Four-Stage Three-Dimensional: Building and Practicing a Deep Teaching Model for High School Chemistry

Lei Shengq  【China】

Abstract：

This paper addresses the issues of fragmented knowledge and weakened subject value in high school chemistry teaching, proposing a "Four-Stage Three-Dimensional deep teaching model. This model takes "Pre-learning - Inquiry Learning - Debate Learning - Creative Learning" as the cognitive progression path, which specifically includes: In the prelearning stage, students are guided to learn independently to stimulate their interest in learning; in the inquiry learning stage, students' hands-on ability and scientific thinking are cultivated through the design exploratory experiments; in the debate learning stage, students' critical thinking and expressive ability are enhanced through organizing debates and discussions; in the creative learning stage, students are encouraged to out innovative experiments and project design to improve their comprehensive application ability. This model relies on life-oriented situations to make abstract chemical concepts concrete and perceptible; through structured experiments, helps students systematically master chemical knowledge; with the help of critical thinking tasks, it promotes students to think deeply and reflect. Ultimately, it achieves an organic integration of knowledge understanding, ability, and quality training. Teaching practice shows that the performance of students in the experimental class has increased by 23.7% in comprehensive evaluation, and the qualified rate of scientific and social responsibility literacy has increased by 31.2%, providing a new paradigm and effective path for the reform of chemistry teaching under the new curriculum standard.

Keywords ：High School Chemistry; Deep Learning; Life-Oriented Situations; Social Responsibility; Teaching Model

1. Introduction

Currently, high school chemistry teaching faces three challenges:Knowledge gap: In the transition from junior to senior high school, students find it difficult to shift from mechanical memory to systematic thinking (e.g., the abstraction of the mole concept leads to cognitive obstacles for 40% of students), which not only affects students' understanding of basic chemical principles but also limits their performance in complex problem-s.

Disconnection between Value and Practice: The separation of textbooks from social issues and the lack of chemical technology responsibility among students ( 28% of students are concerned about environmental protection applications) has led to a sense of strangeness and powerlessness in students when facing chemical problems in the real world, to apply what they have learned to real life and social responsibility.

Monotonous Methods: Experimental teaching is confined to verification procedures, neglecting the cultivation of critical thinking. This monoton teaching method overlooks students' initiative to explore and innovate, resulting in a lack of independent thinking and problem-solving ability in students' experimental operations.

This research, on constructivist theory, integrates the perspectives of situated cognition and social culture to construct a teaching model that combines depth of subject knowledge with breadth of educational purpose. By introducing real- situations and interdisciplinary cases, students' interest in learning and desire for inquiry are stimulated, while the cultivation of social responsibility is emphasized, enabling students to form correct values and attitudes while mastering chemical knowledge.

2. Four-stage Three-dimensional Model

2.1 Four Stages of Cognitive Progression

Establishing a "ognitive scaffold" to guide deep thinking, through different stages of tasks and cases, gradually guiding students from life problems to deepen their understanding and application of knowledge through experimental exploration social issue debate, and solution design, cultivating comprehensive abilities.

Case:

Pre-learning: [Driven by Life Problems] Starting from the "principles of alcoholinfection" to introduce the study of ethanol, through real-life disinfection scenarios, guiding students to understand the chemical properties of ethanol and its role in the disinfection, thus stimulating interest in learning.

Exploratory Learning: [Structured Experimental Exploration] Improving the quantitative analysis experiment of the tomato primary battery, through the design and of experiments, students can deeply understand the energy conversion process in chemical reactions, master the methods of quantitative analysis, and improve their experimental operation skills.

Debating Learning: [ Issues Debate] "Li-ion Battery Recycling Responsibility Belonging" debate, through the discussion of the responsibility issue of Li-ion battery recycling, students can the importance of environmental protection, cultivate critical thinking and social responsibility, and enhance the ability to analyze social issues.

Creative Learning: [Solution Design] Community water quality testing project, students through actual operation, design and implement community water quality testing programs, learn water quality testing technology, cultivate teamwork and problem-solving ability, and enhance environmental awareness and responsibility.

2.2 Trilateral Cultivation of Literacy

Deepening Cognition: Reconstructing the Knowledge Network (such as drawing "Sulfur Element Valence Class Two-dimensional Diagram," which can help students understand the property changes of sulfur elements in different chemical states more clearly and establish a systematic knowledge structure).

Advanced Capabilities: Developing Experimental Design Skills (requiring students to independently optimize the neutralization heat determination device, such as improving insulation materials and increasing accuracy, to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the experiment, and cultivate students' innovative thinking and practical abilities).

Value Penetration: Cultivating a Perspective of Sustainable through "Carbon Neutrality Calculation" (by analyzing specific cases and calculating actual data, students can deeply understand the impact of carbon emissions on the environment, and stimulate their of responsibility to care about environmental protection and sustainable development).

3. Innovative Strategies for Teaching Practice

3.1 Creating Real-life Situations

Design of a Problem:

Situation: The label of 84 disinfectant liquid indicates "Do not mix with toilet cleaner."

Question 1: What is the electronic structure the main component, sodium hypochlorite? (Pre-learning)

Question 2: How to design an experiment to verify that mixing will produce toxic gases? (In-based learning)

Question 3: Discuss the safety labeling norms for household chemicals, why are these labels necessary? (Debate-based learning)

3.2constructing Experimental Teaching

Breaking the Limitations of Textbooks:

Miniaturization: Converting syringes into sealed gas reactors can save reagents by reducing the reaction, and the experimental results show that up to 60% of reagents can be saved, while maintaining the stability and accuracy of the experiment.

