Relationship Among Active Learning of Students, Their Attitude to Chemistry and Performance Motivation
Abstract
The aim of this research was to find out how beginning students will perceive teaching methods based on their active work. The research sample included two classes after their first year of chemistry at an eight-year grammar school (year 8) and one class after 5 years of chemistry at the same school (year 11).
Students completed a questionnaire on attitudes to subjects with seven statements, a performance motivation questionnaire on attitudes to subjects with fourteen statements, and four open questions on chemistry teaching in the current year. Five laboratory works were introduced in the school during one year.
Other tasks were implemented in regular lessons, forcing students to participate actively in chemistry lessons: games, student presentations, group work, active home preparation of simple experiments or chemical diary, repetition using worksheets, writing excursion reports and laboratory protocols. The need for this active learning of students emerged from previous research at this school.
The students perceived this style of teaching positively, but it was necessary to verify whether this would be reflected in their attitude to the subject of chemistry. It was also necessary to compare the feedback of students with their performance motivation.
In the following years, the results of these students will be compared with the new classes of this school.