11 PROMOTING CHEMISTRY LABORATORY PRACTICES THROUGH THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) IN A BORDERLESS WORLD

Abstract

This paper presents a view of using and incorporating information and communication technologies (ICT) into the teaching and learning of chemistry. Studies that investigate students ‘ ICT skills in chemistry in particular and in science in general establish that ICT-based learning environments play a significant role in education. While this seems to be true as an overall assessment, the future is affected by innovations, fast-moving, and in many ways unpredictable. Effort is also at exemplifing visualisations in laboratories such as molecular modelling, data collection, and presentation. Emphasis was also on ICT use via the World Wide Web (WWW) and virtual reality as well as the role of ICT for developing higher-order thinking skills, such as inquiry, graphing, and modelling. In addition examples of different assignments for teaching chemistry using ICT are introduced including some recommendations for the designing of new ones. For a proper teaching-learning environment, it is necessary to follow an integral educational program that considers the presential and non-presential activities as a whole, in the understanding of the utmost importance of the out of class students’ time. From this point of view, it seems more than appropriate the use of a learning system that combines Internet and digital media with established classroom forms that require the physical co-presence of teacher and students, i.e. the blended learning. We made a proposal of implementation of virtual technological tools in non-presential activities with the aim of building a blended learning pedagogical framework for the subject “Chemistry”. ,. Two virtual tools were selected for the mentioned purpose: video-tutorials and virtual laboratories. Both were implanted in a complete teaching methodology that, properly integrated with presential lectures, pursues the two main objectives that follow: be a solid reinforcement of the concepts developed in class and have enough scientific entity to launch new ideas on the less developed items in the presential lectures. Their advantages and disadvantages were spelt out.

Key words: Digital Media, blended learning, video–tutorials, virtual laboratories,

implanted

Introduction

Innovation in teaching and learning activities is very interesting to discuss, as it is believed that implementation of the right teaching strategy would increase student’s achievement in learning chemistry (M. Situmorang & A. Situmorang, 2014). Improving the quality of education could be performed through innovation in the teaching and learning materials. Standard chemistry learning materials for teaching is very important to be used in the teaching and learning activities in Nigeria. It could help the students to understand chemistry concept clearly, and make the learner free from students misconception on specific chemistry terms. Many Senior Secondary School students consider chemistry as a difficult subject that make them not interested to study (Situmorang et al., 2006). Therefore, innovation in teaching and learning chemistry has to be made to make the students motivated to study chemistry.

One of such strategy was conducted through the development of innovative chemistry learning material to obtain good teaching materials that suit students’ interest in science classes. The aim of this study is to develop an innovative chemistry learning in Nigeria. The development is carried out by enhancing the chemistry topics with local contents, followed by integration of laboratory experiments, learning media, the contextual applications, and the hyperlink of trusted website on relevant chemistry topics.

The innovation is conducted to provide standard learning material for students to make it easy to learn, to facilitate the students to learn chemistry intensively, and to improve students competence. The chemistry learning material is designed in separate chapters, and provided as printed and electronic formats. The learning material is then used as a learning media in the classroom, and probably used outside classroom depend on the subjects being taught, all are set to improve student’s achievement in chemistry. The communication on the teaching and learning process to meet the students achievement in chemistry is also been studied. Students motivation to study chemistry in teaching and learning activities is also investigated.

Literature Review

Innovative Learning Material

The development of innovative learning material is needed to help Senior Secondary School students to learn science subject such as chemistry. Innovation in teaching and learning has been conducted through many ways such as lesson study (Sudejamnong et al., 2014), inquiry-based learning (Maaß & Artigue, 2013), project-based learning (Situmorang et al., 2010; Toolin, 2004), by using interactive multimedia (Noor & Ilias, 2013), and implementation of learning media (H. Situmorang & M. Situmorang, 2009). It has been reported that innovative teaching is able to improve students ability (Qian & Xuefeng, 2013), and be able to facilitate the development of students’ cognitive, enhance reasoning and social abilities, and provide more enjoyable lessons (Lu, et al., 2010). The development of interactive teaching and learning strategies for science has been explained (Baron & Chen, 2012; Holmes, 2006; Situmorang et al., 2011).

