The relationship between students' learning orientation, formal operational reasoning and mental capacity, and their ability to solve conceptual and algorithmic problems in chemistry
- Beirut American University of Beirut - Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Department of Education 2000
- 109 pages
النوع : Mémoire
The purpose of this study was (1) to compare students' performance on conceptual problems as opposed to algorithmic problems, (2) to investigate the role of students' learning approach, formal operational reasoning and mental capacity in predicting their proficiency in solving conceptual and algorithmic problems, (3) to investigate the relation between learning orientation and the type of understandings that students acquire; and (4) to investigate interactions between the three cognitive variables.--Participants were Grade 11 students enrolled in scientific sections of three schools in Beirut. Students? learning orientation, formal reasoning and mental capacities were measured using Learning Approach Questionnaire, Test of Logical thinking, and the Figural Intersection Test respectively. Students were also tested for their ability to solve conceptual problems and algorithmic problems in chemistry. Algorithmic problems were of two levels: Low M-demand and high M-demand. Students? performance on conceptual problems was compared to their performance on algorithmic problems of low M-demand using t-test. Several regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictive power of the three cognitive variables on each type of chemistry problems. In addition, performance of meaningful learners was compared to that of rote learners on all types of problems. Furthermore ANCOVA analyses were conducted to check for interactions among learning orientation, mental capacity, and formal operational reasoning. A correlational matrix was also established to detect interactions between the various variables. It was found that students perform significantly better on algorithmic problems as compared to conceptual problems. In addition, meaningful learners outperformed rote learners on a test of conceptual chemistry problems, while there were no significant differences for both levels of algorithmic problems. The three cognitive variables proved to be significant predictors of performance on conceptual chemistry problems, especially formal operational reasoning. But the cognitive variables considered here were not so for the other types of chemistry problems. Significant correlations were found between formal operational reasoning and the other two cognitive variables, this could imply that students? ability to think abstractly could enhance other cognitive variables. However, the existence of correlation does not necessarily show a causality relation, so further research is recommended regarding this aspect.
L’enseignement des Sciences Les Attitudes et conceptions des étudiants Problem Solving Résolution de problèmes Sciences education Students Attitudes and Conceptions تعليم العلوم حل المشكلات مواقف الطلبة وتصوراتهم