CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Overview

This section of the research work comprises the background to the study which gives the

description of work to be done. It also contains the statement of the problem, causes of the problem,

the purpose of the project, the significance of the study and the delimitation and limitation of the

study.

1.1 Background to the Study

Science is defined as the systematic study of things around us. It is a broad field of study which

uses unconfounded empirical tests to develop, discover, and explain systematic frameworks within

which relationships can be explored, studied, and established. Chemistry is one major branch of

science which deals with the study of matter and its composition and properties. One area that

needs special attention in chemistry, is the area of the study of gases because of its abstract nature.

According to Stavy (1988), the studies related to gases are quite problematic because of the

abstract, mostly invisible nature of gases which raises the level of difficulty for students’ learning.

Students have difficulty relating the various conditions under which gases are studied – pressure,

volume and temperature. The concept related to gases are examples of chemistry concepts that

attracted the attention of science education researchers (Çetin et al., 2009; Schuttlefield et al.,

2012). Kautz et al (2008), investigated students’ understanding of the ideal gas law. It was

suggested that after instruction many students were not able to correctly interpret and apply the

ideal gas law. In particular, difficulties with pressure, volume and Avogadro’s law were prevalent.

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A pre-test on ideal gas law was given to form two (2) science students of Awutu Winton Senior

High School, who were supposed to have treated gas laws (ideal gas law) to see how well they

understood the concept. From the results, it was observed that out of a total of forty-two (42)

students, only six representing (14.3%) appeared to have understood to some extent the concept of

ideal gas law . The rest demonstrated various degrees of lower levels of comprehension which

implies that they do not have adequate knowledge on the topic “ideal gas law”.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

From the pre-test result and further interaction with the students, I concluded that, form two (2)

science students of Awutu Winton Senior High School lack the understanding of the concept of

the ideal gas law. It was against this background that I deemed it fit to conduct the study in order

to remedy the situation by using animation.

1.3 Causes of the Problem

I conducted an unstructured interview to know why most of the students did not perform well in

the pre-test. The responses from the students are as follows;

 Six (6) of these students fear chemistry and thus put in no effort to learn it.

 Twenty-three (23) blamed the teaching methods employed, the absence of

appropriate teaching learning materials during instruction, and the abstract nature

of the concepts.

 Thirty (30) of the students taught they need extra periods to go over the topics they

have already treated in form one (1).

 Forty (40) of the students taught that the unavailability of a trained chemistry

teacher contribute to their difficulty in chemistry.

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1.4 Purpose of the Study

This study is aimed at improving the academic performance and understanding of form two (2)

science students of Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku, in the concept of the Ideal

gas law.

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study will help to improve the academic performance and understanding of form two (2)

science students of Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku.

It would also help to place emphasis on using appropriate teaching learning materials to enhance

the understanding of students.

The study will also serve as basis of other studies in furtherance of students’ understanding of

this concept.

1.6 Objectives of the study

The study sought to find:

 Factors that affect students’ performance in the study of the ideal gas law.

 The extent to which students’ performance in the ideal gas law will be improved through

the use of animation.

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1.7 Research Questions

The following questions guided the study:

1. What factors affect students’ performance in the study of ideal gas law?

2. To what extent will students’ performance in the concept of ideal gas law be improved

through the use of animation?

1.8 Limitation

The animation used in this study was restricted to teaching the concept of ideal gas law because it

helped students to visualise the abstract gas molecules and the effects of the various conditions on

the gas molecules.

1.9 Delimitation of the study

This study will involve form two (2) science students of Awutu Winton Senior High School,

because of time constraints and inadequate logistics.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Overview

This study was designed with the sole purpose of enhancing students’ performance in the concept

of the ideal gas law through the use of animations. The previous chapter identified students’

learning difficulty, this chapter reviews literature related to the problem. The review focuses on

theoretical and empirical research done in the field of science education.

The theoretical work done was based on objectivists and constructivists views on learning whiles

the empirical work done on the problem focused on the following:

 Educational Technology, Definition

 Historic Perspective on Educational Technology

 Importance of Technology in Education

 Justifying Technology Use

 Learning Theories Associated with Directed Instruction and implication to

Technology integration in Science Lessons

 Learning Theories Associated with Constructivism and Implications to

Technology Integration

 Factors that Affect Students’ Performance in Chemistry Lessons

 Description of Animation

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2.1 Theoretical Framework: Two Views

As education changes to reflect new social and educational needs, teaching strategies also change;

consequently, strategies change for integrating technology into teaching and learning (Ambrose,

2014). Today, educators’ definition of the appropriate role of technology depends on their

perceptions of the goals of education itself and appropriate instructional methods to help students

attain these goals.

Most educators seem to agree that changes are needed in education. But learning theorists disagree

on which strategies will achieve the best educational goals today. This controversy has served as

a catalyst for two different views on teaching and learning. One view, which is called directed

instruction, is grounded primarily in behaviourist learning theory and the information-processing,

a branch of the cognitive learning theories. The other view, which is referred to as constructivist

evolved from other branches of thinking in cognitive learning theory. A few technology

applications such as drill and practice and tutorials are associated only with directed instruction;

most others (problem solving, multimedia production, web-based learning) can enhance either

directed instruction or constructivist learning, depending on how they are used. These beliefs

guided the purposes of this study.

2.2 Differences in Terminologies

People with radically different views on an issue frequently use different terms to describe

essentially the same thing. According to Sfard (1998) differences in the language used to describe

learning sprung from two different metaphors used for learning: the acquisition metaphor and the

participation metaphor. She notes that “... the acquisition metaphor is likely to be more prominent

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in older writings, [and] more recent studies are often dominated by the participation metaphor” (p.

5). These differences in language signal fundamental differences in thinking about how learning

takes place and how we can foster it.

To understand how these differences come about, it is important to recognize that both directed

instruction and constructivist approaches attempt to identify what Gagné (1985) called the

‘conditions of learning’ or the ‘sets of circumstances that is obtained when learning occurs’ (p. 2).

Both approaches are based on the work of respected learning theorists and psychologists who have

studied both the behaviour of human beings as learning organisms and the behaviour of students

in schools and classrooms. The two approaches diverge when they define learning and describe

the conditions required to make learning happen and the kinds of problems that interfere most with

learning. They disagree because they attend to different philosophies and learning theories, and

they take different perspectives on improving current educational practice.

2.3 Differences in Philosophical Foundations

The differences begin with underlying epistemologies: beliefs about the origins, nature, and limits

of human knowledge. Constructivists and objectivists (those who espouse directed methods) come

from separate and different epistemological “planets,” although both nurture many different tribes

or cultures (Molenda, 1991; Phillips, 1995). Philosophical differences can be summarized in the

following way:

 Objectivists. Knowledge has a separate, real existence of its own outside the

human mind. Learning happens when this knowledge is transmitted to people and

they store it in their minds.

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  Constructivists. Humans construct all knowledge in their minds by participating

in certain experiences; learning happens when one constructs both mechanisms for

learning and his or her own unique version of the knowledge, coloured by

background, experiences, and aptitudes (Sfard, 1998; Willis, 1995).

2.4 Differences in procedures and processes.

Unsurprisingly, differences in language and philosophies between constructivists and objectivists

signal dramatic differences in the curriculum and teaching and learning methods that each

considers appropriate and effective. Sometimes, these differences of opinion have generated

strident debate (Baines & Stanley, 2000). Yet many believe that both kinds of strategies may prove

useful to teachers for addressing commonly recognized instructional and educational problems.

Some of the ways in which these differences are reflected in the classroom are summarized in table
1.

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Table 1: Methodological Differences Between Directed and Constructivist Theories

Directed Constructivist

Teacher roles Transmitter of knowledge; expert source; Guide and facilitator as students
director of skill/concept development generate their own knowledge;
through structured experiences collaborative resource and
assistant as students explore
topics

Students roles Receive information; demonstrate Collaborate with others; develop

competence; all students learn same competence; students may learn
material different material

Curriculum Based on skill and knowledge hierarchies; Based on projects that foster
characteristics skills taught one after the other in set both higher level and lower level
sequence skills concurrently

Learning goals Stated in terms of mastery learning and Stated in terms of growth from
behavioural competence in a scope and where student began and
sequence increased ability to work
independently and with others
Types of activities Lecture, demonstration, discussions, Group projects, hands-on
student practice, seatwork, testing exploration, product
development

Assessment Written tests and development of products Performance tests and products
strategies matched to objectives, all tests and products such as portfolios; quality
match set criteria; same measures for all measured by rubrics and
students checklists; measures may differ
among students

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2.5 Merging the two Approaches

As Molenda (1991) observed, an either-or stance seems to gain us little. Rather, both sides need to

find a way to merge the two approaches in a way that will benefit learners and teachers. A link

between the two planets must be forged so that students may travel freely from one to the other,

depending on the characteristics of the topics at hand and individual learning needs. Sfard (1998)

agrees that “one metaphor is not enough” (p. 10) to explain how all learning takes place or to

address all problems inherent in learning.

Bereiter (1990) initially supported directed instruction methods and later shifted toward

constructivist principles. He suggested that much of what educators want students to achieve is

sufficiently complex that none of the existing learning theories can account for how it is actually

learned, let alone the conditions that should be arranged to facilitate learning. He points out the

futility of theory and research that attempts to (1) identify relevant social, environmental, or

individual influences on learning such as prior experiences, types of reinforcement, and learning

styles; and (2) quantify their comparative contribution to what he calls difficult learning, that is,

higher order thinking and problem solving.

Bereiter (1990) also observed that each of these contributing factors tends to interact with others,

thus changing their relative importance. He quotes Cronbach’s vivid metaphor: “Once we attend

to interactions [between these relevant factors], we enter a hall of mirrors that extends to infinity”

(p. 606). Practicing teachers could encounter endless variations of explanations about how people

learn or fail to learn. Escaping from this hall of mirrors will require, Bereiter to maintain a more

all-inclusive learning theory than those currently available. In light of Bereiter’s observations, the

debate between directed and constructivist proponents seems likely to inspire different methods

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primarily because they focus on different kinds of problems (or different aspects of the same

problems) confronting teachers and students in today’s schools. Like the blind men trying to

describe the elephant, each focuses on a different part of the problem, and each is correct in limited

observations.

It is the combination of the two proponents in teaching that guided this research. Proficient

technology-oriented teachers must learn to combine directed instruction and constructivist

approaches. To implement each of these strategies, teachers should select technology resources

and integration methods that are best suited to their specific needs.

2.6 Summaries of Characteristics of the two Teaching/Learning Models

 The Directed Instructional Model Tend to:

 Focus on teaching sequences of skills that begin with lower level skills and build

to higher level skills.

 Clearly state skill objectives with test items matched to them.

 Stress more individualized work than group work.

 Emphasize traditional teaching and assessment methods: lectures, skill worksheets,

activities, and tests with specific expected responses.

 The Constructivist Learning Model Tend to:

 Focus on learning through posing problems, exploring possible answers, and

developing products and presentations.

 Pursue global goals that specify general abilities such as problem-solving and

research skills.

 Stress more group work than individualized work.

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  Emphasize alternative learning and assessment methods: exploration of open-ended

questions and scenarios, doing research and developing products; assessment by

student portfolios, performance checklists, and tests with open-ended questions;

and descriptive narratives written by teachers.

2.7 Educational Technology: Origin and Definitions of Terms

For many educators, any mention of technology in education immediately brings to mind the use

of some device or a set of equipment, particularly computer equipment. Muffolletto (1994) says

that technology is commonly thought of in terms of gadgets, instruments, machines and devices

hence most educators will defer to technology as computers. Only about 24 years ago, a history of

technology in education since 1920 placed the emphasis on radio and television with computers as

an afterthought (Cuban, 2001). Saettler (1990) urges those seeking precision to remember that “the

historical function of educational technology is a process rather than a product. No matter how

sophisticated the media of instruction may become, a distinction must always be made between

the process of developing a technology of education and the use of certain products or media within

a particular technology of instruction” (p. 4). Therefore, in the view of most writers, researchers

and practitioners in the field, useful definitions of educational technology must focus on the

process of applying tools for educational purposes as well as the tools and materials used. As

Muffoletto (1994) puts it, “Technology … is not a collection of machines and devices but a way

of acting”. (p. 25). Based on this background, Roblyer (2002) stated that educational technology

is a combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems,

with an emphasis on applying the most current tools: computers and their related technologies.

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2.8 Historic Perspectives on Educational Technology

Saettler (1990), has an excellent, comprehensive historical description of the term:

Educational technology……can be traced back to the time when

tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge, and early
cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and
transmit information…… It is clear that educational technology
is essentially the product of a great historical stream consisting
of trial and error, long practice and imitation, and
sporadic manifestations of unusual individual creativity
and persuasions (p. 4)

If educational technology is viewed as both processes and tools, it is important to begin by

examining four different historical perspectives on these processes and tools, all of which have

helped shape current practices in the field. These influences come to us from four groups (media,

instructional systems, vocational training, and computers).

