Electrochemistry in Scottish secondary schools: exploring teacher confidence and student misconceptions

Teachers across Scotland rank electrochemistry as their least confident topic in both National 5 (age 15–16) and Higher (age 16–17) courses. This research explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding students’ comprehension of electrochemistry from the perspective of classroom teachers. Through critical analysis of electrochemical topics in the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, in combination with examination statistics and survey data, rational conclusions can be derived on the roots of these challenges and how they can be addressed.