Mapping preservice chemistry teachers’ group cognitive structures of electrochemistry and comparison with their understandings of electrochemistry concepts

Investigating the relationship between conceptual understanding, as measured by an achievement test on a chemistry topic, and cognitive structure, mapped using a technique that illustrates associations between concepts in learners' minds, can provide valuable insights into both the effectiveness of different assessment methods and the differences they reveal. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to determine preservice chemistry teachers' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry, (2) to map their cognitive structures related to electrochemistry concepts, and (3) to investigate whether a relationship exists between their conceptual understanding of electrochemistry and their cognitive structures. A total of 80 preservice chemistry teachers (57 females and 23 males) participated in the study. Data were collected using two instruments: the Word Association Test and the Electrochemistry Concept Test. The Word Association Test included ten stimulus concepts: electrolyte, anode, cathode, electrode, reduction, oxidation, salt bridge, electrolysis, conductivity, and electrochemical cell. The Electrochemistry Concept Test consisted of 18 multiple-choice questions, categorized into five distinct sections. Findings from the Electrochemistry Concept Test revealed that preservice chemistry teachers had an average performance of approximately 40%, indicating inconsistencies in their understanding across five conceptual categories. When compared with data from the Word Association Test, students with lower conceptual performance exhibited weaker, sparser, and more fragmented linkages in their cognitive structures. However, low performance may not stem solely from missing scientific connections In some cases, students may form strong yet scientifically inaccurate associations, reflecting persistent alternative conceptions that interfere with the integration of canonical knowledge. Thus, weak conceptual understanding may result from both missing associations and the presence of coherent but incorrect knowledge structures. These findings underscore the need to interpret cognitive structures not only in terms of connectivity patterns but also concerning the scientific accuracy of those associations.