2.9 Technology in Education as Instructional Systems

The instructional design or instructional systems movement took shape in the 1960s, adding

another dimension to the media-and-communications view of technology in education. Systems

approaches to solving educational problems originated in military and industrial training but later

emerged in university research and development projects. The basic school practices began to

reflect systems approaches when university personnel began advocating them in their work with

schools. These approaches were based on the belief that both human and non-human resources

(teachers and media, respectively) could be parts of a system for addressing an instructional need.

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From this viewpoint, educational technology was seen not just as a medium for communicating

instructional information, but as a systematic approach to designing, developing, and delivering

instruction matched to carefully identified needs (Heinich, et al., 2000). Resources for delivering

instruction were identified only after detailed analysis of learning tasks and objectives and the

kinds of instructional strategies required to teach them (Saettler, 1990).

From the 1960s through the 1980s, applications of systems approaches to instruction were

influenced and shaped by learning theories from educational psychology. Behaviourist theories

held sway initially and cognitive theories gained influence later. Views of instructional systems in

the 1990s also were influenced by popular learning theories; however, these theories criticized

systems approaches as too rigid to foster some kinds of learning, particularly higher order ones

(Naisbitt, 1999). Thus, the current view of educational technology as instructional systems seems

to be changing once again.

Just as the AECT had its origins in the media systems view of educational technology, the

International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) grew out of the view of educational

technology as a systems approach to instruction. Originally named the National Society for

Programmed Instruction, the ISPI is still concerned primarily with creating a validating

instructional system in order to improve productivity and competence in the workplace.

2.10 Technology in Education as Computers and Computer-Based Systems

The advent of computers in the 1950s created yet another view of educational technology.

Business, industry, and military trainers, as well as educators in basic and higher education,

recognized the instructional potential of computers. Many of these trainers and educators predicted

that computer technology would quickly transform education and become the most important

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component of educational technology (Truett, 1996). Although instructional applications of

computers did not produce the anticipated overnight success, they inspired the development of

another branch of educational technology. From the time that computers came into classrooms in

the 1960s until about 1990, this perspective was known as educational computing and

encompassed both instructional and support applications of computers (Solomon, 1995).

Educational computing applications originally were influenced by technical personnel such as

programmers and systems analysts. By the 1970s, however, many of the same educators involved

with media, audiovisual communications, and instructional systems were directing the course of

research and development in educational computing. By the 1990s, these educators began to see

computers as part of a combination of technology resources, including media, instructional

systems, and computer-based support systems. At that point, educational computing became

known as educational technology (Heinich, et al., 2000).

The organization that represents this view of technology in education is the International Society

for Technology in Education (ISTE), the product of a merger between two computer-oriented

groups: the International Council for Computers in Education (ICCE) and the International

Association for Computers in Education (IACE). IACE was known for most of its existence from

1960. Currently, ISTE is an influential force leading the movement for technology skill standards

for teachers and students (Heinich, et al., 2000).

Each of these perspectives on technology in education has made significant contributions to the

current body of knowledge about processes and tools to address educational needs. But, as Saettler

(1990) points out, no single paradigm that attempts to describe educational technology can

characterise satisfactorily what is happening with technology in education today and what will

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happen in the future. Furthermore, all of the organizations described here seem engaged in a

struggle to claim the high-profile term educational technology. Each seems determined to assign

a definition based on the perspective and concerns of its members; each wants to be identified with

and help shape the future of educational technology.

2.11 Importance of Technology in Education

As we look today at what technology is doing – and what it promises to do – in classroom across

the country, teachers and trainee teachers are supposed to have adequate knowledge in technology.

Computers and other technology resources have improved in capabilities and user-friendliness to

educators. Some of the most innovative and promising practices in education today involve

technology and the promise of even more exciting capabilities foreshadow even greater benefits

for teachers.

Technology is, above all, a channel for helping teachers communicate better with students. This is

reflected in the increasing number of communication tools available today. Some of these tools

are the mobile phones, internet and intranet facilities. As espoused by Roblyer, 2002:

 The use of technology can shape and increase the knowledge of teachers. It is

in this direction that teachers and trainee teachers need to be exposed to the use

of technology.

 Technology is us – our tools, our methods and our own creative attempts to

solve problems in our environment. Technology is, by definition, intended to

be part of our path to a better life, rather than an obstacle in our way.

 Some desirable changes that technology brings are for example; distance

technologies have allowed people to attend professional conferences online,

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 rather than by travelling to another location. Currently, information about many

things that were farfetched are now within the reach of man. Example,

information about human cloning and genetic engineering.

In education, we can simulate face-to-face communication to an increasingly realistic degree.

Roblyer (1999b) asserted that teachers must be as informed and analytical in technological issues

as they want their students to become. More teachers who understand the role technology plays in

society and in education are needed. Naisbitt, (1999), put it rightly, “… whenever new technology

is introduced into society, there must be a counterbalancing human response … the more high tech

(it is), the more high touch (is needed)” (p. 35).

In an increasingly technological society we need more teachers who are both technological savvy

and child centered (Miller, 2001). That is why it is expedient for trainees to be taught using

Computer Assisted Instruction (animations).

2.12 Justifying Technology (animation) Use

 The Case for Motivation

Motivating students to learn, to enjoy learning, and to want to learn more has assumed greater

importance in recent years as we recognize strong correlations between dropping out of school and

undesirable outcomes such as criminal activity. The drive to keep students in school is an urgent

national priority. Technology (animation) has an important role to play in achieving this goal.

Kozma and Croninger (1992) described several ways in which technology might help to address

the cognitive, motivational, and social needs of at-risk students and several software packages that

were either designed or adapted to appeal to these kinds of students. Technology-based methods

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have successfully promoted several kinds of motivational strategies that may be used individually

or in combination.

 Gaining learner attention

Renowned learning theorist Gagné (1985) proposed that gaining the learner’s attention is the first

and foremost task (event) in providing optimal conditions for instruction. Although other aspects

of instruction must direct this attention toward meaningful learning, the visual and interactive

features of many technology resources seem to help focus students’ attention and encourage them

to spend more time on learning tasks (Summers, 1991). Substantial empirical evidence indicates

that teachers frequently capitalize on the novelty and television-like attraction of computers and

multimedia to achieve the essential instructional goal of capturing and sustaining learners’

attention.

 Unique Instructional Capabilities

Another powerful case for using technology resources is that some technological media can

facilitate unique learning environments or contribute unique features to make traditional learning

environments more powerful and effective.

