Student attitudes toward learning, level of pre-knowledge and instruction type in a computer-simulation: effects on flow experiences and perceived learning outcomes

Abstract

Attitudes toward learning (ATL) have been shown to influence students’ learning outcomes. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the ways in which the interaction between ATL, the learning situation, and the level of students’ prior knowledge influence affective reactions and conceptual change. In this study, a simulation of acid-base titrations was examined to assess the impact of instruction format, level of prior knowledge and students’ ATL on university-level students, with respect to flow experiences (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and perceived conceptual change. Results show that the use of guiding instructions was correlated with a perceived conceptual change and high levels of “Challenge,” “Enjoyment,” and “Concentration,” but low sense of control during the exercise. Students who used the open instructions scored highly on the “Control flow” component, but their perceived learning score was lower than that for the students who used the guiding instructions. In neither case did students’ ATL or their pre-test results contribute strongly to students’ flow experiences or their perceived learning in the two different learning situations.

Appendices

Appendices

Appendix 1

The Flow Experiences Questionnaire (FEQ ) . The items that were excluded due to low R² and Q² are italicized.

Part 1

The following questions ask about your feelings while performing the simulation. Please describe the simulation by placing check marks on the scales given below.

Enjoyment
1.	Interesting	□□□□□	Not interesting
2.	Fun	□□□□□	Not fun
3.	Exciting	□□□□□	Not exciting
4.	Enjoyable	□□□□□	Not enjoyable
Concentration
5.	Deeply engrossed in the activity	□□□□□	Not Deeply engrossed in the activity
6.	Intensely absorbed by the activity	□□□□□	Not Intensely absorbed by the activity
7.	Attention was focused on the activity	□□□□□	Attention was not focused on the activity
8.	Concentrated fully on the acitvity	□□□□□	Did not concentrate fully on the activity
Control
9.	I clearly knew what to do	□□□□□	I felt confused about what to do
10.	I felt calm	□□□□□	I felt agitated
11.	I felt in control	□□□□□	I did not feel in control
Exploration
12.	I tried the additional functions that were than those that were available in the the program	□□□□□	I did not try any other functions than those that were described in the instructions
13.	I tried new ways to do things	□□□□□	I did not try new ways to do things
14.	I did many experiments of my own	□□□□□	I did not do any Experiments of my own
Challenge
15.	In general, how challenging did you find the activity?
	Very much	□□□□□	Low

Part Two 2

Indicate how well the statements below describe your own experiences of the simulation activity. The closer to the statement you mark, the more you agree with it.

16.	I had no problems to understand what to do	□□□□□
17.	The exercises stimulated to deep discussions about chemistry	□□□□□
18.	The simulation was meaningful	□□□□□
19.	I’d rather do conventional problem solving tasks than undertake this simulation.	□□□□□
20.	I am unsure of what was the meaning of the simulation.	□□□□□
21.	It is better to read the textbook than to do the simulation	□□□□□
22.	The tasks made me engage in the simulation exercise	□□□□□
23.	The discussions made me engage in the simulation exercise	□□□□□
24.	I was not sure of what to do.	□□□□□
25.	I was not sure whether my reasoning was correct or not	□□□□□
26.	I was very engaged in trying to understand the underlying chemistry in the simulation	□□□□□
27.	The chemistry-discussions in my group were very interesting	□□□□□
28.	I got several own questions during the simulation	□□□□□
29.	It was very useful to work in a team during this exercise	□□□□□
30.	The exercises made me intrested in learning chemistry	□□□□□
31.	I became stressed when I did not understand	□□□□□
32.	Several own questions were raised during the simulation	□□□□□
33.	I think that conventional tasks contribute more to the learning than this exercise	□□□□□
34.	The computer program was easy to use	□□□□□
35.	The representations were easy to understand	□□□□□
36.	The exercises were instructive	□□□□□
37.	The simulation was a good way to test your knowledge	□□□□□
38.	The simulation helped me to repair deficiencies in my knowledge	□□□□□
39.	The simulation helped me find answers to my own questions	□□□□□
40.	I would probably have learned more if I had worked alone with the simulation	□□□□□
41.	The simulation gave new knowledge in the acid-base and buffers domain	□□□□□
42.	I discovered deficiencies in my knowledge in the acid-base and buffers domain	□□□□□
43.	I think I learn better by working in a team and in this manner	□□□□□
44.	I felt that the chemistry that was treated in the simulation has become more comprehensible	□□□□□
45.	I think I was proficient in this area of knowledge before the simulation	□□□□□
46.	I think I am more proficient now than before the simulation	□□□□□
47.	I felt embarrassed by showing that I did not understand	□□□□□
48.	I hesitated to make questions to my team members	□□□□□
49.	I hesitated to make questions to the assistant teacher	□□□□□
50.	The most important for me was to be able to solve the tasks	□□□□□
51.	It was more important to learn by discussions than solving the tasks	□□□□□

