@article {1359,
	title = {STUDENTS{\textquoteright} CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES REGARDING REDOX REACTION: COMBINING MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING AND HIERARCHICAL CLUSTER ANALYSIS APPROACHES},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {23},
	year = {2024},
	month = {February/2024},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {164-174},
	abstract = {Redox reaction is a core chemical concept. However, its abstract nature makes it very difficult for students. Students{\textquoteright} conceptual structure reflects their mastery of concepts, which helps teachers implement targeted educational strategies. This study aimed to explore the conceptual structures of redox reaction held by students (grades 10 to 12) by employing MDS and HCA. A total of 606 students participated, with 195 students in 10th grade, 202 in 11th grade, and 209 in 12th grade. The results indicated that three-dimensional solutions were appropriate for the conceptual structures of 10th and 12th graders, while 11th graders demonstrated two-dimensional solutions. All students grouped the 15 concepts related to redox reaction into two large clusters: metrology and the redox reaction process. Moreover, both 10th and 12th graders further subdivided the 15 concepts into four subclusters: metrology, oxidation process, reduction process, and chemical reaction. Students{\textquoteright} conceptual structures were rational across all three grades. The conceptual structures of 10th and 12th graders were more refined than those of 11th graders, and there was no significant difference between the conceptual structures of 10th and 12th graders. 11th graders learned about electrochemistry and tended to confuse concepts related to redox reaction with those related to electrochemistry. },
	keywords = {conceptual structure, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), multidimensional scaling (MDS), redox reaction},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/24.23.164  },
	url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2023/987-1709892821.pdf},
	author = {Wenxiu Tang and Yangyi Qian and Hong Wang and Jinju Wen and Jiayi Huang and Xintong Zhu and Yangqian Wang}
}
@article {1292,
	title = {ONE HUNDRED CORE CONCEPTS IN CHEMISTRY AND UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS{\textquoteright} AND STUDENTS{\textquoteright} CHEMISTRY CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {22},
	year = {2023},
	month = {June/2023},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {493-505},
	abstract = {A solid grasp of basic concepts and their relationships can stimulate learning motivation, improve teaching quality, and help students to build a body of knowledge in a discipline. Most of the previous studies have considered one chemistry topic amongst many others. To date, no studies have been conducted to explore the conceptual structures of teachers and students based on chemical concepts. Experts, teachers, and students (N=2348) from three public universities and ten upper-secondary schools in China participated in the studies. In Study 1, personal interviews, material evaluation, and importance rating questionnaires were conducted to determine the core concepts. In Study 2, the multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis (CA) were conducted to explore the conceptual structures of upper-secondary school teachers and students. Then the structural differences between high- and low-achieving students were compared. The results showed that the three-dimensional solutions were appropriate for the conceptual structures of teachers and students, respectively. The high-achieving students have a more scientific and organized conceptual structure than those of low-achieving students. This study is the first to explore core concepts and their structure with a large sample size, and the reliable results help students understand abstract chemical concepts and improve their interest in scientific disciplines in the future.},
	keywords = {cluster analysis, conceptual structure, core concepts in chemistry, multidimensional scaling, upper-secondary school students},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/23.22.493},
	url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2023/987-1687108348.pdf},
	author = {Yangyi Qian and Yangqian Wang and Jinju Wen and Simin Wu}
}
@article {1207,
	title = {APPLYING FACTOR ANALYSIS FOR ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURE OF STUDENTS IN GRADE 10: THE SUBJECT OF REDOX REACTION},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {21},
	year = {2022},
	month = {August/2022},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {680-693},
	abstract = {Redox reaction is an important concept in chemistry, and a well-organized knowledge structure of redox reaction is beneficial for concept learning. This study investigated the knowledge structure regarding redox reaction from 459 Grade 10 students. The pool of 15 redox reaction concepts was developed by content analysis, questionnaire survey, and interview. Six initial competing models with 15 concepts were identified via exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and paper-pencil test. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test and modify the six competing models according to the rating data of the students. As a result, six modified models fit the data well. However, the high inter-factor correlations indicate that the two- and three-factor models are the students{\textquoteright} knowledge structures of redox reaction. The two-factor model is comprised of two distinct but correlated factors: the process of redox reaction and metrology. The three-factor model is comprised of three factors: the process of redox reaction, reaction ability, and metrology. The finding inflects the abstract relationships between the concepts related to redox reaction in students{\textquoteright} minds. },
