Perceived Relevance of Chemistry Topics to Everyday Life: Inputs to Context Based Enrichment Activities in General and Inorganic Chemistry

Abstract

The purpose of this study stressed on the challenge of developing context-based enrichment activities that will make connections between the concepts taught in the General and Inorganic Chemistry course taken by the General Engineering students at the Bulacan State University-Bustos Campus. The sample of the study included 50 second year General Engineering students from Bulacan State University – Bustos Campus as well as 10 chemistry instructors from the Meneses, Bustos and Malolos campuses of Bulacan State University. A need analysis and evaluation sheet of the developed contextbased enrichment activities in General and Inorganic Chemistry adapted in the study of Basilio (2006) and in consonance to the characteristics of Contextual Teaching and Learning defined by Wilson and Clifford (2000) were used to collect data related to the needs of the students to come up with an instructional material that will connect chemistry concepts to their lives and to validate the developed enrichment activities respectively. Results revealed the topics that has high relevance to the students were, gas laws, physical changes, conversion of units, factors affecting rate of solution, factors affecting solubility, types of solution, properties of solutions, variables in gases, chemical changes, substances and mixtures, states of matter, factors affecting reaction rates, types of chemical reactions, compounds, elements, ways of separating mixtures, pH and pOH, rate of reaction, colloids and concentration of solution, and these are the topics contained in the enrichment activities. The students also replied that there is a need to come up with an instructional material that will connect these concepts to their lives since these are fundamental concepts and the contextual approach will aid the convenience of learning such concepts and to enhance enduring knowledge. The evaluation of the instructors to the enrichment activities scored an acceptable mark and was commended as useful and applicable.