Using analogies to prevent misconceptions about chemical equilibrium

The main purpose of this study was to find the effectiveness of using analogies to prevent misconceptions about chemical equilibrium. Nineteen analogies, which were based on dynamic aspects of chemical equilibrium and application of Le Chatelier's principle, were developed. The participations of this study consisted of 11th grade students (n: 151) from three high schools in Izmir, Turkey. The Chemical Equilibrium Misconception Test (CEMT) was applied to the students both in the experimental and control group as pre- and post-tests. While the experimental group of students was instructed using mainly analogies, the traditional approach was used in the control groups. The result of the post-test showed that teaching with analogies was effective in preventing misconceptions. After the post-test, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 students from each school. The analysis of the interviews also showed that the experimental group students had fewer misconceptions than control group students. © 2010 HKIEd APFSLT.