Transformation of organic chemistry for teaching and learning

150 Pages·2012·14.86 MB·English

STUDENT NUMBER: 7603279
Transformation of organic chemistry for
teaching and learning: An analysis of
Grade 12 South African textbooks and
examination guidelines.
A research project submitted to the Faculty of Science,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the MSc Degree.

Fiona Newell
11/5/2012
ABSTRACT
In the context of educational transformation in South Africa the organic chemistry
content of science textbooks needs to be mediated by the authors of the books
profoundly and flexibly so as to provide for the diverse abilities and backgrounds of
South African learners. This mediation requires critical interpretation of the
curriculum documents [examination guidelines], representation and selection of the
instructional ideas by using pedagogical content knowledge [PCK] so as to make the
content accessible to the learners and to help them prepare for examinations. The
purpose of this content analysis which used PCK as a theoretical framework was to
establish how the grade12 organic chemistry content has been transformed for
teaching and learning by the textbook authors and what teaching methods have
been used, as not all the textbooks seem to cover the same content. To capture the
PCK of the authors a representation of the content or CoRe was used for each of the
books analysed using the Big Ideas from the text as well as the Bishop and Denley’s
six knowledge bases of PCK. The study showed that although all the books analysed
showed evidence of the authors’ PCK none of them mediated the content sufficiently
to cater adequately for the learners’ needs.

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DECLARATION

I declare that this research report is my own unaided work, except as indicated in the
acknowledgements, the text and the references. It is being submitted in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at the University of
the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any degree
or examination at any other institute.

Signed___________________________________Date________________
Fiona Anne Newell
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Dedication:
This project is dedicated to my family- my husband Tony and my daughters Kim and
Megan.
Acknowledgements:
Without the help of many people this project would not have been possible. I would
like to express my very great appreciation to Professor Marissa Rollnick for helping
me figure out what I wanted my project to be about; providing direction and for all the
hours she spent mentoring me.
I would also like to offer special thanks to my family for their understanding, support
and encouragement along the way. Without you I would never have completed this
arduous task.
I would also like to acknowledge the support of my colleagues at work especially
Dina who understood that I needed some extra time to complete this task.
Lastly I would like to thank my learners for providing me with the need to see this
through.

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CONTENTS:

2
CHAPTER 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION 2
1.2 RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY 2
1.3 AIM OF THE STUDY 4
1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 4
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 6
1.6 SEQUENCE OF THE RESEARCH REPORT 6
9
CHAPTER 2
2.1 TEXTBOOKS, TEACHERS AND MEDIATION OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 9
CONTENT:
2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE (PCK) 10
2.2.1 ANALYSING FOR PCK 11
2.2.2 CAPTURING PCK 13
2.3 TEXTBOOKS AND THE CURRICULUM 14
2.4 QUALITY OF TEXTBOOKS 15
2.5 FUNCTIONS OF TEXTBOOKS 16
2.6 SOUTH AFRICAN PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS 16
2.7 TEXTBOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM 17
2.8 TEXTBOOKS, TEACHERS AND LEARNERS 18
2.9 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CONTENT IN TEXTBOOKS 18
2.10 IMPLICATIONS FOR THIS STUDY: 20
22
CHAPTER 3
3.1 INTRODUCTION: 22
3.2 TYPE OF RESEARCH: 22
3.3 TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE STUDY 23
3.4 SAMPLE 24
3.5 TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS 25
3.5.1 TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS TOOL 25
3.6 ANALYSIS OF DATA 26
3.6.1 CONTENT REPRESENTATION 27
3.7 ETHICS 27
3.8 CRITIQUE OF DATA COLLECTION METHODS 27

CHAPTER 4 30
4.1 INTRODUCTION 30
4.1.1 THE LEARNER’S BOOK 31
4.1.2 THE TEACHER’S GUIDE 35
4.2 MEDIATION OF CHEMISTRY CONTENT. 37
4.2.1 The CoRe 37
4.2.2 BIG IDEA 1: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ARE MADE FROM CARBON CHAINS WITH 41
OTHER ELEMENTS TO MAKE DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS WITH SPECIAL
ARRANGEMENTS CALLED FUNCTIONAL GROUPS
4.2.3 BIG IDEA 2: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ARE NAMED ACCORDING TO VERY 43
SPECIFIC RULES SET OUT BY IUPAC.
4.2.4 BIG IDEA 3: THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC 44
COMPOUNDS ARE LINKED TO THEIR FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
4.2.5 BIG IDEA 4: THE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES THAT ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 45
UNDERGO ARE LINKED TO THEIR MOLECULAR STRUCTURES AND THEIR
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS
4.2.6 ANALYSIS OF PCK 48
4.2.7 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CURRICULUM 49
4.2.8 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT 51
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4.2.9 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTEXT. 52
4.2.10 KNOWLEDGE OF VALUES, ENDS AND PURPOSES 53
4.2.11 KNOWLEDGE OF LEARNERS AND LEARNING 53
4.2.12 GENERAL PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE 54
4.3 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER 54

