2010 Volume 51 Issue 1 Pages 117-127
The successful learning of chemistry involves the construction of mental associations among the enactive, iconic and symbolic levels of representation of chemical phenomena using different modes of representation. In this study, we suggest that students' conversion process of the representation of their concepts in chemistry. First, we focused on visualization of students' representation of chemical phenomena. Cheng, M and Gilbert, J.K. (2008) have investigated 'visual grammar' in the context of school chemistry. Based on this perspective, we identified 'visual elements' in learning chemistry that is action process, conversion process, classification process, analytical process and elaborative process. Second, we propose a chemistry program for upper secondary school students based on visual elements. Results indicate that (1) Students were able to extend and elaborate their knowledge, through the learning of translating and relating the different modes of representation. (2) Students constructed a network representation, which was evaluated appropriately by a teacher. (3) When teachers visualized and digitized appropriately a students' representation, the students' skill of combination and conversion of different mode of representation was improved.
