CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2004, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 265-280	REPORT ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGY General issues in science education

Holger EYBE and Hans-Jürgen SCHMIDT
Universität Dortmund, Fachbereich Chemie (Germany)

GROUP DISCUSSIONS AS A TOOL FOR INVESTIGATING STUDENTS' CONCEPTS

ABSTRACT: Learning chemistry, i.e. acquiring and changing chemical concepts, is a complex process. Investigating these processes is a complex task. Therefore, a variety of methods is necessary to provide relevant research results. The present paper explores the possibility of conducting discussions with entire chemistry classes in such a way that students are given a stronger role. The investigation tries to develop a structure forgroup discussions, guidelines for the role of the host as well as for the analysis of the discussions, and examples for stimuli that give students ample opportunity to discuss chemical concepts. To develop the method, a cyclical research design was adopted. Six groups of high school students participated. The discussions were videotaped and discussed within the team of researchers. The results are a number of principles for the structure of group discussions, for the role of the host, the tasks presented to the participants and the analysis of the videotaped discussions. The principles are illustrated using examples from the discussions. It emerged that students are ready to talk about chemical problems. In the discussions they focused on their interests in a particular field. The group discussion is an open, dynamic and self organising process. Further research can show whether this method also works in other situations. Researchers are encouraged to transfer our principles and guidelines to new topics and to continue refining them. It is also suggested to use group discussions in teacher training. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 2004, 5, 265-280]

KEY WORDS: students' concepts in chemistry; group discussions; structure of group discussions; role of the host; ethical concerns; chemical equilibrium

CORRESPONDENCE: Holger EYBE and Hans-Jürgen SCHMIDT, Universität Dortmund, Fachbereich Chemie Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44221 Dortmund, Germany; e-mail: he@runningbride.com and hans-juergen.schmidt@uni-dortmund.de

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