The effect of instructional material designed according to 5e learning cycle which is based on constructivist approach on 11th grade students? Understanding of redox reactions and electrochemistry

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of instruction based on 5E learning cycle model and that of traditional instruction on 11th grade students? conceptual understanding of redox reactions and electrochemistry by statistically controlling their prior knowledge, logical abilities, science process skills and attitudes towards chemistry as a school subject. Another aim of this research is to investigate the effect of 5-E learning cycle model on students? attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject. This study was conducted in the first semester of 2006-2007 academic year in the two classrooms of a high school located in Ankara with the participation of 49 eleventh grade students. The classes were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. While redox reactions and electrochemistry concepts were explained by the teacher through lecturing supplemented by textbooks in the control group, the same concepts were taught by implementing the course material designed based on 5E learning cycle in the experimental group throughout a period of six weeks. Prior to the instruction, a prior knowledge test (ÖBT), group assessment logical thinking test (MDGT), science process skills test (B?BT), a concept test of electrochemistry concepts (EKT) and an attitude scale towards chemistry as a school subject (TT) v were administered to both groups as pre-tests. Following the instruction EKT and TT were given to both groups as post-tests. After the instruction ended in both groups, 7 students from the experimental and control groups were selected for interview which lasted about 20 minutes based on their scores on the redox reactions and electrochemistry concept test. Students voluntarily participated in the interviews and the interviews were tape-recorded with the permission of the students. The research hypotheses were tested by using t-test and ANCOVA. The results indicated that the instructional material designed according to 5-E learning cycle model caused a significantly better acquisition of scientific conceptions related to redox reactions and electrochemistry compared to traditional instruction. The results also showed that students? attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject and their prior knowledge about redox reactions and electrochemistry did not significantly contribute to conceptual understanding of redox reactions and electrochemistry while their logical thinking abilities and prior conceptual understanding of redox reactions and electrochemistry explained a significant variance in their post-conceptual understanding. In addition, no significant mean difference between experimental and control groups was found in terms of students? attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject.