CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EUROPE 2002, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 277-292	REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE Concepts

Carlos FURIO, ¹ Rafael AZCONA, ² and Jenaro GUISASOLA ^3
1 University of Valencia, Departamento de Didactica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales
² 'Talaia' Secondary School, Hondarribia (Spain)
³ University of the Basque Country, Department of Applied Physics I

THE LEARNING AND TEACHING OF THE CONCEPTS 'AMOUNT OF SUBSTANCE' AND 'MOLE': A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

ABSTRACT: The importance of the concepts of 'amount of substance' and 'mole' is supported by the abundance in the last decade of research papers on the problem of the teaching and learning of these concepts. The present study attempts a review of the relevant bibliography, including recent investigations on both the difficulties of learning these concepts and the didactic alternatives that are provided from different perspectives. The literature reviewed shows that students have great difficulty in handling the above concepts. In addition, a clear discrepancy exists between what is assumed as correct by the scientific community and the thinking of educators. Finally, strategies for the teaching of these concepts emerge. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2002, 3, 277-292]

KEY WORDS: concepts; amount of substance and mole; learning difficulties; teaching difficulties; strategies of instruction; review of research

CORRESPONDENCE: Carles FURIO, Departamento de Didactica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales, Universidad de Valencia.j Apartado de Correos, n? 22045, (46071) Valencia (Spain); fax: 34963864487; e-mail: carles.furio@uv.es

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