BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS USING SANDWICH MAKING COMPUTER SIMULATION GAMES AS A SUPPORTING TEACHING METHOD

Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2018, Vol 76, Issue 6

Abstract

Writing and balancing equations of chemical reactions is one of the \most difcult elements of chemistry education for students, which is why it was decided to analyse part of the process which is the most difcult. The process itself consists of multiple stages. it is important to highlight that the focus of research was not only on balancing the chemical equations. This stage can be independent of chemical skills and knowledge and is based on combinatorial and mathematical skills. The aim of the research was to examine whether using computer simulations can help younger children to balance chemical equations before they start to learn chemistry by using the psychological theory of transfer. It was decided frst to teach children how to “make sandwiches” using a computer simulation game. When they have mastered in this activity, they can balance chemical equations. If the children learned how many pieces of cheese, ham and bread would be necessary to “make sandwiches” they began to learn how to balance chemical equations. The children were acquainted with the elements of chemical knowledge necessary to understand the simulation, and then they worked independently with it. Tests were carried out to check the acquired level of ability to balancing chemical equations. The obtained results proved that the balancing of the simple equation of reaction was mastered by over 50% of the children tested. It seems, therefore, a good solution that elements of reconciliation of chemical reaction equations should be introduced at an earlier stage of education, for example during maths lessons.

Authors and Affiliations

Bílek, M, Nodzyńska, M, Kopek-Putała, W, Zimak-Piekarczyk, P

Keywords

Related Articles

THE CONSTRUCTION OF GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE IN SCHOOL: A BRIEF REFLECTION ON THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

For some years there have been theoretical debates concerning the role of school Geography. In Brazil, these questions came to prominence during the decade of the 80’s in the last century. In Europe, whilst the discuss...

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION AND COMPREHENSION OF DIDACTIC CONCEPTS. AN EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE MASTER OF SECONDARY EDUCATION TEACHERS

The main purpose of the research was to figure out which was the level of comprehension of the didactic concepts that the students of the Secondary Education Master of the University of Alicante of the academic year 20...

The usage of a simulaTion To sTudy inTermolecular forces: some findings

The purpose of this research was to discuss and reflect about the use of a computer simulation in the learning of intermolecular forces. Simulations are dynamic representations of chemical processes or systems, and allo...

INFORMATION AND COMPUTER LITERACY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

In our contribution we focused on finding out the information and computer literacy of high school students. This paper presents the results of an information literacy questionnaire. Questions in the information and co...

THE IDEALS OF EDUCATION AND STUDENTS’ SCHOOL ExPERIENCES

The main question of this article below is: what happens to education at school? What society think of education, at school it gets a real existing concreteness. Taking the holistic character of education as a ground we...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP35564
  • DOI -
  • Views 389
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Bílek, M, Nodzyńska, M, Kopek-Putała, W, Zimak-Piekarczyk, P (2018). BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS USING SANDWICH MAKING COMPUTER SIMULATION GAMES AS A SUPPORTING TEACHING METHOD. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 76(6), -. https://www.europub.co.uk/articles/-A-35564