The influence of active learning and submicrorepresentations on 14-year-old students’ understanding of the alkaline earth metal concepts

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of two different approaches on students? understanding of selected chemical concepts. The first treatment group was taught by a method comprising guided active learning demonstrations, and the second treatment group was exposed to guided active learning demonstrations with explanations at the submicroscopic level. In a control group, the selected topic was taught without guided active learning demonstrations and without explanations at the submicroscopic level. The instruments used in this research included the test of logical thinking (TOLT), knowledge pre-test (KPT), two achievement tests (AT-1 and AT-2) and a questionnaire for students. One hundred and seventy-one students (average age 13.9 years) participated in the study. The results indicate that both approaches (i.e., guided active learning demonstrations and guided active learning demonstrations with explanations at submicroscopic level) are more effective than only symbolic teaching. It can be concluded from the results that students? knowledge, obtained by either method that includes guided active learning, is retained in the students? long-term memory. Some suggestions for implications for the primary science curriculum are also discussed.