Innovation in science teaching and learning has been reported effective in learning practices to improve science education (Tytler, 2007). The innovative teaching approach have a positive influence on students’ learning attitude and knowledge acquisition that may foster a stronger motivation to learn new skills, acquire knowledge, and to increase student learning satisfaction (Lee, et al., 2015). Laboratory experiments are compulsory in chemistry teaching and it needs to design suited to the curriculum. The example of chemistry laboratory experiments can be seen in the references (Gooding, et al., 2001; Situmorang et al., 1998). Integration of relevant laboratory experiments in to a chemistry textbook has proven to be able to help the students to learn chemistry efficiently (Situmorang, 2013). The integrated use of ICT in subject curricula and classroom teaching and management, is a complex process, which is usually achieved by following a set of guiding parameters. In this module, there are two complementary activities : the first focuses on the theories and principles that underpin ICT integration in education ; and the second is teachers’ computer-assisted practice in the use of ICT with support web-based portals.

The two main trends in content focus are as follows :

1. Pedagogical principles and theories of ICT integration in Education : ICT in Education Projects and Themes

2. ICT for Chemistry Teaching and Teacher Professional Development : Chemistry specific learning activities.

The module content provides a teacher training curriculum that incorporates the pedagogy, i.e. specific learning objectives and learning activities required to effectively integrate ICT into Chemistry education.

The module’s general objective is to help student-teachers of chemistry, to know how to use ICT as a tool for designing new learning environments for their own subject-specific purposes and to help their future students to use ICT.

Text Book as Teaching Media

Textbook as a learning resource plays an important role in teaching and learning in the classroom (Abed & Al-Absi, 2015; Carter & Mayer, 1988; Sinatra & Broughton, 2011; Yore et al., 2003). A good textbook provides correct and positive information that help the students to understand the concept theory, to lead the students to think, behave and develop (Chambliss, 2001). Textbook is commonly used in teaching and learning activities because it consisted of complete learning materials that can navigate the learner to learn based on their needs (Good, et al., 2010). For Senior Secondary school students, the textbook is very important in the teaching and learning activities because it can strengthen and support the information material presented by the teacher in the class. The textbook could help the students to learn complex material that has not been obtained in the class. The scientific information in the textbook can be learned repeatedly to achieve the desired competencies. Textbook is a central role in empowering students’ competencies because the learning materials provided in the books become important source of information to the readers based on the student’s interest. It is expected that a standard textbook be able to guide the student to learn from simple to difficulty, provide relevant practice questions, and solving scientific problems to enhance the student knowledge and competencies. Senior Secondary School science textbook is commonly design to satisfy demands stated in national curriculum that make it different to another book (Holliday, 2002). Therefore, science textbook may different from one to the other, depends on the students need and developments, such as for Senior Secondary School students.

The development of alternative learning material is very important for science teaching as it can be used to develop both native language and second languages through reading and writing activities (Semingson et al., 2015). Learning material in the format of textbook or module provide learning instruction that can help the students to study science (Mantzicopoulosm & Patrick, 2011; Terrazas-Arellanes et al., 2013; Wood & Lewthwaite, 2008), or mathematics (Lim & Presmeg, 2011; Zahner, 2015). A good quality Senior secondary school science textbook serves as an effective learning media in teaching and learning activities that leads to achieve the objectives and students competence. The presentation in a textbook is expected contains learning activities that can be done by students and becomes communication tool to bring accurate information from learning resources to the learners (Tompkins et al., 2006).

Laboratory video tutorials

Until very recently, laboratory training was undertaken with a combination of laboratory experiences videos, connections to suitable web links, and use of blackboard (face to face instruction). This methodology was chosen based on the following criteria: (i) Time optimisation: considering the limited time dedicated to laboratory training , the methodology followed allows the students to view and discuss many more experiments than they would if they had to carry them out in a laboratory. (ii) Prevention of potential danger in the laboratory: as first year students are not trained enough in laboratory skills. The use of videos and web links allow them to experience important but dangerous chemical reactions.