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CHAPTER 5
5.1 INTRODUCTION 58
5.1.1 THE LEARNER’S BOOK 60
5.1.2 THE TEACHER’S GUIDE 66
5.1.3 THE EXAM BANK CD ROM 67
5.1.4 THE FET PRACTICALS BOOK 67
5.1.5 THE EXAM PRACTICE BOOK 68
5.2 MEDIATION OF CHEMISTRY CONTENT. 69
5.2.1 BIG IDEA 1 CARBON IS UNIQUE 72
5.2.2 BIG IDEA 2 THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS OF REPRESENTING ORGANIC 73
SUBSTANCES WHICH ARE NAMED USING A STANDARD SYSTEM (IUPAC) OF
NAMING.
5.2.3 BIG IDEA 3: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS SHOW DISTINCTIVE PHYSICAL AND 74
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
5.2.4 BIG IDEA 4: ORGANIC REACTIONS DEPEND ON THE DISTINCTIVE PHYSICAL 76
AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC MOLECULES TO DETERMINE THE
TYPES OF REACTIONS THEY UNDERGO
5.2.5 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CURRICULUM 78
5.2.6 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT 80
5.2.7 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTEXT 82
5.2.8 KNOWLEDGE OF VALUES ENDS AND PURPOSES 84
5.2.9 KNOWLEDGE OF LEARNERS AND LEARNING 85
5.2.10 GENERAL PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE 86
5.3 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER 87
90
CHAPTER 6
6.1. INTRODUCTION 90
6.1.1 THE LEARNER’S BOOK 91
6.1.2 THE TEACHER’S GUIDE 95
6.2 MEDIATION OF CHEMISTRY CONTENT 97
6.2.1 The CoRe: CONTENT REPRESENTATION 97
6.2.2 BIG IDEA 1 CARBON HAS SPECIAL PROPERTIES WHICH MAKE IT UNIQUE 102
6.2.3 BIG IDEA 2: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR 105
BONDS OR STRUCTURES
6.2.4 BIG IDEA 3: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ARE NAMED AND REPRESENTED 108
ACCORDING TO IUPAC RULES
6.2.5 BIG IDEA 4: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS HAVE CHARACTERISTIC CHEMICAL AND 110
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
6.2.6 BIG IDEA 5: REACTIONS THAT ORGANIC SUBSTANCES UNDERGO ARE 113
DETERMINED BY THEIR CHARCTERISTIC CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES
6.2.8 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CURRICULUM 117
6.2.9 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT 118
6.2.10 KNOWLEDGE OF VALUES, ENDS AND PURPOSES 119
6.2.11 KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTEXT 119
6.2.12 KNOWLEDGE OF LEARNERS AND LEARNING 119
6.2.13 GENERAL PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE 120
6.3 AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
122
CHAPTER 7
7.1 INTRODUCTION 123
7.2 CRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE STUDY 123
7.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 1 127
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7.3.1 COMPARISON OF THE BIG IDEAS AND PCK 127
7.3.2 COMPARISON OF GENERAL FEATURES OF THE TEXTBOOKS 129
7.4 RESEARCH QUESTION 2 131
7.5 CONCLUSIONS 134
7.6 RECOMMENDATIONS 135

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Bishop and Denley's model of PCK (2007) 13
Figure 4.1: Details of Study and Master Physical Sciences. (Cambridge University Press 30
Core South African Textbooks, 2011)
Figure 4.2: Introduction to unit 3, Study and Master Physical Sciences. 3 1
Figure 4.3: pg 237 Study and Master Physical Sciences 3 4
Figure 4.4: Did you know? 3 5
Figure 4.5: Applying IUPAC Rules and functional groups 3 6
Figure 4.6: Classification of organic compounds 42
Figure 4.7: Three dimensional structures 42
Figure 4.8 Textbox containing highlighted information 43
Figure 4.9: Table of homologous series 43
Figure 4.10: Naming of organic compounds 44
Figure 4.11: Table showing molecular formula, melting point, boiling point and phase at room 45
temperature.
Figure 4.12: Smell or flavour of different esters 45
Figure 4.13: Activity on preparing an ester 47
Figure 4.14: Assessment task on applying organic reactions 48
Figure 4.15 Spinning Top Model (Bishop & Denley, 2007) 49
Figure 4.16 Naming organic compounds 51
Figure 4.17: Welding with an oxy-acetylene torch 52
Figure 4.18: Description of alkynes 52
Figure 4.19: Example of solution to question on drawing a structural formul a 54
Figure 5.1 Cover-Focus on Physical Sciences 58
Figure 5.2: Focus on Physical Sciences Exam Bank 59
Figure 5.3: Description of the Focus Series 59
Figure 5.4: Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards pg151 60
Figure 5.5: Mind Map Chapter 5 Focus on Physical Sciences pg 151 62
Figure 5.6: Example of definitions from glossary page 274 62
Figure 5.7: Example from index Focus on Physical Sciences 62
Figure 5.8: Note Rules for naming organic compounds page 153 63

