Affordances of engagement strategies in chemistry : learning the periodic table

Abstract

This study examined the impact of music, context-based inquiry and computer simulation as engagement strategies to determine the affordances of the engagement strategies in chemistry which could be realised by determining the effects/impact of the engagement strategies on the four components of engagement, affective, agentic/authentic, behaviour and cognitive engagement, to improve teaching and learning the first twenty elements of the Periodic Table (PT). Develop a set of guidelines relevant to the application of engagement strategies in the South African school chemistry curriculum. The need to develop this set of guidelines stems from research that engagement in the classroom is fundamental for effective learning. But creating engagement in chemistry classrooms is one of the crucial problems facing the teachers. Moreover, learners struggle to learn the names and symbols of the elements and understand the PT, which is central to understanding chemistry. Research results show that the application of multiple intelligence theory (MIT) was found suitable and effective to help learners struggling to learn. While constructivism learning theory (CLT) has been associated with the development and history of the PT. Both theories emphasise the learner as a unique individual that needs attention and a strategy that suits the unique intelligence and characteristics to engage in learning. This study is embedded within a MIT and CLT. A sequential explanatory mixed method design was followed in collecting and generating data in this study. The focus was on gathering quantitative data first with the aid of a questionnaire (pre and post-tests) followed by qualitative data collection using semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews and lesson observation. The participants of the study were teachers and not learners because promoting engagement heavily relies on the teacher in the classroom. A large class size is associated with a decrease in engagement and hence teacher participants per intervention was thirty. Quantitative data generated was analysed with statistics procedure to determine the reliability and validity of the constructs. In contrast, the qualitative data was analysed by thematic means and descriptive statistics was used to describe the data. The findings and conclusions from this study reveal that all sets of questions on the strategies proved to have been answered consistently with a high Cronbach’s alpha value between 0.85 and 0.9. The quantitative and qualitative results revealed that the affordances of the implemented engagement strategies, music, context-based inquiry and computer simulation, had a positive, but varied impact on the four components of engagement (behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and agentic/authentic engagement) in learning the first 20 elements of the Periodic Table. Furthermore, the engagement

strategies music, context-based inquiry, and computer simulation and the single combined strategy referred to as ‘’MUCBCS’’ affordances increases affective, agentic/authentic(AGAU), behavioural, and cognitive engagement by focusing and placing the learner at the centre of learning chemistry within the classroom. The affordances of the engagement strategies with varying effects on the four components of engagement improved teaching and learning the first twenty elements of the PT.