Micro Imagination: Imagination with an Alternative Framework in a Chemistry Class

Abstract

The curriculum for the 21st century must be futuristic, flexible and dynamic in order to produce learners with creative and critical thinking. One of the strategies to inculcate creative and critical thinking among students is to train and familiarize learners with the process of generating imagination in teaching and learning. The process of generating imagination corresponds to the characteristics of the subject itself which consists of abstract concepts and complexities. These concepts require students to use their imagination to illustrate concepts, where learners are usually difficult to achieve. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify alternative frameworks in the students’ imaginations of the concept of matter at submicroscopic level. A qualitative study with a descriptive study design is implemented to five secondary school students and ten students of institute of teacher education, aged from 18 to 25 years old. Guided imagery interviews and document analysis are used to collect data from selected students by purposive sampling. The data was analyzed using the grounded theory analysis strategy. The findings show that one of the alternative framework categories found in students’ imagination is micro imagination. The image of hydrogen gas is the ultimate framework of the micro imagination of the most generated structure by the students followed by hydrogen electrons, collision of hydrogen molecules and the formation of water molecules. In this regard, scientific imagination needs to be enhanced by students with emphasis on the concept of science with effective imagination so that students can master chemical concepts at the sub-microscopic level competently. From the conclusion, the implication of the study suggests that teachers should expose to the students the aspects of generative imagination during teaching and learning sessions so that the desired skills can be improved effectively.