Comparative analysis of the role of visual representations in chemistry education: based on cognitive frameworks

Background and Objectives: Visual representations play a significant role in chemistry education due to the abstract and often unobservable nature of many chemical concepts. They contribute to the development of conceptual understanding and students’ representational competence. Despite extensive research in this field, most studies have focused on facilitating conceptual understanding, and systematic analysis of the cognitive level involved in interaction with representations has received less attention. The aim of the present study was to conduct a comparative analysis of research in chemistry education with a focus on the cognitive function of visual representations and to extract design indicators for instructional purposes. Methods: This study was qualitative in nature and was conducted using a directed content analysis approach. The research population consisted of peer-reviewed articles in the field of chemistry education that examined visual representations. Based on predetermined inclusion criteria, nine studies were selected, and their full texts were considered as the unit of analysis. The analytical instrument was a coding checklist developed according to the revised Bloom’s taxonomy to identify the cognitive levels involved in the use of representations. The extracted data were categorized and analyzed within this theoretical framework. Findings: The findings indicated that most studies focused on the cognitive levels of ‘understanding’ and ‘application’, and only about 25% addressed higher-order levels such as ‘analysis’, ‘evaluation’, and ‘creation.” It was also found that the cognitive function of visual representations was more closely related to the educational context and the way images were integrated into learning activities than to geographical differences. Based on the synthesis of findings, a set of design indicators for visual representations was extracted and organized into a five-dimensional framework. Conclusion: The results of this study may contribute to the purposeful design of visual representations, the enhancement of cognitive coherence, and the strengthening of representational competence—that is, the ability to use representations effectively in chemistry education