Abstract

SEVIAN, Hannah et al. Chemistry students' and professors' conceptions of chemical identity: Part I - Chemical identity as the basis of the macroscopic concept of substance. Educ. quím [online]. 2015, vol.26, n.1, pp.13-20. ISSN 0187-893X.

The value of the concept of substance, both in its theoretical and phenomenological constructions, should be considered in the learning of chemistry. The central idea of chemical identity is defined to consist of the assumptions, knowledge and practices of chemists in determining whether substances are the same or not the same. Within a collaboration between two universities, one in Costa Rica and the other in the United States, an exploratory study was conducted to uncover trends and to validate empirically, within undergraduate and graduate levels of education, including professors, a hypothetical learning progression of chemical identity that was previously reported. This work is presented in two parts. In this first part, a brief history of the macroscopic concept of substance is presented, as well as a summary of the hypothetical learning progression of chemical identity and how it relates to the theoretical framework of chemical thinking. This manuscript precedes the second part in which the results, implications and conclusions are presented.

Keywords : learning progressions; alternative conceptions; concept of substance; chemistry.

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