Chemical formulation in the initial training of secondary school teachers: conceptions and proposals

Abstract

Chemical formulation in Spain is taught in middle school. Because of its difficulty, it is a considerable challenge for secondary school teachers. This problem is a serious one because when chemical formulation is not well taught, something that happens all too frequently, students can acquire a negative attitude towards chemistry. This can subsequently lead them to reject the subject completely and even make them decide against studying science at all. Most research on this topic is centered on the student. However this study focuses on the teacher and the difficulties inherent in teaching chemical formulation. As such, it is particularly relevant for preservice secondary school teacher training. For this purpose, a study was made of teachers’ conceptions of how formulation should be taught. The results obtained showed that these conceptions are in consonance with a set of tendencies and patterns that constitute a spontaneous teaching model. After a critical analysis of this model, a training course is presented that takes these tendencies and patterns into account. It includes a didactic proposal of how to teach chemical formulation more effectively.