Assessing Conceptual Understanding in Chemistry Using Representation

Assessing abstract chemistry concepts often poses a challenge among educators. Moved by this instructional dilemma, this study explored students’ chemistry representational competence as an alternative measure of chemistry achievement. Using task instruments with assessment scheme, students’ representations were found symbolic in nature. Misrepresentations were most uncovered on chemical bonding concepts and the least on chemical equation. Views on chemical representations as mental models confirmed a greater appreciation as explanatory tools. Results also showed that representational competence can approximate achievement based on the significant and positive correlation it registered with the former variable. Findings, therefore, suggest that chemistry teaching should utilize representations of varied levels ranging from symbolic, microscopic and macroscopic.