STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN THE
TRENDS OF PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS:
BASIS FOR REMEDIAL ACTIVITIES
DEXTER C. NECOR
[email protected]
Introduction
 General chemistry is commonly perceived to be more difficult
than the other subjects for many reasons, one of which is that
chemistry has a very specialized vocabulary; most of the
concepts were abstract.
 According to Blosser (1987), in spite of chemistry teachers’ best
efforts in teaching chemistry, learners do not easily grasp the
fundamental ideas covered in class. Although some smart
students give the right answer, they only use correctly
memorized words.
When questioned more deeply, these
students reveal a lack of understanding and fail to explain fully
the underlying concepts.
Introduction
 Blosser (1987) further cited that teachers should provide more
structured opportunities for students to talk through ideas at
length, both in small and whole class discussions, begin with
known and familiar examples and introduce some science topics
into curriculum at earlier ages.
 Students’ conceptual understanding before and after a formal
instruction have become a major concern among researchers in
science education because they influence how students learn
new scientific knowledge, play an essential role in subsequent
learning and become a hindrance in acquiring the correct body of
knowledge.
Introduction
 According to Thagard (2004), conceptual change is the creation
and alteration of mental representations that correspond to
words. It is an important part in learning science. Moreover,
conceptual change is produced by mental processes that create
and alter mental representations.
 Explaining how conceptual change works is important for
understanding the growth of scientific knowledge, the
development of children’s thinking, and education of students in
the field of science and even mathematics (Thagard, 2004).
Conceptual change also can promote students’ interest, curiosity
and understanding
Introduction
 Ferido (1995) investigated conceptual change through the use of pre-
test and post-test.
She used cooperative learning on student’s
understanding of some selected topics in high school chemistry.
 Locaylocay (2002) suggested that the most effective in promoting
conceptual change are the used of discrepant and the use of analogies.
More examples should be given and the different conceptions should be
discussed. Extensive follow-up is needed to convert anomalies into
lasting conceptual change. Such follow-ups could include small and
large group discussions and conceptual exercises.

Horton (2004), alternative conceptions concerning a number of topics
have yet to be found or evaluated these includes: periodic table of
elements; geometry and polarity of molecules; third law of
thermodynamics and some topics in organic chemistry.
Introduction
 The periodic table of elements is considered to be one of the
important topics in basic chemistry which leads to a deeper
understanding on the chemical and physical properties of elements.
Many concepts in these topics are necessary to understand the trends
of periodic table of elements. These include: electron configuration,
electronic structure of atoms, classification of elements, and
development of periodic table of elements. Consequently, the physical
and chemical properties of elements depends on its group or family due
to its atomic radius, ionic radius; ionization energy; electron affinity; and
electronegativity.
 Students’ concepts of the trends of periodic table of elements are often
different from its scientifically accepted attribute. Students often think
of the trends in periodic table of elements as an increase and decrease
of the trends across the period and down a group but students fail to
explain the underlying concepts of the trends.
 Thus,
the researcher was motivated to investigate conceptual
understanding of students and design remedial activities to improve
learning.
Trends in Periodic Table of Elements
Objectives:
 Identify the level of conceptual understanding of the
third year high school students on the trends of
periodic table of elements along the following topics:
atomic radius; ionic radius; ionization energy; electron
affinity; and electronegativity;
 Design and implement remedial activities to improve
students’ level of conceptual understanding; and
 Determine the change of the level of conceptual
understanding after remedial activities.
Scope and Limitation
 Forty nine third year high school students
 Questions were focused along the following sub-topics in the
trends of the periodic table of elements these includes: Atomic
Radius; Ionic Radius; Ionization Energy; Electron Affinity; and
Electronegativity.
 Students’ conceptions were determined immediately after
teaching the trends of periodic table of elements by their
chemistry teacher based on the Basic Education Curriculum
(BEC).
 There was no attempt to compare the sample as to their
cognitive level and attitude neither with nor with other classes
and other strategies used by their chemistry teacher.
Methodology
Locale
Sample
Data
Gathering
Data
Analysis
Instruments
Instruments

Diagnostic Test. A pre-test and post-test was administered to the sample to
identify and to evaluate the level and frequencies of misconceptions. The test is
composed fifteen (15) multiple-choice items with four options. Each question
has an open-ended portion for the students to write their reasons for their choice.
The diagnostic test was piloted by 78 third year high school students of
Alabel National Science High School who had studied trends in the periodic table
of elements in Chemistry 1 to determine the reliability and validity of the test.

Analysis and Scoring
In analyzing the four open-ended questions in the diagnostic test, a
concept-evaluation scheme developed in previous research was used in this
study. First, students’ responses can be separated into different levels of
understanding. Second, students’ misconceptions can be further analyzed into
different patterns. Other researchers have used different schemes comprised of
three, four or five categories but the scheme used in this study comprises three
categories as listed and defined in the table.
The degree of understanding and criteria of scoring.
Degree of Understanding
Full Understanding
2- points
Partial Understanding
1-point
Misconception
0-point
No Understanding
0-point
Criteria for Scoring
-Responses include all components of
the validated responses, both correct
choice of option and explanation
-Reponses include at least one of the
component of the validated response
but not all the components.
-correct option, wrong explanation or
wrong option, correct explanation
-correct option but incomplete
explanation.
-Responses include illogical choice
and incorrect explanation
Non-sense response
Unclear response
No response/Blank
Addressing Conceptual Understanding
1. Chemistry Guessing
 This game aims to draw out students’ knowledge about the
different terms used in the trends in periodic table of elements.
2. Use of visualizing tools and multimedia tools.
 After the foregoing activity, the teacher proceeded to use
multimedia to represent the reactivity of metals .
The
multimedia used (taken from youtube.com) provided a virtual
experience of reactivity of metals and nonmetals compared to
other group of metals and nonmetals.
3. Periodic Table Notes
 After the discussions and activities, the teacher proceeded to
the concept mapping.
Periodic Table notes are graphical
tools for organizing and representing knowledge.
Findings
 The reactivity of metals towards water has 22 misconception
responses.
 Trends in ionization energy revealed the highest percentage of
misconceptions
 Trends of second ionization energy across the period had 51% of
misconception statement.
 Trends in electronegativity shows 0% percent of misconception
response after interventions. Most of the students move up to
full understanding.
Conclusions
 Students’ preconceptions about the trends in periodic table of
elements were abstract
 Most high school students have partial or outright misconception
statements.
 The remedial activities that were found to aid in the promotion of
conceptual change are the use of multimedia and concept
mapping.
evolution of most students’ level of conceptual
understanding
moved
from
misconception
to
partial
understanding or even to full understanding.
 The
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