Investigation the effectiveness of laboratory works related to "acids and bases" on learning achievements and attitudes toward laboratory

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of laboratory works related to 'Acids and Bases' over teacher centred traditional approach on high school students' learning achievements and attitudes toward chemistry laboratory. The effects of laboratory works were assessed by the participations of 108 10(th) grade students from four classes in two high schools, which were were randomly assigned to experimental (NE-1=21, NE-2=32) and control (NC-1=24, NC-2=31) groups. Before the instruction, the pretest (KR-20 = 0.81), applied on all the students to identify their prior knowledge about the basic subjects to learn 'Acids and Bases', and no significantly differences were found between experimental and control groups in each school (p>0.05). While the subject of "Acids and Bases" was taught supported with laboratory experiments in the experimental groups, traditional approach was used in the control groups. The results of the post-test (KR-20 = 0.77), applied after the instruction, indicated that students, who performed experiments was significantly higher mean scores than those of control groups (p<0.05). Students' pre and post-attitudes towards chemistry laboratory were assessed by using Attitude toward Chemistry Laboratory Scale (alpha=0.87), and found that mean scores of the experimental groups significantly increased from 77.29 to 96.00 and from 80.03 to 97.66 (p<0.05). Students' answers to the scale were analysed in four dimensions as (i) Laboratory environment and using equipments; (ii) Experimental process in the laboratory; (iii) Assessment in the laboratory and (iv) Cooperative learning in the laboratory, and significantly increases in the mean scores of experimental group were determined for all the dimensions in comparison with control groups students (p<0.05). (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.