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Meta Tasks for Organizing Prevenient Knowledge In Organic Chemistry

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K. R. Fountain

Department of Chemistry, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501

J. Chem. Educ., 1997, 74 (3), p 354

DOI: 10.1021/ed074p354

Publication Date (Web): March 1, 1997

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Small numbers of mental operations, or meta tasks, can mobilize the knowledge students bring to a learning task. Often students do not understand the problematic nature of the problems they are expected to solve. They also do not understand the necessity to commit sufficient intellectual effort to locate where the real problem lies in the information they are presented with. The meta tasks presented here, within a constructionist framework, based on readings in Polanyi and Ausebel allow students to systematically restate problems central to building an understanding of fundamental concepts in organic chemistry.

A model (a gnoson-the fundamental particle of knowing) for the fundamental act of learning, couched in particle model terms, is presented. This gnoson provides a model for chemists who lack reading background in educational literature to use in thinking about some important philosophical issues.

Keywords (Audience):

Second-Year Undergraduate

Keywords (Domain):

Organic Chemistry

Keywords (Subject):

Learning Theories

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This article has been cited by 2 ACS Journal articles (2 most recent appear below).

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  David P. Pursell
  Journal of Chemical Education2007 84 (9), 1448
  Performance as measured by grades in the first and second semesters of organic chemistry was predicted using pre-college measures (SAT scores, high school rank, validation exams) and college measures (general chemistry GPA, overall college GPA prior to ...
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Projects That Assist with Content in a Traditional Organic Chemistry Course
John J. Esteb , John R. Magers , LuAnne McNulty and Anne M. Wilson
Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (12), 1807
- Projects That Assist with Content in a Traditional Organic Chemistry Course
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  Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (12), 1807
  Projects that engage undergraduate students in content-based courses, such as organic chemistry, must relate to the material and provide useful tools for the divergent needs of the students. There are few examples of these types of projects in the ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links