The survey on the effectiveness of peer instruction method in teaching solutions at high school level

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of peer instruction method on students' conceptual understanding in teaching solutions at high school level and to compare peer instruction with the traditional approach. Furthermore, the effects of peer teaching method on students' attitudes towards chemistry and their willingness to discuss have also been studied. Mixed method design has been used in this study. The sample of the study consists of fifty-nine eleventh graders from two different classes attending Artvin İskebe Anatolian High-school during 2016-2017 academic year. In the study, convenience sampling has been used and one of the classes has been randomly assigned as the experimental group and the other one as the control group. Peer instruction approach has been used in the experimental group and traditional approach has been used in the control group. The treatment lasted for five weeks and there were four lessons each week. The data for the study have been collected using Solutions Concept Test, Attitudes Towards Chemistry Scale, Discussion Survey, concept questions, written opinion form, semi-structured interviews and observations. Independent t-tests have been used to analyze the data obtained from Solutions Concept Test, Attitudes Towards Chemistry Course Scale and Discussion Survey. Data obtained from written opinion forms, semi-structured interviews and observations have been analyzed descriptively. The findings of the study suggest that the experimental group's mean of the post-test results for the Solutions Concept Test were higher than that of the control group. The analysis of the independent t-tests reveals that the difference is statistically significant. According to this result, it can be argued that in terms of understanding concepts related to the subject of solutions, peer instruction method is more effective than the traditional approach and this has also been supported by the qualitative findings obtained from the interviews. Despite the fact that there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of students' attitudes towards chemistry, it can be understood from the written opinions of the experimental group that peer instruction approach increase students' active involvement in the lessons and supports retention. Based on in-class observations, it can also be asserted that in the subsequent weeks after the start of the treatment, the students adapted to the method and enjoyed lessons being taught this way. No statistically significant difference was found in terms of willingness to discuss. However, based on the written opinions of the students and in-class observations, it can be argued that students' in-class discussion skills improved.