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Abstract
Background:
Understanding chemistry includes the ability to think on three levels: the macroscopic level, the symbolic level, and the level of particles – sub-microscopic level. Pupils have the most difficulty when trying to understand the sub-microscopic level because it is outside their range of experience. This study presents the effective usage of a virtual laboratory that can overcome the gap between the previously-mentioned conceptual levels.
Materials and methods:
We carried out a didactic experiment to test the effectiveness of a virtual laboratory that enables dynamic visualisation. The experiment involved seventh-grade pupils (N = 109) from five different primary schools in Slovenia. We asked ourselves the question as to whether the learning outcomes of pupils are better when they use a virtual laboratory rather than in science classes without a virtual laboratory where dynamic visualisation at the sub-microscopic and sub-micro levels are only explained by means of static demonstrations.
Results:
The results of the didactic experiment showed that, in terms of knowledge acquisition, using a virtual laboratory is better than science classes without dynamic visualisation elements.
Conclusions:
Virtual laboratory in the role of dynamic visualisation increase knowledge and promote effective learning of chemistry.
License
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 12, Issue 3, March 2016, 593-608
https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1224a
Publication date: 01 Jul 2016
Article Views: 6709
Article Downloads: 4310
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