Is the oxygen atom static or dynamic? The effect of generating animations on students' mental models of atomic structure

Visualizing the chemical structure and dynamics of particles has been challenging for many students; therefore, various visualizations and tools have been used in chemistry education. For science educators, it has been important to understand how students visualize and represent particular phenomena –i.e., their mental models– to design more effective learning environments. This study aimed to investigate and compare students'staticand dynamic representations of mental models for a fundamental concept of chemistry, atomic structure. Static representations of mental models were expressed as drawings and explanations given on paper, withdynamicones being generated by using animation-developing software. This mixed-method study was implemented in three parts. A total of 523 10th (N= 277) and 11th (246) grade high school students participated in a workshop where they first learned how to use one of three animation-developing software programs (K-Sketch, Chemsense or Pencil;N= 162, 204, 157, respectively), and then prepared an animation of an oxygen atom using that program. Before and after creating the animation, students were asked to draw the structure of the atom and to storyboard the oxygen atom for three seconds. After students generated their animations they were asked to explain their animations in 2–3 minute interviews (N= 324). The static and dynamic representations of mental models were compared statistically by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test within each group, and they were compared by the Kruskall Wallis Test between the groups. The results of the analysis showed that in all the groups, a significant difference (p= 0.000) between the initial and final static representations of mental models suggested that students modified their mental models towards a more refined and accurate representation of the atomic structure. Regardless of the software program used, students included significantly more dynamic features (p= 0.000) in their static representations of mental models after generating animations than they did initially. No significant difference (p> 0.05) between any of the features was conveyed in static representations of mental models of students who worked with different software programs. In addition, student-generated animations revealed some misconceptions, such as the movement of the parts of the atom or the atom itself besides electrons, which were not detected on paper.

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Students’ Mathematics Achievements: A Comparison between Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Education & Self Development ◽

10.26907/esd.16.4.04 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 36-47

Author(s):

Daniel Doz ◽

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

High School Students ◽

Distance Learning ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Rank Test ◽

School Students ◽

First Semester ◽

School Year ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Parametric Statistical Test

The COVID-19 pandemic represented a shift from face-to-face to online and distance learning. Teaching methods and assessing strategies changed, as well as grading standards. The focus of this paper is to address the differences between pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic mathematics grades and, in particular, to investigate the possible differences between mid-term and end-term grades in Italy. To this end, 231 Italian middle and high school students’ grades were analysed. Using the Wilcoxon rank test (a non-parametric statistical test) the results showed a statistically significant difference in pre- and post-COVID-19 quarantine grades. End-of-year grades were higher than those before the COVID-19 confinement. Furthermore, the results indicated that more than half of the students in the sample achieved a higher grade at the end of the school year. Gender differences in mathematics grades were examined, since the literature about gender gap in mathematics achievement is not coherent about whether boys outperform girls or vice versa. Statistically significant differences at the end of the first semester were reported, in favour of female students although gender differences were not detected at the end of the school year. The findings suggest that greater caution should be paid in interpreting students’ grades pre- and post-COVID-19 confinement, since it cannot be excluded that such students’ achievements are inflated. Excessively high students’ grades that do not represent their actual knowledge and competencies could give educators and legislators misleading and even false information about the quality of distance learning and students’ knowledge.

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Assessment of the implicit attitude of Japanese people toward blacks and Little Black Sambo

10.31234/osf.io/t67n4 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kazuo Mori

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Junior High School ◽

Implicit Attitudes ◽

Picture Book ◽

Implicit Attitude ◽

Japanese People ◽

School Students ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Single Target ◽

Significant Difference

We examined whether Japanese people, 47 junior high school students, 49 undergraduates, and 52 older adults, possessed negative attitudes against blacks and the picture book Little Black Sambo. We assessed the implicit attitude toward the target word pairs, “black/white” and “Sambo/Heidi,” by utilizing a paper-based Implicit Association Test and found that both black and Sambo were associated more negatively than white and Heidi. However, the implicit attitudes assessed with a single-target IAT showed that 67 Japanese students showed positive implicit scores for blacks but with smaller valences. A post hoc analysis revealed that the reading experience of Little Black Sambo did not show a significant difference between the implicit attitudes of those who had and had not read the book.

