Determination the Effects of Teaching Chemical Equilibrium Subject of First Class Chemistry University Students with Animation, Simulation , Conceptual Change Text and Analogy(ASCA )models and traditional learning approach to a student s academic achievement

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Animation, Simulation, Conceptual Change Text and Analogy (ASCA) based instruction over traditional instruction on students’ understanding of chemical equilibrium. The implementation was made in chemical equilibrium subject in chemistry course in first university chemistry students. The research was conducted in quasi-experimental pattern with pre test, posttest and delay test with control group. The study was carried out in two different classes in the department of science at Marand Azad University in Iran during the 2014–2015 academic years. Participants in the study were 65 university students who enrolled in the general chemistry course, from the two classes of the same teacher. One class was randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=30) while the other formed the control group (n=35). All students attended into the study where both groups are equal in terms of student s properties. The Chemical Equilibrium Achievement Test (CEAT) and Chemical Equilibrium conceptual change texts (CECT) was administered as pre-test, post-test and delayed test to collect data. In the study, while course was being taught with Animation, Simulation, Conceptual Change Text and Analogy (ASCA) based instruction intended for learning skills in experimental group, in control group course was being taught according to traditional teaching approach. Analyses of scores of groups in the post-test and delayed test were compared and a statistically significant difference was found between groups in favor of experimental group. It also seems that students in experimental group were more successful than control group ones in remediation of alternative conceptions. Results showed that teaching with ASCA based instruction had a positive effect on students understanding may be an effective teaching method for chemical equilibrium. Students using the ASCA based instruction would demonstrate better conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium than students exposed to traditionally designed instruction. These results confirm of previous studies in that computer animation and simulation-based instruction can facilitate learning of scientific concepts. The use of simulation techniques to teach chemistry promote the formation of mental images in students, which depict particle behavior during chemical processes and help better connect the macroscopic and particulate natures of chemical phenomena. On the other hand, some techniques such as analogies, conceptual change texts, worksheets may be combined or accompanied with animation and simulations to increase the effectiveness of the instruction.

Keywords:

Simulation-based instruction , Conceptual change text , chemical equilibrium , alternative conception