 Tracking learner progress

Integrated learning systems and subsequent products based on them have capitalized on the

computer’s unique ability to capture, analyze and present data on students’ performances during

learning. A teacher attempting to demonstrate a set of skills to a large group of students needs

accurate up-to-date, easy-to-analyze information on what each student is and is not learning. A

well-designed computer-based system for data collection (sometimes called a computer-managed

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instruction or CMI system) can most effectively provide this essential information. Small, palm-

top computers allow teachers and researchers to keep moment-to-moment records of their

observations of students; anticipate affordable expert systems that can provide instruction, analyze

students’ errors and learning styles, and provide feedback tailored to unique learning needs

(McArthur & Stasz, 1990)

 Problem solving and higher order skills

Basic communications and mathematics skills remain essential, but so is the need to solve

problems and think critically about complex issues. In addition, curriculum is beginning to reflect

the belief that students need not master basic skills before going on to higher level skills. The

engaging qualities of technology resources such as multimedia and the internet allow teachers to

set complex long-term goals that call for basic skills, thus motivating students to learn the lower

level skills they need at the same time they acquire higher level ones (Solomon, 1995).

 Increased Teacher Productivity

A very important but often overlooked reason for using technology resources is to help teachers

cope with their growing paperwork load. Teachers and organizations have recognized that if they

spend less time on record keeping and preparation they can spend more time analyzing student

needs and having direct contact with students. Teachers can become more productive through

training in technology-based methods and quick access to accurate information that may help them

meet individual needs. Many technology resources can help teachers increase their productivity:

word processing, spreadsheet, database, grade book, graphics, desktop publishing, instructional

management, and test generator programs along with online communications between teachers (e-

mail) and other online services (Roblyer, 1998b).

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2.13 Learning Theories Associated with Directed Instruction and Implication to Technology

Integration

There are two different theories of learning that contributed to the development of directed

instruction:

 Behavioural theories

Behavioural theorists concentrated on immediately observable, behavioural changes in

performance (tests) as indicators of learning.

 Information-processing theories

These theories developed from a branch of cognitive psychology that focused on the memory and

storage processes that make learning possible. They viewed the process of learning in human

beings as similar to that of how a computer processes information. Theorists in this area explored

how a person receives information and stores it in memory, the structure of memory that allows

learning something new and build on something learned previously, and how a learner retrieves

information from short- and long-term memory and applies it to new situations (Atkinson &

Shiffrin, 1968; Ormrod, 2001, p. 225).

2.14 The Contributions of Behavioural Theories

Skinner and others viewed the teacher’s job as modifying the behaviour of students by setting up

situations to reinforce students when they exhibited desired responses, teaching them to exhibit

the same response in all such situations. These behavioural principles underlie two well-known

trends in education: behaviour modification techniques in classroom management and

programmed instruction.

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2.15 The Information-Processing Theorists: The Mind as a Computer

Behaviourist like Skinner focused only on external, directly observable indicators of human

learning. During the 1950s and 1960s, a group of researchers known as the cognitive learning

theorists began to hypothesize a model that would help people visualize what is impossible to

observe directly (Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 258). Though some constructivists disassociate

themselves with them, the information-processing theorists were among the first and most

influential of the cognitive-learning theorists. They hypothesized processes inside the brain that

allow human beings to learn and remember.

Although no single, cohesive information-processing theory of learning summarizes the field, the

work of the information-processing theorists is based on a model of memory and storage originally

proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968). According to them, the brain contains certain structures

that process information much like a computer. This model of the mind as computer hypothesizes

that the human brain has three kinds of memory or “stores” (Ormrod, 2001, p. 225):

 Sensory registers. The part of memory that receives all the information a

person senses.

 Short-term memory (STM). Also known as working memory, the part of

memory where new information is held temporarily until it is either lost or

placed into long-term memory.

 Long-term memory (LTM). The part of memory that has an unlimited

capacity and can hold information indefinitely.

According to this model, learning occurs in the following way. First, information is sensed through

receptors: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and/or hands. This information is held in the sensory registers

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for a very short time (perhaps a second), after which it either enters STM or is lost. Many

information-processing theorists believe that information can be sensed but lost before it gets to

STM if the person is not paying attention to it. Anything people pay attention to goes into working

memory, where it can stay for about 5 to 20 seconds (Ormrod, 2001). After this time, if information

is not processed or practiced in a way that causes it to transfer to LTM, then it, too, is lost.

Information-processing theorists believe that for new information to be transferred to LTM, it

must be linked in some way to prior knowledge already in LTM. Once information does enter

LTM, it is there essentially permanently, although some psychologists believe that even

information stored in LTM can be lost if not used regularly (Ormrod, 2001).

 Implications for Education

Information-processing views of learning have become the basis for many common classroom

practices. For example, teachers ask interesting questions and display eye-catching materials to

increase the likelihood that students will pay attention to a new topic. While presenting

information, they give instructions that point out important points and characteristics in the new

material and suggest methods of “encoding” or remembering them by linking them to information

students already know.

Educational psychologists such as Gagné and Ausubel provided many instructional guidelines

designed to enhance the processes of attention, encoding, and storage. Gagné proposed that

teachers use a hierarchical “bottom-up approach,” making sure that students learn lower order

skills first and build on them. Ausubel, by contrast, recommended a “top-down” approach; he

proposed that teachers provide “advance organizers” or overviews of the way information will be

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presented to help students’ developmental frameworks on which to “hang” new information (Gage

& Berliner, 1988).

 Implications for Technology Integration

Information-processing theories have also guided the development of artificial intelligence (AI)

applications, an attempt to use computer animations that can simulate the thinking and learning

behaviours of humans. Much of the drill practice software available is designed to help students

encode and store newly learned information into long-term memory.

2.16 Characteristics of Directed Instruction

Teaching methods based primarily on behaviourist and information-processing learning theories

usually are associated with more traditional, teacher-directed forms of instruction. Robert Gagné

is considered a leader in developing instructional guidelines for directed instruction that combine

the behavioural and information-processing learning theories. He asserted that teachers must

accomplish at least three tasks to link these learning theories with teaching practices:

 Ensure prerequisite skills are acquired.

Teachers must make sure that students have all the prerequisite skills they need to learn a new

skill. This may involve identifying component skills and the order in which they should be taught.

Gagné referred to this group of skills as a learning hierarchy.

 Supply instructional conditions.

Teachers must arrange for appropriate instructional conditions to support the internal processes

involved in learning; that is, they must supply sequences of carefully structured presentations and

23
activities that help students understand (process), remember (encode and store), and transfer

(retrieve) information and skills.

