Evaluating achievement in chemistry learning through demonstration experiments

Abstract

Our aim was to find out to which extent the students are capable of actively applying their knowledge of chemistry in explaining phenomena and processes they observed. A test was prepared, the answers to which were based on the results of the experiments demonstrated by the teacher. The test includes two basic requirements: 1. quote the observations referring to the experiment demonstrated and 2. provide theoretical explanation. Such a way of testing knowledge provides an insight into the students' competence to approach the problems actively and use the acquired knowledge to solve them. The students also get used to observing and explaining phenomena and processes they come across in everyday life. The results obtained in the testing were compared to those obtained on achievement test (objective type tasks), prepared and realised in the course of investigation.

U radu smo ispitivali meru osposobljenosti učenika za aktivno korišćenje znanja iz hemije pri objašnjavanju posmatranih pojava i procesa. Pripremljen je test čije se rešavanje zasniva na rezultatima ogleda koje u toku testiranja demonstrira nastavnik. Test sadrži dva osnovna zahteva: 1. navesti zapažanja koja se odnose na demonstrirani ogled i 2. dati teorijsko objašnjenje. Obakav način proveravanja znanja daje uvid i u spremnost učenika da aktivno prilaze problemima i da stečeno znanje koriste za njihovo rešavanje. Takođe, učenici se navikavaju da sagledavaju i tumače pojave i procese sa kojima su u kontaktu u svakodnevnom životu. Rezultati dobijeni opisanim testiranjem upoređeni su sa rezultatima dobijenim na testu znanja (niz zadataka objektivnog tipa), pripremljenom i realizovanom u okviru istraživanja.