Addressing Alternative Conceptions about Transition Metals among Form Six Students using Information and Communication Technology based Instruction

Abstract

This study was conducted to reduce the incidence of alternative conceptions about transition metals among form six students. A quasi-experimental design was carried out involving 79 students from two intact classes that were randomly classified as the treatment (N=47) and the comparison (N=32) groups. Information and communication technology-based instruction (ICT) was used in this study with the treatment group while a traditional teaching method was used with the comparison group. For the quantitative study, nine two-tier items were administered in a conceptual test after instruction to the 79 form six students in both the groups to ascertain their understanding about transition metals. Five students from the treatment group were selected for interviews before and after the instruction to obtain further insights into their understanding. An independent samples t-test analysis was used to compare the total scores of the two groups in the transition metals conceptual test. The outcome revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the test mean scores between the comparison and treatment groups (Mtre = 8.47; SDtre = 0.69; Mcomp = 3.91; SDcomp = 0.96; t = 23.103, p < 0.001). The results from the analysis indicated that students from the treatment group showed significantly greater levels of achievement than the students from the comparison group. Furthermore, the percentage of alternative conceptions among students in the treatment group was lower than those of the comparison group students.

Pre-service chemistry teachers’ knowledge of the coordination number and the oxidation number in coordination compounds

“…Similarly, Balasundram and Karpudewan (2021), in their study on university students' understanding of transition metals including the formation of complex ions, the ionization energy of transition metals, the formation of colors in transition metal ions, and the reactivity of transition metals, examined the effect of Popplet on reducing alternative conceptions (Balasundram and Karpudewan, 2021). It was identified that the students had the misconception that metals do not form complex ions when in a zero oxidation number (Karpudewan and Balasundram, 2019;Balasundram and Karpudewan, 2021).…”

Examining the Use Self-perceived by University Teachers about ICT Resources: Measurement and Comparative Analysis in a One-way ANOVA Design

“…In this situation, teachers play an important role as change agents (Prendes, Gutiérrez, & Martínez, 2018), while students represent the heart of the learning process (Adetimirin, 2019). Therefore, the success of the integration of ICTs in teaching and learning processes will largely depend on the teachers' skills to implement these technologies in an optimal way (Hernández, 2017;Lai, 2019), given that the use of technology in the teaching process can have a positive impact on students' learning (Bingimlas, 2009;DiVall et al, 2013;Karpudewan & Balasundram, 2019). However, as indicated by López, Sánchez, Arámbula, and Esquivel (2019), such use of technology is taking place regarding the method, but is not causing fundamental transformations.…”