INTUITIVE THINKING STRATEGY: HEURISTIC REASONING TO RANK BOILING POINT OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES

Abstract

The characterization of students’ reasoning strategy is the most important thing in the development of curriculum and teaching strategies that will support student learning in chemistry. In particular, the identification of shortcut reasoning procedures (heuristic) were used by students to reduce cognitive load can help teacher to devise strategy to foster the development of more analytical ways of thinking. The main goal of this research was to investigate heuristic reasoning that used by vocational student of Light Vehicle Technique (Teknik Kendaraan Ringan), focused on their ability to predict the boiling point of chemical compounds represented using explicit composition, chemical structure, and relative molecular mass. Result of this research showed that participant relied heavily on one or more of the following heuristic reasoning to solve the problem: recognition, reduction, lexicographic, and one-reason decision making. Although the use of heuristic allowed participant to simplify some components of ranking task and generate correct responses, it often led them astray.

Keyword: Heuristic, Chemical Bonding, Reasoning