Inci Morgil

Traditional and computer-assisted learning in teaching acids and bases

The traditional and the computer-assisted teaching methods for teaching a fundamental topic within chemistry education, acids and bases, were compared and the influences of the three dimensional spatial visualization abilities, computational attitudes and learning styles of the students on their acquisition of knowledge were investigated. The students were randomly distributed into control and experimental groups and their knowledge about acids and bases was assessed by a test comprising twenty questions. After this test, the experimental group received computer-assisted teaching and the control group was taught by traditional teaching methods for two days on the related subject. After two days of teaching, the students were tested again with the same twenty questions. Parallel to this, the three-dimensional spatial visualization abilities, computational attitudes and learning styles of the students from both groups were assessed. The three dimensional spatial visualization abilities, computational attitudes and learning styles of the students were not found to influence their test scores. However, a 52% improvement was observed in the post-instruction test results of the students of the experimental group whereas the control group only improved by 31%. The independent two-sample t-test was applied for the evaluation of the results of the study and there was a significant difference favoring the experimental group. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 2005, 6 (1), 52-63]

THE INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED EDUCATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

In this study, the degree to which computer-assisted education affects the environmental knowledge and awareness of university students was investigated. In this way, individual and student-centered learning in environmental studies is encouraged, and the students’ success and knowledge are subsequently increased. This methodology is important for the students who will soon become chemistry teachers and will make contributions to environmental education. In this study, an environmental knowledge test of 35 questions and an environmental awareness scale of 13 questions were applied as a pre-test to 88 students. Following the pre-test, the students worked for 15 hours per week in an Internet class, in which they intensively applied computer-assisted methods for 2 weeks. The environmental knowledge test and the awareness scale, which were taken as pre-test modules, were applied again as a post-test and the results were compared. It was determined that after the computer-assisted instruction, students’ environmental knowledge and awareness were increased, but the power of environmental awareness to describe the level of success is decreased. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.: 2004, 5, 99-110]

Introduction to Complexation and Masking Within a Computer-Enriched Module for Analytical Chemistry

A web-based course was developed in order to improve pre-service teachers’ knowledge concerning complexation and masking in analytical chemistry. This course was designed to enhance students’ achievement by promoting individual and student-centered learning through the use of a series of web-based modules in the subject area. A chemistry achievement test of 10 questions was developed and administered as a pre-test to assess student knowledge in the general area of complexation and masking. Eighty-four students were randomly divided into two groups. One group, referred to hereafter as the experimental group, learned about the specified material within the Web-based course that was developed for this study. The control group was traditionally taught using a lecture format. The increase in the achievement of the control and experimental groups was then assessed through the administration of the chemistry achievement test of 10 questions which was used as a post-test. Significant differences in group achievement scores, favoring the experimental group, were observed between the post-test achievement averages of the control group and the treatment group.