Making Redox Tangible: Physical Models in Electrochemistry Education

This study addresses the persistent challenges that students face in understanding redox reactions, particularly the link between symbolic and particulate representations in electrochemistry. The purpose was to explore whether physical modeling with clay could enhance the conceptual understanding of electron transfer and oxidation–reduction processes. Two groups of Swedish upper secondary students participated in instructional sessions: Group A used clay models to visualize electron movement, while Group B relied solely on symbolic notation. Data were collected through a written test and follow-up interviews. Results indicate that Group A outperformed Group B in tasks involving metal displacement and identifying the number of electrons transferred in a more complex reaction combining redox and acid–base processes. However, differences were minimal in synthesis reactions and fundamental conceptual questions. Both groups exhibited widespread alternative understandings, although Group A demonstrated fewer alternative understandings and greater accuracy in applying the concept of charge. The findings suggest that clay modeling can support the visualization of electron transfer and reduce alternative understandings but does not independently foster deeper conceptual understanding. The effective integration of modeling with explicit instruction on particulate-level reasoning and scientific terminology is essential in bridging representational gaps in electrochemistry.