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Figure 5.9: Mind Map page 154 64
Figure 5.10: Signposts to information in another chapter 64
Figure 5.11: Example of a safety note 65
Figure 5.12: Activity examining the relationship between the size of an alkane and its boiling 66
point page 158
Figure 5.13: Observation Checklist for Organic chemistry practical in Practicals Book 68
Figure 5.14: Table on functional groups 73
Figure 5.15: In chapter activity 73
Figure 5.16: Worked example on isomers 74
Figure 5.17: Picture showing an oxyacetylene torch 75
Figure 5.18: Case study: Health risks of benzene in coal and tobacco smoke 76
Figure 5.19: Examples of substitution reactions 76
Figure 5.20: determining whether hydrocarbons are saturated or unsaturated -substitution and 77
addition reactions
Figure 5.21: Oxidation reactions, halogenations reactions and elimination reactions as well 77
as signposts to other chapters.
Figure 5.22: Activities on understanding and making esters and esters as functional groups 78
Figure 5.23: Learning Outcomes and Assessment standards for Activity 5.16 79

Figure 5.24: Naming Alkanes 81

Figure 5.25: Worked example and solution to naming a branched alkane 81

Figure 5.26: Uses of Alcohol 82

Figure 5.27: Hydrogen bonding in alcohols 82

Figure 5.28: How to approach an examination question in a practice exam as well as part of 83
the question.

Figure 5.29: Summary Activity 84

Figure 5.30: Summary of principle functional groups. 87

Figure 6.1 Teacher's Guide 90
Figure 6.2 Learner's Book 90
Figure 6.2.1 Get the facts 92
Figure 6.3 Glossary Physical Sciences Explained 93
Figure 6.4 Page 147 Physical Sciences Explained 93
Figure 6.5 Review it now 94
Figure 6.6 Picture from Physical Sciences Explained showing sources of carbon 95
Figure 6.7 Example of encouraging learner's to access prior knowledge 96
Figure 6.8 Organic products from fossil fuels 103
Figure 6.9 Different carbon structures 103
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Figure 6.10 Aufbau Diagrams for carbon in its ground and excited state. 104
Figure 6.11 Facts about carbon and how it bonds. 104
Figure 6.12 Concept map of classification of organic compounds 106
Figure 6.13 Ball and Stick models and structural formulae 107
Figure 6.14 Table relating names, numbers of carbons, condensed formulae and prefixes 107

Figure 6.15 Cartoon about the importance of rules 109
Figure 6.16 Example to show how multiple groups would be numbered and named 109

Figure 6.17 Worked examples on naming organic compounds 110

Figure 6.18 Butane as a convenient fuel supply for portable appliances 111

Figure 6.19 Revision of intermolecular forces 112
Figure 6.20 Different representations of benzene 113
Figure 6.21 Pictures of different uses of alcohol 114
Figure 6.22 Elimination reactions of alcohols 114
Figure 6.23 Investigate it now activity 115
Figure 6.24 Missing content 116
Figure 6.25 Science in our world. 117
Figure 6.26 Get the facts 118
Figure 6.27 Questions and skills for learners. 118

LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Details of textbook Study & Master Physical Sciences 30
Table 4.2 The CoRe- Study & Master Physical Sciences Big Ideas 1&2 39
Table 4.3 The CoRe- Study & Master Physical Sciences Big Ideas 3&4 4 0
Table 4.4 Missing information in textbooks 5 0
Table 5.1 Details of textbook Focus on Physical Sciences 58
Table 5.2 CoRe Big Ideas 1&2 70
Table 5.3 CoRe Big Ideas 3&4 71
Table 5.4 Missing Information from Physical Sciences Explained. 80
Table 6.1 Details of Physical Sciences Explained. 91
Table 6.2 Big Ideas 1&2 Physical Sciences Explained 99
Table 6.3 Big Ideas 3&4 Physical Sciences Explained 100
Table 6.4 Big Idea 5 Physical Sciences Explained 101
Table 7.1 Comparison of Big Ideas 127
Table 7.2 Comparison of general features in the textbooks 131
Table 7. 3 Missing Information from Examination Guidelines 133

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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 Chapters 1-7 in PDF on CD 1 A1

APPENDIX 2 Scans in PDF on CD 2 A2
Focus on Physical Sciences
Physical Sciences Explained
Study and Master Physical Sciences

APPENDIX 3 Textbook Analysis Tool Study and Master Physical A3.1
Sciences
DoE Examination Guidelines Focus on Physical Sciences A3.2
Reading Ease Test- Focus on Physical Sciences & Physical A3.3
Sciences Explained
CoRe -Study & Master Physical Sciences A3.4
Coding of Data-Study & Master Physical Sciences A3.5
DoE Examination Guidelines 2009/2010/2011 A3.6
Textbook Analysis Tool A3.7

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