Revisiting Chemorganizers: Supporting Electrolysis Learning in Contemporary First-Year Chemistry Classrooms

Electrolysis remains one of the most
conceptually difficult areas
in chemistry. Despite the availability of modern technology and visualization
tools, students continue to face challenges in connecting observable
phenomena with underlying electrochemical concepts. Therefore, there
is a need to revisit earlier developed tools and evaluate their usefulness
in contemporary learning environments. This study revisits chemorganizers,
instructional tools introduced in the early 2000s, and investigates
their effectiveness in supporting student learning in electrolysis.
Guided by Cognitive Load Theory, the study aimed to minimize extraneous
cognitive load and promote deeper learning. A mixed-methods approach
was adopted and implemented with two student cohorts (2023 and 2024)
through a tutorial-based intervention. Both cohorts’ samples
could be naturally divided into two groups due to the timing of the
lectures: a well-prepared group (who experienced electrolysis lectures
prior to engaging with the chemorganizers) and an under-prepared group
(no prior exposure to electrolysis content in lectures). The intervention
was centered on the use of chemorganizers. A tutorial worksheet and
a content knowledge test, used as both pre- and post-tests, were included
to support and assess the implementation. Statistical analysis showed
significant performance improvement for both groups across both cohorts
from the pre- to post-test. Furthermore, while the well-prepared group
initially outperformed the under-prepared group in the pretest, the
performance gap closed in the post-test. The chemorganizers may have
closed the knowledge gap between the sample groups. An online survey
was later distributed to capture student perceptions on the usefulness
of the chemorganizers. Students reported that chemorganizers improved
their understanding, supported problem-solving, and were easy to navigate.
Critiques focused mainly on the implementation. Overall, the findings
suggest that chemorganizers remain relevant and effective in supporting
learning in topics within contemporary first-year chemistry classrooms.