Effect of conceptual change texts on senior high school students’ cognitive achievements and attitudes toward electrochemistry

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of conceptual change texts on students’ cognitive achievements and attitudes towards electrochemistry. The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which intact classes were used. The experimental group (N=51) was made up of SHS2 chemistry students and the control group (N=52) was also made up SHS2 chemistry students. Students’ misconceptions in electrochemistry were first identified using a structured interview and an electrochemistry concept test (ECCT) as pre-test. Students attitudes towards electrochemistry were also determined using the Attitude towards Electrochemistry Scale (ATECS). Both the ECCT and the ATECS were administered to students before and after the treatment. The results from the interview showed that students have many misconceptions in electrochemistry regarding electrochemical cells. There was a significant difference in cognitive achievement of students in the experimental group (M = 12.2, SD = 3.83) and the control group (M = 10.0, SD = 3.73), t (101) = 2.99, p = .003, d = .59. There was no significant difference in the attitude of students in the experimental group (M = 56.6, SD = 8.86) and those of the control group (M = 58.2, SD = 7.63), t (49) = -1.03, p = .305. There was no significant difference in the cognitive achievement of males (M = 12.06, SD = 3.67) and females (M = 13.12, SD = 4.79), t (50) = -.711; p = .480. Also there was no significant difference in attitude of males (M = 56.6, SD = 8.77) and females (M = 56.6, SD = 9.94), t (49) = -.006, p = .995. The results revealed that conceptual change texts resulted in a better acquisition of scientific concepts and cognitive achievement of students in electrochemistry than the traditional teaching approach.