The use of laboratory video tutorials that is propose in this paper would help to change the students perception on the laboratory activities in the learning and teaching methodology used until now:

(i) Instead of showing videos and web links to the students during the face-to face time, they would be embedded in the web media used to interact virtually with the students.

(ii) Instead of explaining face-to-face the steps of the reaction showed, the student should watch the videos and, using all the information obtained through the interactive lectures and the bibliography, try to explain the reactions observed.

(iii) Instead of having the right answer directly, during the face-to-face time their conclusions would be contrasted among them and with the teacher results.

The benefits of this change in the teaching methodology would be: (i) Increase in the reinforcement of the concepts developed in class, through the increase in the student self-learning effort. (ii) Improve the ability of the student to correlate different concepts with the aim to find the solution to a practical question. (iii) Enhance the critical ability of the student, through his results contrast with those of his classmates. (iv) Allow the student to connect the different learning methodologies.

Virtual laboratories

The complex teaching-learning process of laboratory training needs sometimes the finding of new methodological tools that help to achieve the right objectives in the context of the Senior Secondary Schools framework. One of these tools that have been thought to be effectively positive is the implementation of virtual laboratory sessions for the self-learning time. These tools, classified as ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), are of the outmost importance for the students training, since they reinforce the necessary sense of responsibility in the student and provide her or him with the necessary learning autonomy that she or he must develop through life. The students, in this way, assume a very active role in their training and acquire responsibility towards themselves and their learning process.

Only then can one of the biggest challenges of this new teaching-learning paradigm be achieved, which is the students’ acceptance that this process must continue through life and it is not to be restricted to their time spent behind the university walls. In this respect, virtual laboratories are very useful, since they can either be used as a tool for support and reinforcement so students make the most of their knowledge, or they can be implemented as a teaching resource in expository class sessions in order to encourage a participatory, constructivist environment. According to Salinas (2004): ‘The training methodologies relying on ICT lead to new conceptions of the teaching-learning process that enhance the learner’s active involvement in the learning process; the attention to the emotional and intellectual skills at different levels; the preparation of young people to take responsibilities in a rapidly and constantly changing world; the students’ flexibility to enter a workplace that will demand lifelong learning; and the necessary competencies for this continuous learning process.’ These quotes point out the importance of the continuous renovation of knowledge and of the correct use of the technological means available. These new technologies are very diverse and their incorporation into the classroom is subjugated to some criteria, according to Sangrá & González Sanmaned (2004): ‘Two core elements are necessary for the integration of ICT to become a functioning reality that provides added value: the first one being a reorganization of the institutions that endows those technologies with the necessary agility to respond to the last demands of the society of information and knowledge, and which allows them to provide the requested support to be able to enhance teachers’ work. The second one, is the development of teacher training programs which fill the current gaps in the field and ensure that teachers are trained to properly use ICT resources in their classrooms.

The advantages of integrating ICT in university teaching are, among others, the following (Díaz, 2004; Rosado, 2005): (i) Increasing methodological diversity. (ii) Increasing accessibility and flexibility. (iii) Promoting the student’s leading role. (iv) Improving the presentation and comprehensiveness of certain types of information . (v) Encouraging cooperative work. (vi) Improving individual work. (vii) Gaining access to new environments and situations. (viii) Optimizing resources and costs. These ICT technological tools allow the student to enhance her or his responsibility in the search of materials and documentation beyond class notes, and they provide key support for the student’s experimentation of his or her own learning process Virtual Laboratories basically emerges from the need to create student support systems for their laboratory work with the objective of optimizing the time spent on doing those tasks. Nevertheless, the concept of Virtual Laboratory has been expanded throughout the last two decades (Alba Pastor, 2005; Gámiz Sánchez, 2009).

Materials

Among the tools for Virtual Laboratories which are available in the market (or freely on the web) include ‘Virtual General Chemistry Laboratory’ (VGCL), This tool is highly versatile as far as its scope of application in a classroom is concerned. It brings a virtual environment in which students are free to make choices and decisions similar to those confronted in an actual laboratory. The feeling of experiencing a good practice is so realistic that the students tends to feel responsible of what happens in the laboratory with the advantage of being out of any danger.