 Determine the type of learning.

Finally, teachers must vary these conditions for several different kinds of learning (Gagné, Briggs,

& Wager, 1992).

2.17 Events of Instruction

Gagné used the information-processing model of internal processes to derive a set of guidelines

that teachers could follow to arrange optimal “conditions of learning.” His set of nine “Events of

Instruction” was perhaps the best known of these guidelines. These events are: gaining attention;

informing the learner of the objective; stimulating recall of prerequisite learning; presenting new

material; providing learning guidance; eliciting performance; providing feedback about

correctness; assessing performance; and enhancing retention and recall (Gagné, Briggs, & Wager,

1992).

 Implications for Technology Integration

Gagné, Wager, and Rojas (1981) showed how Gagné’s Events of Instruction could be used to plan

lessons using computer animations. That said, only an animation that could “stand by itself” and

accomplish all of the necessary events of instruction could best serve the purpose (objective).

Behaviourist and information-processing theories have not only helped establish key concepts such

as types of learning and instructional conditions required to bring about each type: they also laid

the groundwork for more efficient methods of creating directed instruction. These methods, known

24
as systematic instructional design or systems approaches, incorporated information from learning

theories into step-by-step procedures for preparing instructional materials.

Systematic methods came about largely in response to logistical problems in meeting large

numbers of individual needs (Saettler, 1990; Wager, 1992).

2.18 Learning Theories Associated with Constructivism and implications to Technology

Integration

Constructivist strategies are based on principles of learning derived from branches of cognitive

science. This area focused specifically on students’ motivation to learn and ability to use what they

learn outside the school culture. Constructivist strategies try to respond to perceived deficiencies

in behaviourist and information-processing theories and the teaching methods based on them. In

addition, constructivists try to inspire students to see the relevance of what they learn and to

prevent what Cognition and Technology Group of Vanderbilt, CTGV, (1990) calls inert

knowledge, or student failure to transfer what is already known to the learning of other skills that

require prior knowledge.

These theories are based on the ideas of revered educational philosophers, psychologists, and

practitioners such as John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Jean Piaget, and Howard

Gardner. Later work by Seymour Papert, John Seely Brown, the Cognition and Technology Group

at Vanderbilt.

25
2.19 The Contributions of Early Cognitive Learning Theories

Educators credit theorists such as John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, and Jerome Bruner

with some of the fundamental premises of constructivist thinking.

 Dewey’s social constructivism

Several of Dewey’s ideas support constructivist models of teaching and learning. Among these

ideas is the need to center student instruction around relevant, meaningful activities. Prawat (1993)

recalled Dewey’s label of “worse than useless” (p. 6) any instruction that did not center on

problems already within the child’s experience. He emphasized that learning should be hands-on

and experience based, rather than abstract.

He objected to commonly used teaching methods that used a “one-way channel of communication

– from teacher to student through direct drill and memorization . . .” (Smith & Smith, 1994). He

believed that meaningful learning resulted from students working cooperatively on tasks that were

directly related to their interests.

 Implications for Technology Integration

As Bruce (2000) noted, Dewey would likely have approved of technologies like the Internet being

used to help students communicate with each other and learn more about their society. Dewey’s

emphasis on the need for cooperative learning would mesh well with technologies used for

developing group projects and presentations. However, as Dewey himself recognized, the central

problem with all these resources is combining them into a curriculum that encourages intellectual

challenge.

26
  Jean Piaget’s Theories: Cognitive Development in Children

Ormrod (2000) summarizes Piaget’s basic assumptions about children’s cognitive development in

the following way:

 Children are active and motivated learners.

 Children’s knowledge of the world becomes more integrated and organized over time.

 Children learn through the processes of assimilation and accommodation.

 Cognitive development depends on interaction with one’s physical and social environment.

 The processes of equilibration (resolving disequilibrium) help to develop increasingly

complex levels of thought.

 Cognitive development can occur only after certain genetically controlled neurological

changes occur.

 Cognitive development occurs in four qualitatively different stages.

 Implications for Technology Integration

Many technology-using teachers feel that using visual resources such as Logo and animations can

help raise children’s developmental levels more quickly than they would have occurred through

maturation; thus, children who use these resources can learn higher level concepts than they

normally would have been able to understand until they were older. However, research evidence

to support their belief is still being gathered. Other educators feel that young children should

experience things in the “real world” before seeing them represented in the more abstract ways

they are shown in software, for example, computer animations.

27
2.20 Factors that affect student’s performance in Chemistry lessons

According to Keeves and Morgenstern (1992), attitude of the learner affects performance. This

was also supported by Anderson (2006) and Freedman (1997) who explained that attitude and

achievement are related and that a positive attitude towards science lesson results in a good

achievement. Most senior high school students developed some negative attitude towards science

from the basic level. This negative attitude manifested in the form of lack of interest, satisfaction

and motivation (Gardner & Gauld, 1990).

The pedagogical content knowledge of a teacher is also crucial in teaching and learning of concepts

in chemistry. Pedagogical content knowledge has been viewed as a set of special attributes that

helped someone transfer the knowledge of content to others (Geddis, 1993). It deals with the most

useful forms of representation of ideas, the most powerful analogies, illustrations, examples,

explanations, and demonstrations which are the ways of presenting and formulating a subject/topic

that makes it comprehensible to others (Shulman, 1987).

Again, Shulman (1987) stated that pedagogical content knowledge includes those special attributes

a teacher possessed that helped him/her guide a student to understand content in a manner that was

personally meaningful. Shulman explained further that pedagogical content knowledge includes

"an understanding of how some particular topics, problems, or issues are organised, presented, and

adapted to the diverse interests and abilities of learners, and presented for instruction" (p. 8). He

also suggested that pedagogical content knowledge was the best knowledge base of teaching: The

key to distinguishing the knowledge base of teaching lies at the intersection of content and

pedagogy, in the capacity of a teacher to transform the content knowledge he or she possesses into

forms that are pedagogically powerful and yet adaptive to the variations in ability and background

that students have. This is supported by Ausubel (1968) that the important single factor influencing

28
meaningful learning is indeed, what the learner already knows, and as such should be ascertained

to teach him/her accordingly.

Other factors that affect students’ performance in chemistry lessons are: past experiences of the

learners, material availability (Murphy, 1990), presentation of concepts and topics in an abstract

(Ornstein, 2006).