	keywords = {chemistry education, factor analysis, knowledge structure, redox reaction},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/22.21.680},
	url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/987-1662187210.pdf},
	author = {Wenxiu Tang and Xintong Zhu and Yangyi Qian}
}
@article {1192,
	title = {UTILIZING MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING TO REPRESENT THE CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES OF ATOMIC STRUCTURE IN UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {21},
	year = {2022},
	month = {June/2022},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {481-494},
	abstract = {This research aimed to explore the upper-secondary school chemistry teachers{\textquoteright} and students{\textquoteright} conceptual structures of atomic structure by using multidimensional scaling. Atomic structure is considered to be one of the most difficult concepts in upper-secondary school chemistry course so that the conceptual structure regarding atomic structure held by the learner is necessary to examine. Based on a questionnaire survey for upper-secondary school chemistry teachers and university chemistry professors, 40 concepts were selected as a useful concept pool of atomic structure. Then, the conceptual structures and the specific classifications of concepts from 168 upper-secondary school chemistry teachers and 336 tenth-grade students were investigated by multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results showed that the 3-D solutions were appropriate for the conceptual structures of teachers and students respectively. Next, the conceptual structure of teachers utilized as an evaluation criterion was more scientific than that of students. The conceptual structure of students with high academic achievement was more scientific than that of the low achievers. Multidimensional scaling utilized to explore students{\textquoteright} conceptual structure of scientific concepts can provide a new and benefic form of evidence to understand the concept learning outcome of students.},
	keywords = {atomic structure, conceptual structure, hierarchical cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/22.21.481   },
	url = {https://oaji.net/articles/2022/987-1656444105.pdf},
	author = {Huimei Lin and Yangyi Qian and Jinju Wen and Yuhua Mai}
}
@article {968,
	title = {THE CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURE OF CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: EVIDENCE FROM FACTOR ANALYSIS},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {20},
	year = {2021},
	month = {February/2021},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {80-92},
	abstract = {This research aimed to explore the conceptual structure of chemical equilibrium in upper-secondary school students using factor analysis. Research on chemistry education has shown that chemical equilibrium is an important but difficult-to-understand topic. Exploring the conceptual structure of chemical equilibrium among students will help chemistry researchers and educators to conduct more targeted teaching practices. Based on a survey of chemistry research and teaching practice experts, a high-quality concept pool composed of 24 relevant concepts was developed. Next, a survey involving a total of over 700 twelfth-grade students from five upper-secondary schools was conducted, and a factor analysis was utilized to determine the conceptual structure. The results showed that a three-factor model and a five-factor model with 15 relevant concepts were all accepted as the conceptual structure for students. The new form of conceptual structure in this research helps understand the features and categories in students{\textquoteright} latent organization of concepts. Also, it may be revealed that factor analysis can be utilized as an approach to exploring students{\textquoteright} conceptual structure.},
	keywords = {chemical equilibrium, chemistry education, conceptual structure, factor analysis},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/21.20.80},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2021/987-1611648800.pdf},
	author = {Yuhua Mai and Yangyi Qian and Linshen Li and Haihang Lan}
}
@article {1010,
	title = {STUDENTS{\textquoteright} CONCEPT ORGANISATION REGARDING CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN UPPER-SECONDARY EDUCATION: BASED ON REACTION TIME TECHNIQUE},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {20},
	year = {2021},
	month = {June/2021},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {443-455},
	abstract = {Chemical equilibrium is so important domain knowledge in chemistry that the corresponding organisation of concepts in students has been an interesting but unsolved issue. A deeper understanding of how students organise the relevant concepts in long-term memory is beneficial to develop more targeted teaching practices. This research utilized the reaction time technique as a new approach to exploring upper-secondary school students{\textquoteright} organisation of concepts regarding chemical equilibrium. A category judgment task involving 247 Chinese twelfth-grade students from two upper-secondary schools was conducted. The results showed that a significant difference was between the reaction time of concept dimensions. The mean reaction time of the dimension {\textquoteleft}reversible reaction{\textquoteright} was the shortest, but the dimension {\textquoteleft}representation of state{\textquoteright} had the longest mean reaction time. Next, there was no significant difference in the organisation of concepts between students studying chemistry at different levels of academic achievement. These findings provide a new and essential picture to deeply understand the organisation of concepts regarding chemical equilibrium and help focus on the relations between some relevant concepts. This research represents that the reaction time technique can be utilized in the research on organisation of science concepts.},
	keywords = {category judgment task, chemical equilibrium, organisation of concepts, reaction time},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/21.20.443 },
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2021/987-1622791231.pdf},
	author = {Yuhua Mai and Yangyi Qian and Haihang Lan and Linshen Li}
}
@article {852,
	title = {A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF TEACHING SKILL ACQUISITION IN PRE-SERVICE PHYSICS TEACHER (PsPT) TRAINING PROGRAM IN CHINA AND NIGERIA},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {19},
	year = {2020},
	month = {June/2020},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {356-373},
	abstract = {Microteaching practice is an important part of Pre-Service Physics Teacher (PsPT) Training Program adopting different approaches to inspire the acquisition of teaching skills by prospective teachers. Using psychomotor domain aspect of revised Bloom{\textquoteright}s taxonomy to explore microteaching practice as it relates to physics teaching, this research examined the significant influences of the two approaches (Nigeria and China) identified on the teaching skill of PsPT and suggests the best ways of improving the teaching skill of PsPT through micro-teaching practices. Data were collected using the mixed-method research design of administering descriptive survey questionnaire on final year PsPT while a structured interview question was used to interview the teachers. It was found that the two approaches had significant influences on the teaching skill acquisition of PsPT through microteaching practices with respect to physics as a subject that requires motor skill, and that this can be improved through micro-teaching by a combination of theory with practice. Also, physics teacher educators need to focus on developing PsPTs{\textquoteright} psychomotor domain in line with time reform in microteaching practices to accommodate more time for PsPTs{\textquoteright} to master the subject concept of physics as a psycho motive subject.},
	keywords = {micro-teaching practices, pre-service physics teacher, teaching skill acquisition, training program},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/20.19.356 },
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2020/987-1591087535.pdf},
	author = {Blessing F. Komolafe and Moses O. Ogunniran and Fen Y. Zhang and Xu S. Qian}
}
@article {817,
	title = {REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL EQUITY: A SURVEY ON THE ABILITY TO DESIGN SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS OF SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS},
	journal = {Journal of Baltic Science Education},
	volume = {18},
	year = {2019},
	month = {December/2019},
	pages = {Continuous},
	type = {Original article},
	chapter = {971-985},
	abstract = {Due to the vast territory, there are problems of unbalanced development of education and students{\textquoteright} ability level in China. In order to explore the relation between regional education equity and the development of students{\textquoteright} scientific ability, and to better promote the development of education and students{\textquoteright} growth, it is urgent to carry out the research. In the context of regional coordinated development, stratified random sampling and cluster sampling were used to study the ability to design scientific experiments of 742 sixth-grade students in Beijing. The results showed that, first of all, the ability to design scientific experiments of 742 sixth-grade students in Beijing was low and the developmental level was not coordinated. Secondly, there was a significant correlation between gender and students{\textquoteright} ability to design scientific experiments. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between districts and the ability to guess and predict. Finally, significant positive correlations were found among the internal structures of ability to design scientific experiments. Therefore, in order to promote the coordinated development of students{\textquoteright} ability to design scientific experiments, this paper puts forward effective suggestions in four aspects: improving science teachers{\textquoteright} professionalism, offering experimental resources, updating teaching philosophy and strengthening curriculum construction.},
	keywords = {experimental design, primary school students, regional educational equity, science education, scientific experiments},
	issn = {1648-3898},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/19.18.971},
	url = {http://oaji.net/articles/2019/987-1576226522.pdf},
	author = {Yang Xiantong and Zhang Mengmeng and Song Xin and Hou Lan and Wang Qiang}
}