Experiments include simulations of qualitative inorganic analyses, fundamental experiments of quantum chemistry, properties of gases, titration experiments, scanning calorimetry, organic synthesis and qualitative organic analysis.

Instruments

The instrumentation of Virtual Laboratories in the classroom can vary depending on the type of virtual tool we are talking about. Thus, implementing a virtual laboratory tool that is available as a free and toll-free program (free online software) can be relatively easy. However, if it is not a free license program, the economic factor, so important given the current situation, must be taken into account. The user license for ‘Virtual General Chemistry Laboratory’ (VGCL) is acquired when buying the book. If the methodology to be implemented involves using this tool in the classroom in an expository context, this expense is economically viable since each unit costs a little amount of money making it affordable for any institution. Nevertheless, if the aim is to provide a tool for students to be able to work from home, the purchase of so many programs as students enrolled is not viable. On the other hand, it is more viable to negotiate the purchase of multiple licenses with the publishers (each publisher has its own policy on this regard).

Procedures

We propose to explore the VGCL tool in two aspects: (i) On the one hand, it can be a complementary tool for the explanation of new chemistry concepts in the classroom . To that end, the VGCL tool can be used for the execution of several experiences in class, which might be afterwards followed by a proper debate on the treated issue. (ii) On the other hand, the program can be distributed among a limited number of students, so they can assess from home its utility as reinforcement to the practical sessions of the different subjects and to the concepts seen in class. Of course this depends on the number of students per class, and it is conditioned to treat with groups of, at the most, ten students.

Expected outcome

Although the expected outcome of the implementation of the VGCL tool is largely positive, it must be put under consideration on different aspects: i) VGCL must be checked inside the classroom, based on teacher’s perceptions with respect to the students’ response, both in the required time for the understanding of the concepts explained and the opinions obtained from the debate generated around the question posed; and ii) VGCL must be checked out of classroom, based on student’s experience in using this tool at home. We can make a –a priority balance of expected advantages and disadvantages of using this tool within the different aspects commented above. The advantages of its use in the classroom are multiple since it is a tool that provides a lot of visual information (hence, direct reception), interactive (it holds both the teacher’s and the students’ attention for the achievement of the different steps required for the accomplishment of a experience) and produces immediate results, exempts from the circumstantial problems which often arise in an actual laboratory (this makes it perfectly possible for the teacher to plan and schedule the activity in terms of time used in the classroom). However, this tool is not exempted from some disadvantages.

Advantages and Disadvantages of using Virtual General Chemistry Laboratory’

For the teacher

Advantages – possibility of adding laboratory experiences in the classroom

– perfect time control of the experiences, since there is no risk of experimental error.

– it helps to avoid overlapping with the practical sessions of other subjects.

– it reduces costs and assemblages, being a cheap and efficient alternative to an actual

laboratory

Disadvantages – the activities require extensive planning and a significant investment in time to

prepare

– it creates a situation of dependence on computer tools.

– heavy dependence on computer tools

For the students

Advantages – better understanding of the topics covered by relating them to experiences

– greater ease in relating phenomena and theories.

– there is no risk involved in experimenting

– absolute time flexibility to perform the exercises

– it is a self-learning tool

Disadvantages – lack of interaction with the experience Use at home by the students

– misjudgment of the laboratory circumstances

Conclusions

The implementation of virtual technological tools in non-presential activities for the subject “Chemistry” will lead to a blended learning pedagogical framework with many benefits for the students. On one hand, the use of laboratory video tutorials would: (i) Reinforce the concepts developed in class, through the increase in the student selflearning effort. (ii) Improve the ability of the student to correlate different concepts with the aim to find the solution to a practical question. (iii) Enhance the critical ability of the student, through his results contrast with those of his classmates. (iv) Allow the student to connect the different learning methodologies. On the other, virtual laboratories advantages in the classroom are also multiple: (i) Provide a lot of visual information (hence, direct reception) (ii) Interactivity (it holds both the teacher’s and the students’ attention for the achievement of the different steps required for the accomplishment of a experience) (iii) Obtaining immediate results, exempts from the circumstantial problems which often arise in an actual laboratory. However, this tool is not exempt from some disadvantages.

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