Pre-service science teachers’s conceptual understandings of electrochemistry

Abstract

This research explored pre-service science educators’ comprehension regarding the concepts of galvanic cells, electrode potentials, and  electrolytic cells in electrochemistry. A sample of 64 first year trainee science educators selected from the Department of Teacher  Education at the University of Ghana was strategically chosen to take part in this investigation in the 2018/2019 academic year. In this study, a pre-test / post-test quasi-experimental framework was adopted to determine how “conceptual change texts” (CCTs) would affect the performance of pre-service science educators in electrochemistry. A two-tier 10 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) termed “electrochemistry concept test” (ECT) was given to them. Results showed that they had difficulties interpreting electrolytic cell-related concepts and most could not differentiate electrolytic cells from galvanic cells. The achievement of learners instructed utilising the Lecture method (LM) was lower than those instructed with the CCTs when a post hoc analysis with a Bonferroni adjustment on the ECT was  conducted as a follow up to the one-way between-group analysis of variance, ANCOVA. The study offers comparative data on the  importance of meaningful learning for enhancing the conception of electrochemistry by learners. The findings suggest that the CCTs in
the experimental group might have caused an increase in pre-service science instructors’ intellectual achievement.