A study of the effectiveness of using models in high school chemistry instruction

Abstract

Scientific modeling in the high school chemistry classroom can help students visualize difficult concepts. This classroom research project used modeling activities to determine the effects on student achievement, engagement, and higher-order thinking skills. Test scores and student engagement observation data from the treatment and non-treatment portions of the study were compared. A rubric was also used to evaluate student-created models. The research project did not show significant improvement in test scores, but student engagement did increase. Students also showed improvement in higher-order thinking in the treatment phase of this study.