Documentary content analysis of Grade 12 instructional resources on chemical equilibrium: Opportunities for curriculum enhancement

Documentary content analysis of Grade 12 instructional resources on chemical equilibrium: Opportunities for curriculum enhancement

Motlagomang Legegeru & Motshidisi Lekhu

Issue: Vol. 7 No.9 2026 Article 26 pp.2844 – 2855
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267926 Published online 2nd November 2026

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ABSTRACT

This study examines the extent to which Grade 12 instructional resources on chemical equilibrium integrate mathematical and graphing skills within explanations and learning activities, with the aim of identifying opportunities for curriculum enhancement. A qualitative documentary content analysis was conducted on a purposive sample of South African Grade 12 instructional resources and curriculum guidelines. A conceptual framework drawing on representational competence and graph interpretation literature guided the analysis. The results reveal that most resources predominantly emphasise declarative knowledge of equilibrium terminology. However, they offer limited scaffolding for mathematical reasoning, particularly with rate–time graphs. Critical gaps were identified in tasks that require learners to interpret graphs, differentiate between rate-based and concentration-based representations, and apply mathematical skills essential for deep conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium. These findings suggest that current instructional materials inadequately support learners’ representational competence in chemical equilibrium. The study recommends that curriculum designers and teachers integrate richer graphing tasks, explicit mathematical reasoning prompts, and opportunities for learners to engage with multiple representational forms to bridge the identified gaps. This study contributes to scholarship by empirically mapping specific deficiencies in instructional resources at the interface of chemistry and mathematics education, and by offering an analytical framework for evaluating representational competence demands within curriculum materials.

Keywords: Chemical Equilibrium, Documentary Content Analysis, Instructional Resources, Graphing Skills, Mathematical Reasoning

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Mrs Motlagomang Legegeru is the Head of the School Support Programme at JENN Training and Consultancy. She has served as the Grade 12 Physical Sciences teacher, Lead Teacher and Cluster Manager. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Central University of Technology, Free State.

Prof Motshidisi Lekhu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the Central University of Technology, Free State. Her research interests include science teacher education, teaching science for conceptual change, reflective practice, and classroom learning environments. Prof Lekhu teaches Chemistry and Science methodologies at the undergraduate level and supervises postgraduate students.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Legegeru, Motlagomang, and Motshidisi Lekhu. “Documentary content analysis of Grade 12 instructional resources on chemical equilibrium: Opportunities for curriculum enhancement.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.9 (2026): 2844 – 2855. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267926