TEACHING LOWER-SECONDARY CHEMISTRY WITH A PIAGETIAN CONSTRUCTIVIST AND AN AUSBELIAN MEANINGFUL-RECEPTIVE METHOD: A LONGITUDINAL COMPARISON

Abstract

Two methods of teaching lower secondary chemistry were compared in this longitudinal study: a constructivist method (CM), based on Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; and a meaningful-receptive method (MRM), based on Ausubel’s theory of meaningful learning. In CM, students had an active involvement, while MRM was applied as a teacher-centred method with a number of improvements from learning theory e.g. use of advance organisers and of concept maps. 144 students of an urban experimental lower secondary school in Athens were divided into two groups and taught chemistry according to the two methods respectively. Teaching lasted two school years (grades eight and nine). One test on knowledge and simple application of basic chemical theory, and another test on stoichiometric calculations were used, at the end of the two grades, for the comparison of the two methods. Although the overall student achievement was low, the CM group scored statistically higher in theory in both grades, while in stoichiometric calculations, the superiority of the CM group occurred only in grade nine. The effect of developmental level, of gender and of motivational traits was also examined. Finally, the students generally expressed a preference for the CM. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2000, 1, 37-50]