Enhancing Chemistry Education through the LHETM Model: A Structured Approach to Knowledge Acquisition and Application

The misalignment between students' epistemic beliefs and the major components of the scientific method may pose significant challenges in their study of general chemistry. This paper introduces the LHETM model—Law, Hypothesis, Experiment, Theory, and Mathematics—as an innovative framework designed to address these challenges. By categorizing knowledge types and their corresponding cognitive processing efforts, the model facilitates a structured approach to learning that combines active learning and inductive teaching methods. For instance, while laws are factual information that students can study through memorization, theories are substantiated hypotheses that emphasize understanding and are better learned through discussion. Preliminary implementation of the LHETM model has shown promising results in enhancing both cognitive and metacognitive skills among students, highlighting the need for further research into its effectiveness.