Examining the effects of technology-enhanced, inquiry-based laboratories on graphing skills, content knowledge, science reasoning ability and attitudes of community college chemistry students
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of inquiry-based technology-enhanced, laboratories with the use of Microcomputer Based Laboratory (MBL) activities on graphing skills, content knowledge, science reasoning skills, and attitudes of introductory general chemistry community college students. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest posttest comparison and treatment group design. The treatment group received a MBL technology. Inquiry-based laboratory activities were used for each. Four major research questions were explored in my study. The following instruments were used: the Modified Lawson Test of Scientific Reasoning; the Test of Graphing in Science (TOGS); the modified laboratory instrument ("Behavior of Gases" and "Lights, Color and Absorption" with accompanies content questions, validated by a panel of chemists, as well as an attitude survey. Mean scores from the Lawson, TOGS, Behavior of Gases and Lights, Color and Absorption labs, content knowledge questions were analyzed using t-tests to determine if a statistical significance exists between their mean scores. Basic statistics were used to analyze the attitude survey. The results from the Lawson revealed that students' mean score performance were not statistically significant between treatment and comparison groups. The t-test results indicated that each group had similar reasoning ability. The TOGS t-test results revealed that the mean scores were not statistically significant between each group. The results suggest that each group had similar graphing abilities. However, significant differences in the mean scores were found on their performance for the "Behavior of Gases" and "Lights, Color and Absorption" laboratories. Conducting a follow-up assessment of content knowledge for Behavior of Gases and Lights, Color and Absorption, revealed that no statistically significant difference exists on their mean scores, suggesting that though treatment students' performance was improved in the laboratory by using MBL; their content knowledge did not increase. Each group was positive about the use of technology.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1999
- Bibcode:
- 1999PhDT.......132D