Probing High School Students’ Knowledge and Cognitive Structures in Electrochemistry: A Combined Use of Concept Mapping and Epistemic Network Analysis

Abstract The interconnected nature of concepts in electrochemistry (EC) poses significant challenges for students. This study distinguished knowledge structure (KS)─alignment with an intended knowledge system─from cognitive structure (CS)─the mental network that organizes and guides domain knowledge. Using concept mapping (CM) and epistemic network analysis (ENA), this study probed high school students’ KS and CS in EC and compared high- versus low-achieving groups. KS was examined through segment mastery, morphological patterns, and cross-links. CS was characterized via clustering patterns, associative strength, and cognitive emphasis. Group comparisons employed KS typology (classifying students’ maps and comparing distributions), alongside ENA subtracted networks and centroid positions for CS. Six knowledge segments were identified from CM, with the “electrode reaction equation” segment as the primary bottleneck due to superficial recognition and few cross-links. Organized into principle, application, and representation clusters, the CS model exhibited “principle” as the cognitive hub, strongly co-occurring with the others. High-achievers demonstrated more coherent KS and broadly distributed associations, with centroids shifting toward the “representation” dimension; low-achievers showed scattered KS and localized associations, with centroids near the “application” dimension. The findings informed high school EC teaching and helped university educators bridge learning transitions by revealing students’ prior knowledge.