Students' Cognitive Focus during a Chemistry Laboratory Exercise: Effects of a Computer-Simulated Prelab
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| Title: | Students' Cognitive Focus during a Chemistry Laboratory Exercise: Effects of a Computer-Simulated Prelab |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Winberg, T. Mikael, Berg, C. Anders R. |
| Source: | Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Oct 2007 44(8):1108-1133. |
| Availability: | John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Subscription Department, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. Tel: 800-825-7550; Tel: 201-748-6645; Fax: 201-748-6021; e-mail: subinfo@wiley.com; Web site: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/browse/?type=JOURNAL |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 26 |
| Publication Date: | 2007 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Student Attitudes, Laboratories, Chemistry, Science Laboratories, Science Instruction, Computer Simulation, Cognitive Processes, College Students, Laboratory Experiments, Questioning Techniques, Interviews, Knowledge Level, Scientific Concepts, Foreign Countries, Computer Uses in Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Sweden |
| DOI: | 10.1002/tea.20217 |
| ISSN: | 0022-4308 |
| Abstract: | To enhance the learning outcomes achieved by students, learners undertook a computer-simulated activity based on an acid-base titration prior to a university-level chemistry laboratory activity. Students were categorized with respect to their attitudes toward learning. During the laboratory exercise, questions that students asked their assistant teachers were used as indicators of cognitive focus. During the interviews, students' frequency and level of "spontaneous" use of chemical knowledge served as an indicator of knowledge usability. Results suggest that the simulation influenced students toward posing more theoretical questions during their laboratory work and, regardless of attitudes, exhibiting a more complex, correct use of chemistry knowledge in their interviews. A more relativistic student attitude toward learning was positively correlated with interview performance in both the control and treatment groups. The following are appended: (1) Scheme used for recording the frequency and character of student questions during laboratory work; (2) Interview Guide 1. (Contains 7 tables and 5 figures.) |
| Abstractor: | Author |
| Number of References: | 46 |
| Entry Date: | 2007 |
| Accession Number: | EJ776870 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | To enhance the learning outcomes achieved by students, learners undertook a computer-simulated activity based on an acid-base titration prior to a university-level chemistry laboratory activity. Students were categorized with respect to their attitudes toward learning. During the laboratory exercise, questions that students asked their assistant teachers were used as indicators of cognitive focus. During the interviews, students' frequency and level of "spontaneous" use of chemical knowledge served as an indicator of knowledge usability. Results suggest that the simulation influenced students toward posing more theoretical questions during their laboratory work and, regardless of attitudes, exhibiting a more complex, correct use of chemistry knowledge in their interviews. A more relativistic student attitude toward learning was positively correlated with interview performance in both the control and treatment groups. The following are appended: (1) Scheme used for recording the frequency and character of student questions during laboratory work; (2) Interview Guide 1. (Contains 7 tables and 5 figures.) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0022-4308 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/tea.20217 |