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Personal Assessment of Reasons for the Loss of Global Biodiversity—an Empirical Analysis

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12104277 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 4277

Author(s):

Matthias Winfried Kleespies ◽

Paul Wilhelm Dierkes

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

High School Students ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Connection To Nature ◽

School Students ◽

Teacher Trainees ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

The Relationship ◽

Personal Assessment

The UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs), which aim to solve important economic, social, and environmental problems of humanity, are to be supported by education for sustainable development (ESD). Empirical studies on the success of the implementation of the SDGs in the field of education are still pending. For this reason, using the loss of global biodiversity as an example, this study examined the extent to which high school students, teacher trainees in biology, and biology bachelor students can identify the causes of the global biodiversity loss. A new questioning tool was developed and tested on 889 participants. In addition, the relationship between connection to nature and the personal assessment about biodiversity threats was examined. The factor analysis of the scale used showed that 11 out of 16 items were assigned to the intended factor. The comparison between high school students, teacher trainees in biology, and biology bachelor students showed no significant difference in overall assessment of the reasons for global biodiversity loss. When comparing the three risk levels in which the risk factors for biodiversity could be divided, across the three student groups, only minor differences were found. Therefore, a specific education of prospective teachers is necessary, as they have to pass on the competence as multipliers to their students. No significant difference could be found when examining the relationship between connection to nature and the overall scores of the assessment scale for the reasons of biodiversity loss. However, it was found that people who felt more connected to nature were more capable of assessing the main causes of risk for global biodiversity, while people who felt less connected to nature achieved better scores for the medium factors.

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Combining Webduino Programming With Situated Learning to Promote Computational Thinking, Motivation, and Satisfaction Among High School Students

Journal of Educational Computing Research ◽

10.1177/07356331211039961 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 073563312110399

Author(s):

Ting-Ting Wu ◽

Jian-Ming Chen

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Programming Languages ◽

Situated Learning ◽

Learning Strategy ◽

Computational Thinking ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

School Students ◽

Study Results ◽

Significant Difference

Many countries have incorporated computational thinking (CT) and programming languages into their science and technology courses. Students can improve their CT ability by learning programming languages. Moreover, situated learning enables students to generate knowledge and master problem-solving skills through interaction with situations. This study incorporated Webduino learning and the situated learning strategy into a programming course and analyzed its impact on high school students’ CT ability, learning motivation, and course satisfaction. A quasi-experimental research method was adopted, wherein the experimental group was subjected to the situated learning strategy and the control group was subjected to a traditional teaching method. The study results revealed that integrating Webduino programming with situated learning could effectively improve five categories of CT skills; moreover, the activity models of situated learning enhanced the value and expectation dimensions of learning motivation. In addition, satisfaction with the course content and self-identity slightly improved. However, because teachers were required to elaborate on stories to promote learner engagement with life situations, the time available for programming was limited. Thus, no significant difference was observed in teaching satisfaction.

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Analysis of the level of aggression and violence of students and other professional groups who are fans of Düzce sports football

African Educational Research Journal ◽

10.30918/aerj.93.21.109 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 704-711

Author(s):

Emre Turegun ◽

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Low Income ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Violent Behavior ◽

Sample Selection ◽

School Students ◽

Professional Groups ◽

Study Results ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Bonferroni Test

