Conceptualizing Chemistry in Three Layers

We will devise a system of evaluating published chemistry lab activities based on the extent to which they incorporate modeling into their instruction. We will create a dual system of evaluating modeling as a component of the labs. First, we will use Johnstone’s (1991) conceptualization of chemistry phenomena occurring at three different levels: macroscopic, sub-microscopic, and representational. Second, we will use a modeling framework based on White, Collins & Frederiksen (2011), which describes models in chemistry as having five characteristics: accuracy, coherence, generality, parsimony, and usefulness.