The Impact of Using the "Go-Chemist!" App on Students‘ Motivation to Learn Atomic Structure in Chemistry

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of using the Go-Chemist! app on student motivation on the topic of atomic structure. In this study, we performed a quasi-experimental design. The sample was 71 tenth-grade students from two intact classes at a public high school in Jakarta, Indonesia. The control group was taught using a printed book, while the experimental group was instructed using the Go-Chemist! application. Student motivation in both groups was then evaluated before and after intervention using the science motivation questionnaire (SMQ). In order to examine the difference and increase in the scores of the two groups, independent and paired sample t-tests were employed. The results reflected that after treatment, students in the experimental group scored higher than students in the control group in terms of motivation. In addition, there was a significant increase in motivation among experimental group students compared to their counterparts. This suggested that the use of the Go-Chemist! is effective in improving students’ motivation in atomic structure. As such, we recommend curriculum developers, policymakers, teachers, and students take advantage of Go-Chemist! app in the teaching and learning of chemistry.