Thesis
Conceptual challenges in learning ozone formation for collegiate students
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100082
Abstract
Collegiate students have a low conceptual understanding of atmospheric chemistry in general and tropospheric ozone formation in particular, both of which are complex processes that to be understood require students to learn several interrelated concepts. These systems are particularly difficult to grasp as they are inherently nonlinear and because they are abstract- students do not have an obvious tangible model for how gases behave in an unbounded atmosphere. In order to extract student understanding and conceptions of ozone formation, qualitative interview and analysis methodologies were implemented. Our results indicate that students comprehend individual concepts within the ozone production cycle to some extent. However, there were very few students who were able to link together overlapping ideas, especially when it came to piecing together a process model for ozone formation. Four conceptual difficulties were identified which led to the inability of students to form correct and coherent models regarding ozone formation. These conceptual difficulties conflated the process being studied (tropospheric ozone formation) with two other atmospheric processes that receive extensive public attention: stratospheric ozone destruction and greenhouse gas-induced global warming. The results of this study have implications for teaching, such as integrating concept mapping into the curriculum, and can be applied to other atmospheric chemistry disciplines
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Details
- Title
- Conceptual challenges in learning ozone formation for collegiate students
- Creators
- Kristen Elizabeth Howard
- Contributors
- Shane Brown (Degree Supervisor)Timothy M. VanReken (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900524869601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis