Enhancing Electroplating Conceptual Understanding Through Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) Method Supported by Simulations: an Analysis of Student Responses

EasyChair Preprint 13384

Abstract

Teaching materials significantly support learning processes in teaching environments. One of these teaching materials is simulations. Interactive simulations can increase students' achievements by making the learning process more interactive. In addition, in many studies conducted in recent years, it has been observed that activities carried out with the constructivist approach have a positive effect on students' conceptual understanding. For this reason, a teaching-learning process prepared with a constructivist approach-based Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) activity is expected to have a positive effect on students' conceptual understanding. This study investigated the effect of supporting the POE method with simulations on students' conceptual understanding of electroplating. For this purpose, the effects of the POE method supported by simulations of high school students’ conceptual understanding were determined using an experimental design.The students’ responses at the prediction, observation, and explanation stages of the two selected POE activities used in the study were analyzed. These results of the study show that students’ have misconceptions about the anode-cathode electrode and the connection of electrode. In addition, one student's answer of +, that is, the cathode electrode, shows that the student confused the galvanic cell with the electrolytic cell or did not have information about the connection points of the anode-cathode electrode. The fact that they gave correct answers during the observation stage of the activities shows that the simulations were clear, understandable, and effective. In the explanation phase of the POE activities, students see the reasons for the differences between their predictions and observations as a lack of knowledge.

Keyphrases: Chemistry, Electroplating, Predict-Observe-Explain, conceptual understanding, high school, simulation

@booklet{EasyChair:13384,
  author    = {Aysenur Ravza Efe and Şenol Şen},
  title     = {Enhancing Electroplating Conceptual Understanding Through Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) Method Supported by Simulations: an Analysis of Student Responses},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 13384},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2024}}