The Effects of Using Particulate Diagrams on High School Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Stoichiometry
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Abstract
The lack of a conceptual understanding of stoichiometry among high school students is a valid concern because it impedes students’ problem-solving ability, which is a significant predictor of performance in college chemistry. In this study the effects of a visual-based pedagogical approach was investigated on the understanding of four concepts of stoichiometry among tenth-grade chemistry students at an international high school in Thailand. The approach involves the systematic use of particulate diagrams in the instruction of stoichiometry in a real classroom setting. The study further examined the attitudes of the students towards the approach. Conducted using a one-group pre-test/post-test design, data for the study were collected using a conceptual stoichiometry test and an attitude questionnaire. Analyses of the test data indicated that the approach had a significantly positive effect on the students’ conceptual understanding of stoichiometry, and they generally had a favorable attitude towards it.
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