Quantification: Using theimeter sensor built into smartphones to determine the reaction rate not only has low cost but is also easy to operate. The experimental data show that the measurement error of this method is less than3.5%, which can meet the teaching needs of most chemical experiments and provide students with a more intuitive and accurate experimental experience.

3.3 Social Issues Tasks

4. Practice Effect and Data Analysis

This study conducted a comparative teaching experiment at the No.1 Middle School of the city from September 224 to January 2025, selecting first-year senior high school students in parallel classes as samples (n=250). The experimental group (n=25) adopted the "Four-Stage Three-Dimensional" teaching model, while the control group (n=125) maintained the traditional lecture-based teaching. effectiveness of the model was comprehensively verified through pre-test-post-test comparison, multi-dimensional quality assessment, and qualitative case analysis.

4.1 Experimental Design Data Collection

(1) Variable Control

The People's Education Press compulsory textbook (first volume) was used uniformly to ensure that all students had the same learning content; the number of class hours was maintained to ensure fairness in teaching time;

The teaching staff levels of the experimental and control groups were comparable, with no significant difference in teaching experience and professional, to reduce the influence of teacher factors on the experimental results;

To eliminate the interference of extracurricular tutoring, a commitment was signed to ensure that students did not receive tutoring outside of class, thus ensuring the scientificity and effectiveness of the experiment.

(2) Assessment tools

(Note: All tools are developed with reference to the new curriculum standard core competency evaluation framework)

4.2 Quantitative result analysis

(1) Cognitive level and ability advancement

The experimental group showed a significant improvement in the post test（p<0.01）：

In-depth analysis:

The experimental group scored as high as 92.4% in macro-micro integrated questions (such as "explain the principle of coagulation water purification"), which is significantly higher than the control group (64.1%), verifying thatlife-oriented context" promotes knowledge transfer.

High-scoring cases of experimental design: 78% of the experimental group students can independently optimize the "neutralization heat" device (such as replacing glass wool with foam insulation), while only 12% of the control group proposed improvement schemes.

(2) The phased characteristics quality development

Through monthly tracking within the teaching cycle, it was found that the improvement of quality presents a step-like growth:

Pre-learning--Exploratory learning:18.2%; Behavioral performance: actively consult the Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for chemical products

Debate learning--Creative learning:  42.6 Behavioral performance design community waste battery recycling plan |

(Data source: CTAS monthly evaluation and behavioral observation records)

4.3 In-depth analysis of qualitative cases

 1: Carbon Neutrality Calculation Project (Creative Learning Stage)

Task: Analyze the carbon footprint of the campus and propose a carbon reduction plan

Results:The experimental group formed 5 feasibility reports (such as "substitute chemical fertilizer with canteen kitchen waste compost", "upgrade the classroom lighting system to LED lights",promote paperless office", "optimize the campus traffic system to reduce car use", "establish a campus green energy station");

2 plans were adopted and by the school affairs committee, with an estimated annual carbon reduction of 12.8 tons (specifically "substitute chemical fertilizer with canteen kitchen waste compost" andupgrade the classroom lighting system to LED lights");

Capability evidence: Students skillfully use the redox reaction equation for carbon equivalent conversion, reflecting the integration of "knowledge-", and understand the application of chemical reactions in environmental protection through actual operation, enhancing scientific literacy and social responsibility.

Case 2: The effect of experimental teaching restructuring

Control: 86% of the students can only complete the "Verification of the conditions of the galvanic cell" according to the steps in the textbook, lacking independent and innovation ability;

Experimental group:

73% independently designed the "Comparative experiment of the efficiency of fruit batteries" (such as exploring the effect of electrode spacing different types of fruits and electrolyte solutions on the current), cultivating students' hands-on ability and scientific inquiry spirit;

Innovative results: Use a smartphone color sensor to determine the reaction rate (error < 3.5%), improve the accuracy and scientific nature of the experiment through data analysis and comparison, and won the provincial youth science technology innovation award.

4.4 Verification of model universality

In order to test the effect of the model in different academic level groups, hierarchical data analysis was carried out：

5. Conclusion

The "Four-Stage Three-Dimensional" model is realized by:

Cognitiveuring: Establishing a "life-subject-society" knowledge chain; by combining real-life experiences, subject theoretical knowledge, and social background, a organic knowledge network formed to help students better understand and apply the content they have learned.

Practice socialization: Developing core competencies in real problem solving; by participating in the process of real-world problems, students can not only exercise their subject abilities but also cultivate core competencies such as teamwork, critical thinking, and innovation, thus better adapting to the needs future society.

Evaluation diversification: Combining paper-and-pencil tests with project performance assessments; by adopting a variety of evaluation methods, such as traditional paperand-pencil tests and project-based actual performance assessments, students' academic abilities and comprehensive qualities are comprehensively measured to ensure the fairness and scientificity of the evaluation.Realizing the transformation from knowledge transmission to moral education and talent training, and providing new paths for sustainable development in chemical education. Through this model, chemical education is no longer just a transmission of knowledge, but focuses on cultivating students' moral quality and social responsibility, promoting the sustainable development of education, and contributing to the progress of future society.

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