Also truancy, lack of motivation, time available for teaching and learning, learning strategies

students employ and self-efficacy are also identified as factors affecting student performance

(Bandura, 1997; Nisbet & Shucksmith, 1986). Finally, self-regulations and school climate are also

among other factors that affect student performance in chemistry lessons (Shunk, 2005).

2.21 The Animation

Animation is a technique of photographing successive drawings or models to create an illusion of

movement when the film is shown as sequence. The animation used in this research was designed

in the form of video presentation. I downloaded this animation of two-dimensional illustration of

the various gas laws that make up the ideal gas law. The video includes how the various conditions

under which gases are studied, vary as the conditions vary. The animation also shows the various

conditions under which the various laws, namely Boyle’s, Charles’ and Avogadro laws, hold.

At some point, it shows a cylinder supplying gas molecules during Avogadro’s law, a piston being

used to increase pressure during Boyle’s law and a Bunsen burner to produce temperature increase

during Charles’ law.

29
 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Overview

In this chapter, the researcher presents the study area, the research design, population, sample,

research instruments, validity and reliability of the research instruments, data analysis procedure

and the implementation of the intervention strategy.

3.1 Study area

The study was carried out at Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku. The school is

sited between Akoti junction and Awutu Bereku on the Winneba – Kasoa road, about 800 metres

from Akoti junction in the Awutu Senya West municipality of the Central region of Ghana. To get

to the school, one will take the Winneba – Kasoa road. About eight hundred metres (800m) from

the Akoti junction, the school is located just on the left side of the road.

3.2 Research Design

The study is an action research; an educational action research is a process in which participants

examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of

research. Its purpose is to solve a specific classroom or school problem, improve practice or make

decision at a single local site (Asamoah-Gyimah & Duodu, 2007). Individual teacher action

research usually focuses on a single issue in the classroom. The teacher may be seeking solutions

to problems of classroom management, use of materials, instructional strategies, or student

learning difficulties.

30
It is also an intervention, on a small scale, put in place to diagnose a problem and attempt to solve

it in a specific context. It aims at improving upon teaching and learning in classroom.

However, during or after the implementation of the findings, other issues may emerge, which

would require further research process to begin (Kusi, 2012).

In spite of this limitation, I chose this type of design because it helps me to produce valid

information and knowledge that has immediate application in the classroom. It also helps to solve

problems which have direct effect on students’ academic performance as the problem is identified

mostly in the classroom environment.

3.3 Population and sample of the study

This study has a target population of forty two (42) students comprising of all the second year

science students of Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku. This class is made up of

two groups – agricultural science and general science. The agricultural science group is made up

of twenty seven (27) students while the general science group is made up of thirty (15) students.

Purposive sampling was used to select the agricultural science group as my sample population

based on the results of the pre-test. After analyzing data from the pre-test, I realized that, both

groups have the problem but the agricultural science group was mostly affected.

31
3.4 Research Instruments

The instruments used for the study were test (pre-test and post-test), unstructured interview, and

observation.

 Test

A test is a series of questions which serve as a measuring tool used for collecting specific

information from subjects (participants) to aid in finding solution to a research problem (Fianu,

2005). This instrument was used because it is an effective way of securing information from

students as well as an ideal method for measuring students’ performance. The pre-test and post-

test were prepared and self-administered to ensure that the test items were in line with the course

content.

The pre-test was used during the pre-intervention stage to determine the extent of the problem

while the post-test was used at the post-intervention stage of the research to ascertain the

effectiveness of the intervention strategy.

The pre-test and post-test were similar in structure but different in content. They both consisted of

two parts. The first part of both tests were made up of five short answer items on laws that make

up the ideal gas law and their mathematical expressions. The second part also consist of two short

answer items on combination of the laws and the units of the universal gas constant. The questions

in part one of both the pre-test and post-test attracted 1 mark each and those in part two attracted

2.5 marks each. The total score each of the tests was 10 marks and each student was expected to

get 5 marks or above to pass the test. Each exercise lasted for 30 minutes.

32
The researcher observed that some students state laws without stating the condition(s) under which

they hold. Some students also have problems with the mathematical expressions and the

establishment of the relationship between or among the various conditions.

The pre-test will be used to ascertain whether students truly have a problem in understanding the

concept of the ideal gas law. The post-test will also be administered to know the impact of the

intervention strategy.

 Unstructured interview

According to Kusi (2012), unstructured interview is a technique often used to gather data in

qualitative studies. It has no definite structure and involves free-style discussion with the

interviewee.

Though unstructured interview as a research instrument may be meaningless when the interviewer

fails to establish cordial and friendly relationship with the interviewee, the researcher however

used it because of its flexibility and freedom which enabled me to unveil relevant and sensitive

information through probing. This instrument also helped me to determine the various causes of

the inability of the students to understand the concept of the ideal gas law.

 Observation

Observation is the act of recognizing and noting facts or occurrences. The Concise Oxford

Dictionary (2001) defines observation as accurate watching and noting of phenomena as they occur

in nature with regard to cause and effect or mutual relations. From the description of Fainu (2005)

and Cobuild (2003) on the other hand, one can conclude that observation is the process of studying

33
things or people and being able to tell what they are, what they are capable of or why they behave

the way they do.

I perceived that, the students have a problem when it comes to elements, their chemical symbols

and atomic numbers using unstructured observation.

Although observation has an advantage of overcoming the bias which the phrasing of questions

may have on respondents, Asamoah-Gyimah and Duodu (2006) noted that, its disadvantages

cannot be done away with and that data collected through observation are authentic.

3.5 Validity and reliability of the instruments.

Validity of an instrument is the extent to which the instrument measures what it is intended to

measure. It is categorized into two types: internal validity and external validity. Reliability of an

instrument on the other hand refers to the degree of consistency of the results. Bell (1993), defined

reliability as the extent to which a test or procedure produces similar result under constant

conditions on all occasions. That is, the instrument should produce similar results when they are

administered at different times under the same testing conditions.

To ensure validity of the instruments, the questionnaire and pre-test and post-test were given to

some science tutors for proof-reading. The tests were then administered to the second year general

science students of Odukpong Senior High School, Kasoa since they have the same curriculum.

Mistakes and ambiguities were then corrected before the tests were finally administered to the

sample population.

To ensure the reliability of the test items, trial testing was done twice at Odukpong Senior High

School, Kasoa.

34
3.6 Data analysis procedure

The raw scores from the pre-test and post-test activities were analyzed using the t-test. The raw

scores were also converted into bar graph/histogram and frequency tables with percentages of

participants’ performance that will give them meaning.