Appendix 2

Speed-pretest items

Question 1

Use the diagram to determine the pH in 0.1 M acetic acid (pKa = 4.76).

Question 2

The CO₂ (g) in air is in equilibrium with a solution of CO₂ in water. The formulas below show the reactions that are involved.

$$ {\text{CO}}_{2} (g) \rightleftharpoons {\text{ CO}}_{2} ({\text{aq}}){\text{ }}\lg {\text{K}} = - 1.47 $$

$$ {\text{CO}}_{2} ({\text{aq}}) + {\text{H}}_{{\text{2}}} {\text{O}} \rightleftharpoons {\text{ HCO}}_{{\text{3}}} + {\text{H}}^{ + } {\text{ pKa}} = 6,35{\text{ }}{\left( {\lg {\text{K}}_{{\text{a}}} = - 6.35} \right)} $$

$$ {\text{HCO}}_{{\text{3}}} ^{ - } \rightleftharpoons {\text{CO}_3^{2-}} + {\text{ }}\text{H} ^{ + } {\text{ pKa}} = 10,33{\text{ }}{\left( {\lg {\text{K}}_{{\text{a}}} = - 10.33} \right)} $$

From these formulas, the diagram below can be constructed. It describes how the components of the carbonate system vary as a function of the pH when the CO₂ in the air is in equilibrium with pure water at an air pressure of 1 bar and 350 ppm CO₂ (g). What is the pH in this solution?

Question 3

• a. Calculate the pH in a 0.20 M solution of disodium malonate.(pKa₁ = 2.85; pKa₂ = 5.70)

• b. What would the pH be if the solution above also contained 0.05 M sodium hydroxide?

• C. Calculate the resulting pH when 17.5 cm³ of 1.00 M HCl is added to 100 cm³ of solution “a”

Question 4

Assume that you have a 0.01 M solution of a weak acid (HA).

Mark the alternative/s below that accurately describes features of this solution.

• a. pH = 1,0

• b. [H⁺]>>[A⁻]

• c. [HA] = 0 M

• d. [HA] + [A⁻] = 0.01 M

• e. [H⁺] + [A⁻] = 0.01 M

• f. [H⁺] + [HA] = 0.01 M

Question 5

Which of the following molecules is the strongest base?

• a. CH₃CH₂O⁻

• b. CH₃COO⁻

• c. CH₂ClCOO⁻

Appendix 3

A selection of items from the Attitude Questionnaire with high loadings on the attitude component

3.	I think that lecturers should avoid including course material that is difficult for the students.	□□□□□	I think that lecturers should include difficult course material to provide a challenge for the students.
8.	It is a waste of time to work with problems that do not have unambiguous answers.	□□□□□	It is time well used to work with problems that do not have unambiguous answers.
9.	I prefer to work with problems that I have not been shown how to solve beforehand.	□□□□□	I prefer that the teacher shows me how to solve the problems before I start working.
19.	I believe that I learn more from a laboratory exercise if I plan and perform the experiment myself.	□□□□□	I believe that I learn more from a laboratory exercise if there are detailed instructions on how to plan and perform the experiment.
20.	When I perform an experiment, I want the teacher to help me get it right from the beginning.	□□□□□	When I perform an experiment, I want to try myself, without comments from the teacher.
32.	I appreciate when someone really knowledgeable explains a problem for me.	□□□□□	I appreciate to hear other people’s suggestions as possible explanations of a problem.