Effects of teaching high school chemistry with dynamic particle models on student achievement and conceptual understanding

With the assistance of seven high school chemistry teachers, data related to the effects of teaching chemistry with dynamic particle models was collected in fourteen high school chemistry classes. Complete sets of pretest and achievement scores were obtained from 284 students. Achievement test data for the topics of gas laws and stoichiometry were supplemented with 44 videotaped interviews. The pretest and achievement test data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Comparisons for each teacher's classes, as well as comparisons based on the total sample showed no significant differences in average achievement test scores between students instructed with static particle models only and those instructed with both static and dynamic models. Analysis of the interview videos does not show evidence of significant differences, in conceptual understanding between the two groups. These results do not support the original research hypothesis. Two alternative hypotheses were formed. One is that teachers were not able to exploit differences between static and dynamic graphics. The second is that students learn as much from static models as they do from dynamic ones. Follow up interviews conducted with all participating teachers failed to confirm the first alternative hypothesis. Follow up interviews conducted with 8 participating students and a follow up survey administered to more than 200 students who were not in any of the 14 sample classes provided support for the second alternative hypothesis.