3.7 Implementation of intervention strategy

The intervention strategy I used was an animation which I downloaded with the outmost scrutiny

of its content. I chose to download the animation because I have limited skills in the area of

designing animations of that kind. Also, the content of the animations gave me all that I could

have put in if I were doing it myself.

Before the intervention lesson, students were put into six groups and assigned to read and make

notes on the gas laws (namely, Boyle, Charles, Avogadro and ideal gas laws). The researcher used

five periods (two for the first and three for the second) within one week for the intervention. The

researcher started the intervention lesson by brainstorming with the students using questions to

help students state the laws that make up the ideal gas law. Three students were called, one from

each group, to present what they have written to the class. After each presentation, the researcher

used the animation to guide the students to describe how the conditions vary and also guide them

to establish the mathematical relationship between the various conditions. Figures below show the

animations of the various laws that make the ideal gas law.

35
Fig 1: animation of Boyle’s law – volume is inversely proportional to pressure at constant

temperature

Fig 2: animation of Charles’ law – volume is directly proportional to temperature at

constant pressure

36
 Fig 3: animation of Avogadro’s law – volume is directly proportional the number of

molecules at constant temperature and pressure

The researcher used oral questioning and answers periodically to assess students’ learning and give

individual attention where necessary. The researcher closed the lesson by letting students

summarize the lesson and informed students on the topic for the next lesson and closed the class.

The second intervention lesson started with a quick recap of the previous lesson and the remaining

groups gave their presentations in turns. The researcher then proceeded to guide the students to

put the three laws together to form the ideal gas law. The researcher introduced the universal gas

constant, R and guided the students on how to change the unit of the volume to suit the unit of R

since it could be given as 8.314 Jmol-1k-1 or 0.082 atmdm3mol-1k-1. The researcher explained that

if R is given as the former, the unit of the volume should be in m3 and if it is given as the latter,

the volume should be in dm3. The researcher used question and answer to summarize the lesson.

Two days after the intervention activities, the researcher administered the post intervention test to

ascertain the effectiveness or otherwise of my intervention strategy. The researcher analysed

results from the post-test and realised that students now understood the importance of stating

37
conditions under which laws hold. Using the animation to illustrate, students can now express the

various laws mathematically and also establish the relationship between and among the various

conditions.

38
 CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Overview

This chapter comprises of the analysis of the data collected, presentation of findings and

discussions in order to determine the effect of animation on science two (2) students of Awutu

Winton Senior High School in the concept of the ideal gas law.

The results and discussions were presented based on the sequence in which the research questions

were posed.

Research question 1: What factors affect students’ performance in the study of ideal gas

law?

To find out some of the factors that affect form two (2) science students’ performance in the study

of the ideal gas law, an unstructured interview was conducted and the responses given below in

table 2.

39
Table 2: Results of Unstructured Interview of Respondents

Number of students
Response from students
Yes (%) No (%)
Class tests were not given on the concept of the ideal
gas law. 20 (74.1) 7 (25.9)
The concept, gases, was presented in an abstract
form. 23 (85.2) 4 (14.8)
Assignments, if given at all, were not marked on
25 (92.6) 2 (7.4)
time.
The teacher in their first year did not use teaching
26 (96.3) 1 (3.7)
and learning materials.
The teacher rushed through the concept. 26 (96.3) 1 (3.7)
Students do not have text books and other reading
materials for reference. 21 (77.8) 6 (22.2)

N = 27

From table 2 above, 20 students representing 74.1% of the total number of students stated that

class tests were not given on the concept. Evaluation and assessment play major role in teaching

and learning of a concept. This supports Shaila’s (2011) idea that assessing students’

understanding after a concept makes the teacher aware of the state of the learner. This was evident

in the students’ responses to the item, prompt feedback is relevant to both the teacher and the

student.

Twenty three (23) students representing 85.2% responded that the topic was presented in abstract

form. This supports Ornstein’s (2006) assertion that the use of concrete and real materials make

students understand concepts very well. Hence these students (85.2%) could not understand the

concept because concrete materials were not used to teach them.

40
Twenty five (25) students representing 95.6% responded that assignments, if given at all, were not

marked on time. Prompt feedback is needed. According to Baines and Stanley (2000), prompt

feedback to students makes them know what they have done right or wrong. This would also

motivate them.

Twenty six (26) students representing 96.3% stated that the chemistry teacher did not use teaching

and learning materials for teaching them. According to Murphy (1990), teaching and learning

materials help to consolidate knowledge and concept of learners because these teaching and

learning materials were not used large number of the students (96.3%) could not understand the

concept taught them in the first year.

Twenty six (26) students representing 96.3% stated that chemistry teachers rushed through the

concept of gases, gas laws and more specifically the ideal gas law. Gage, Briggs & Wager (1992)

agreed that the pace of teaching is very important for concept development. They added that

teachers must know the level of the pupils in their class of instruction and vary the pace of delivery.

It was evident from the result that a faster pace was used instead of varying pace, hence 96.3% of

the students could not grasp the concept.

Twenty one (21) students representing 77.8% of the total population of students responded that

they do not have text books and other reading materials for reference. The result of students’

responses to this proved that a large number of them were not having text books and reading

materials, hence could not perform very well. This supports Murphy (1990) who asserted that in

teaching children at any level, there should be enough teaching and learning materials which also

includes reading materials and an indication that they do not read in advance in preparation for

class.

41
Research Question 2: To what extent will students’ performance in the concept of ideal gas

law be improved through the use of animation?

A pre-test was given to the students to find out their level of comprehension before the

intervention. The results are in table 3 and figure 4 below.

Table 3: Scores of Students in Pre-test

Marks of students Number of students Percentage (%)

1 8 29.6
2 6 22.2
3 6 22.2
4 2 7.4
5 2 7.4
6 2 7.4
7 1 3.7
8 0 0.0
9 0 0.0
10 0 0.0
TOTAL 27 100
N = 27

42
 8
8

7
Number of students In Percentages

6 6
6

3
2 2 2
2
1
1
0 0 0
0
1 2 3 4 Marks
5 of students
6 7 8 9 10

Figure 4: A bar chart showing Students Pre-test Scores.

A post-test was also given to students to find out students’ performance in chemical bonding after

the intervention. The results are presented in table 3 and figure 4 below.

Table 4: Students’ Scores in Post-test

Mark of students Number of students Percentage (%)

1 1 3.7
2 2 7.4
3 3 11.1
4 1 3.7
5 2 7.4
6 3 11.1
7 10 37.0
8 2 7.4
9 2 7.4
10 1 3.7
TOTAL 27 100

43
 10
10

9
Number of students In Percentages

4
3 3
3
2 2 2 2
2
1 1 1
1

0
1 2 3 4 5 of students
Marks 6 7 8 9 10

Figure 5: A bar chart showing Students Post-test Scores.

