Rates of change concepts are an important foundation for reaction kinetics in general chemistry. Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) in chemistry, physics and mathematics reveals several aspects of rates of change with which students struggle, including: interpreting graphs, moving between graphical representations, and assigning appropriate meaning to symbolic notation. Because chemistry textbooks significantly influence curriculum and provide a conceptual narrative that buttresses what students learn in class, an interdisciplinary team (chemistry, science education, mathematics education) designed a rubric informed by the relevant DBER and undertook a fine-grained analysis of the general chemistry textbooks used by the Top 10 producers of ACS-approved chemistry baccalaureates. Texts varied considerably in their treatment of rates of change concepts. Differences include the distinction made between average, instantaneous and initial rates of change, types of kinetics graphs presented, and juxtaposition of visuals to emphasize distinguishing features (from one to five times). Differences were not simply attributable to whether or not the text was calculus-based. Although not intended as a ranking (because many factors go into selecting a chemistry text) by highlighting texts’ strengths and weaknesses, including missing steps in logic, the findings have direct implications for instructors as they plan and develop a set of curricular resources for their students.

Fine-grained analysis of general chemistry texts’ treatment of rates of change concepts in reaction kinetics

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.