Teachers’ Opinions about the Effect of Chemistry Demonstrations on Students’ Interest and Chemistry Knowledge
Abstract
Chemistry is an experimental discipline that uses experimentation as one of its most important research methods. Laboratory work and other practical work are therefore also essential in chemistry lessons. Chemistry demonstrations are used by teachers as an educational approach that can increase students’ interest in chemistry and motivate them to learn chemical concepts with understanding. However, if the students are actively involved in the chemistry demonstration, it can be just as effective as or even more effective than students’ learning through experiments. The purpose of this research is to examine teachers’ opinions about the impact of chemistry demonstrations on students’ interest and chemistry knowledge. Based on a quantitative research approach, 81 primary and secondary school teachers from different regions of Slovenia participated in this study. Participating teachers completed an online questionnaire on their perceptions of the impact of chemistry demonstrations on students’ interest and performance in chemistry classes and on the quality of students’ knowledge of chemistry. The results show that regardless of the years of teaching experience and the frequency of performing chemistry demonstrations, the participating teachers consider such demonstrations to have a positive effect on the motivation and performance of the students in chemistry and on the quality of the students’ knowledge of chemistry.
Downloads
References
Ashkenazi, G., & Weaver, G. C. (2007). Using lecture demonstrations to promote the refinement of concepts: the case of teaching solvent miscibility. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 8(2), 186–196.
Basheer, A., Hugerat, M., Kortam, N., & Hofstein, A. (2017). The effectiveness of teachers’ use of demonstrations for enhancing students’ understanding of and attitudes to learning the oxidation-reduction concept. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(3), 555–570.
Beall, H. (1996). Report on the WPI Conference†demonstrations as a teaching tool in chemistry: Pro and conâ€. Journal of chemical education, 73(7), 641–642.
Bodner, G. M. (2001). Why lecture demonstrations are ‘exocharmic’ for both students and their instructors. University Chemistry Education, 5(1), 31–35.
Buncick, M. C., Betts, P. G., & Horgan, D. D. (2001). Using demonstrations as a contextual road map: enhancing course continuity and promoting active engagement in introductory college physics. International Journal of Science Education, 23(12), 1237–1255.
Chamely-Wiik, D. M., Haky, J. E., Louda, D. W., & Romance, N. (2014). SQER3: An instructional framework for using scientific inquiry to design classroom demonstrations. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(3), 329–335.
Haagen-Schützenhöfer, C., & Joham, B. (2018). Professionalising physics teachers in doing experimental work. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 8(1), 9–34.
Hodson, D. (1990). A critical look at practical work in school science. School Science Review, 70(256), 33–40.
Hodson, D. (1993). Re-thinking old ways: Towards a more critical approach to practical work in school science. Studies in Science Education, 22(1), 85–142.
Hofstein, A. (2015). Laboratory Work, Forms of. Encyclopedia of Science Education, 563–566.
Johnstone, A. H. & Al-Shuaili, A. (2001). Learning in the laboratory; some thoughts from the literature. University Chemistry Education, 5(2), 42–51.
Kelter, P. (1994). Are our demonstration-based workshops doing more harm than good? Journal of Chemical Education, 71(2), 109–110.
Logar, A., & Savec, V. F. (2011). Students’ hands-on experimental work vs lecture demonstration in teaching elementary school chemistry. Acta Chimica Slovenica, 58(4), 866–875.
Meyer, L. S., Panee, D., Schmidt, S., & Nozawa, F. (2003). Using demonstrations to promote student comprehension in chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 80(4), 431–435.
Moore, J. W. (2000). Enthusiastic teachers, vivid experiments. Journal of Chemical Education, 77(4), 429.
Pavlin, J., Glažar, S. A., SlapniÄar, M., & Devetak, I. (2019). The impact of students’ educational background, interest in learning, formal reasoning and visualisation abilities on gas context-based exercises achievements with submicro-animations. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 20(3), 633–649.
Price, D. S., & Brooks, D. W. (2012). Extensiveness and perceptions of lecture demonstrations in the high school chemistry classroom. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 13(4), 420–427.
Trowbridge, L., Bybee, R., & Powell, J. (2000). Teaching secondary school science: Strategies for developing scientific literacy. Pearson.
Tsaparlis, G. (2009). Learning at the macro level: The role of practical work. In J. K. Gilbert & D. Treagust (Eds.), Multiple representations in chemical education, models and modeling in science education (pp. 109–136). Springer.
Waldman, A. S., Schechinger, L., & Nowick, J. S. (1996). A coordinated chemistry outreach program for thousands of high school students. Journal of Chemical Education, 73(8), 762–764.
Walton, P. H. (2002). On the use of chemical demonstrations in lectures. University Chemistry Education, 6(1), 22–27.
White, R. T. (1996). The link between the laboratory and learning. International Journal of Science Education, 18(7), 761–774.
Wissiak-Grm, K. S., & Glažar, S. A. (2002). Pomen eksperimentalnega dela pri uÄenju in pouÄevanju kemije v osnovni Å¡oli [The importance of experimental work in learning and teaching chemistry in primary school]. Sodobna pedagogika, 53(2), 96–106.
Zimrot, R., & Ashkenazi, G. (2007). Interactive lecture demonstrations: a tool for exploring and enhancing conceptual change. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 8(2), 197–211.
In order to ensure both the widest dissemination and protection of material published in CEPS Journal, we ask Authors to transfer to the Publisher (Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana) the rights of copyright in the Articles they contribute. This enables the Publisher to ensure protection against infringement.