To find out the impact of the intervention strategy (the use of animation) on the performance of

students in chemical bonding, a comparison of the pre-test and the post-test results was made. This

is represented in table 4 and figure 5 below.

Comparing pre-test to post-test scores

From the pre-test results in table 3 and figure 4 above, twenty (20) students representing 74.1%

scored below 5 marks out of a total of 10 marks in the pre-test. Only seven (7) students representing

25.9% managed to score 5 marks and above out of a total of 10 marks in the pre-test. From the

post-test results in table 4 and figure 5 above, only seven (7) students representing 25.9% scored

below 5 out of 10 marks in the post-test and twenty (20) students representing 74.1% scored 5 and

above.

Comparing the pre-test results with those of the post-test as represented in table 5 and figure 6

above, twenty (20) students representing 74.1% failed in the pre-test as against seven (7) students

44
representing 25.9% failing in the post-test. This is evidential that larger number of students failed

in the pre-test than in the post-test. Twenty (20), (74.1%) of the students on the other hand passed

the post-test as against only seven (7) students representing 25.9% who passed the pre-test.

The comparison of the two results reveals clearly that there has been tremendous improvement in

the performance of students in the post-test as compared to that of the pre-test. This implies that

the intervention strategy was very effective in solving students’ problem in understanding the

concept of gases – ideal gas law. This result goes to confirm the findings of Kozma and Croninger

(1992) which postulates that if technology such as computer animations are used in teaching, they

go a long way to help address the cognitive, motivational and social needs of students which

intends improve their performance.

Summers (1991) also affirmed the view that the visual and interactive features of many

technological resources help to focus students’ attention and encourage them to spend more time

on learning task. These all together helped to improve the performance of students.

45
Table 5: Comparing Pre-test to Post-test scores

Marks of students Pre–test Results Post-test Results

No of students Percentage (%) No of students Percentage (%)
1 8 29.6 1 3.7
2 6 22.2 2 7.4
3 6 22.2 3 11.1
4 2 7.4 1 3.7
5 2 7.4 2 7.4
6 2 7.4 3 11.1
7 1 3.7 10 37.0
8 0 0.0 2 7.4
9 0 0.0 2 7.4
10 0 0.0 1 3.7
Total 27 100% 27 100%

37.0
Number of students in percentages

10
9 29.6
8
7 22.2 22.2
6
5
4 11.1 11.1
3 7.4 7.4 7.47.4 7.4 7.4 7.4
2 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7
1 0 0 0
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Marks of students

Pre-test results Post-test results

Figure 6: Graph Comparing Pre-test to Post-test scores

46
 CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION, SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Overview

This chapter presents a summary of the findings and conclusion of the study. It also includes

recommendations and suggestions for further research as well as contributions of the study to

science education.

5.1 Conclusion

This action research was designed to identify the problems of form two (2) (agricultural) Science

students of Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku, in understanding the concept of

gases – ideal gas law and how to improve upon their performance in the concept.

According to the findings from the study, the students find it difficult to understand the concept

of gases if the lesson is presented in an abstract form or without any visual instructional media.

The researcher used animation as teaching aid to assist students to understand the concept the

ideal gas law.

The study has been very successful, in that the intervention strategy used was able to help

students improve upon their performance in the concept gases – ideal gas law. Students’

performance increased in the post-test as compared to the pre-test.

The positive results obtained by students in the post-test suggest that students attained the

requisite techniques and knowledge needed to enable them understand the concept and use such

ideas in their further studies.

47
To conclude the researcher can state emphatically that the intervention strategy used was very

successful.

5.2 Suggestions and Recommendations

Considering the above findings of this study at Awutu Winton Senior High School, Awutu Bereku

the following recommendations have been made:

1. Teachers should adopt the use of animation in teaching the concept of gases – ideal gas

law to students and always use the appropriate teaching and learning material.

2. Chemistry teachers should be encouraged to incorporate modern technology into their

teaching because this will make learners interested in chemistry lessons.

3. Teachers should adopt the use of hands-on activities in teaching and make the lesson

learner centered by involving students in the teaching and learning process.

4. The Chemistry Department at the University of Education should train prospective

chemistry teachers to effectively handle the subject chemistry at the senior high school

level with knowledge on how to use animations in teaching.

48
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 APPENDIX A

Pre-test for students

AWUTU WINTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AWUTU BEREKU

Answer the following questions precisely as possible is the spaces provided.

PART ONE

[5 MARKS]

1. Boyle’s law states that provided ………………….. is kept constant, the volume of a

given mass of a gas is inversely proportional to pressure.

[1 mark]

2. State Charles’ law.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

3. Represent the following mathematically

53
 I. Boyle’s law

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

II. Charles’ law.

………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………........

[1 mark]

4. State the Avogadro’s law of gases.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

PART TWO

[5 MARKS]
5. State the ideal gas law.

54
 1.0 mol of an ideal gas is known to occupy 22.41dm3 at 273.3 K at a pressure of 1.0132 x

105 Nm-2. Use these data to evaluate the universal gas constant R. Deduce the unit of R.

[2.5 marks]

6. 0.718 g of a gas X, occupies 1 dm3 at 0˚C and 1 atm. Of pressure. Is X CO2, CO or CH4?

Explain.

[2.5 marks]

55
 APPENDIX B

Post-test for students

AWUTU WINTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AWUTU BEREKU

Answer the following questions precisely as possible is the spaces provided.

PART ONE

[5 MARKS]

1. Charles’ law states that provided ………………………. is kept constant, the volume of a

fixed mass of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.

[1 mark]

2. State the Boyle’s law.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………...............

[1 mark]

3. Represent the following graphically.

I. Boyle’s law

56
 ………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

II. Charles’ law

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

[1mark]

4. According to Avogadro’s law, the volume of a gas at …………………… and

………………….. is directly proportional to the number of molecules of the gas.

[1mark]

PART TWO

[5 MARKS]

5. State the ideal gas law.

1.0 mol of an ideal gas is known to occupy 22.41dm3 at 273.3 K at a pressure of 1.0132 x

105 Nm-2. Use these data to evaluate the universal gas constant R. Deduce the unit of R.

57
 [2.5 marks]

6. A 415 cm3 sample of a gas weigh 2.136 g at 294 K and a pressure of 100 KPa. Calculate

the relative molecular mass of the gas. [R = 8.314 Jmol-1K-1]

[2.5 marks]

58