transition to describing the particulate nature of bonding through the use of more complex representations. However, students may not fully grasp the limitations and applications of the different representations they interact with while learning about bond types, leading to the development of misconceptions about chemical bonds. The Bonding Representations Inventory (BRI) was created to investigate students understanding and misconceptions. The BRI is a multiple choice concept inventory that asks students to identify bond types and describe bond characteristics using both symbolic and particulate representations. The concept inventory was administered at 11 different universities across the United States resulting in to 447 student responses. Students’ abilities to use symbolic and particulate representations were characterized using cluster analysis. Results from the cluster analysis revealed that while most groups of students are able to easily use symbolic representations, many have difficulties identifying bond types and characteristics using particulate representations. A small group of students were able to use particulate representations but not symbolic ones. Results will be presented.

Students’ use of symbolic and particulate representations to characterize bonding

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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