The study aimed to examine the levels of aggression and violence of students and other professional groups who are Düzcespor football fans. For the research model, the survey model, one of the quantitative research types, was chosen. The study's data collection process was carried out during the 2019-2020 season of the Turkey Football Federation, and the population of the study consisted of Düzcespor fans between the ages of 12-68. The sample of the study, on the other hand, consists of 498 people who voluntarily participated in the study using the random sample selection technique. As a result of normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro Wilk), it was determined that the scores obtained from the scales did not show a normal distribution. For this reason, non-parametric tests Mann Whitney-U Test, Kruskal Wallis Test, and Bonferroni Test, one of the Post Hoc tests, were used to determine which group caused the significant difference between the groups as a result of the analysis. Frequency, percentage, minimum, maximum, average, and standard deviation values were also used to analyze the data. The level of significance was determined as p < 0.05. The study's findings showed that Düzcespor supporters had moderate aggression and violent behaviors. There was a significant difference between the variables of gender, age, education level, occupation and income, and aggression and violent behavior. The study results revealed that aggression and tendency to violence are higher in males, younger people, high school students and people with low income.

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Creativity and Intelligence: Research Implications for Equal Emphasis in High School

Council review ◽

10.1177/001440297003600801 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 36 (8) ◽

pp. 565-569 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Vernon J. Damm

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Well Being ◽

Educational Systems ◽

School Students ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Self Actualization ◽

Creative Abilities

The possible relationships among creativity, intelligence, and self actualization were examined in 208 high school students to determine whether or not consistent self actualization scores existed for subjects high in the first two variables. Students high in both creativity and intelligence had significantly higher scores in self actualization than those obtained by students high in either creativity or intelligence. No significant difference in self actualization was found between students high in creativity only and those high in intelligence only. The results were interpreted as indicating that educational systems should stress both intellectual and creative abilities to achieve the highest level of psychological well being in students.

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The Effect of Using Peer Assessment Training on Writing Performance among Arab EFL High School Students in Malaysia

10.31235/osf.io/6ufgq ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Abdallah Mohammad Salem Almahasneh ◽

Samsiah Abdul-Hamid

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Peer Assessment ◽

School Students ◽

Design Data ◽

Writing Performance ◽

English As Foreign Language ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Assessment Training

Peer assessment training has appeared as potential new tools for enhancing Arab English as foreign language (EFL) high school students on writing performance. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of using peer assessment training on writing performance among Arab EFL high school students. One hundred and twenty students aged fifteen and sixteen years old participated in this study with an equal number of male and female students. The students were from two Arab high schools in Malaysia. This study employed a quasi-experimental research design. Data was collected using Analytical Marking Scale (Alderson, et al., 1995) to assess student’s writing performance in the pretest and posttest. The result of this study shows that there is a significant difference in the writing performances between the experimental and control groups at P < 0.001. The findings suggests that students who have been exposed to peer assessment training write a better draft compared with those students who were only given conventional training in writing an essay, and without the benefit of peer feedback.

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Ethical Correlates of Environmental Consciousness among Members and Non-Members of Nature Club

International Journal of Indian Psychology ◽

10.25215/0402.003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Shahina H ◽

Dr. Neelima Ranjith

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Environmental Behavior ◽

Human Existence ◽

Environmental Consciousness ◽

Environmental Attitude ◽

School Students ◽

Limits To Growth ◽

The Earth ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Ecological Worldview

The need and relevance of the concerns for nature and a pro-environmental attitude and behaviour is at its peak in the present world. It has been long recognized that ecological balance and safety of nature is central to human existence on earth. Despite this understanding, human activities are deteriorating the earth. If this situation is allowed to continue, the earth will soon turn out to be a useless and lifeless planet, along with marking the very end of human existence. One way to tackle this crisis is to reduce and prevent human actions that pose threats to nature and environment. A sustainable change in such actions is achieved effectively only by bringing about a change in ethics, values and attitudes of people. Ethics refers to a code of conduct. Values held by people contribute to their ethics. Since values are acquired, it can be instilled into people through different means; also implying that they are changeable. The concept of environmental consciousness refers to specific psychological factors related to individual’s propensity to engage in pro-environmental behaviors (Zelezny & Schultz, 2000:367). Environmental consciousness can also be addressed as the psychological dimension of pro-environmental behavior. Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the ‘ethical correlates of environmental consciousness among members and non-members of nature club’. Method: (a) Participants: The study was conducted on 54 high school students from various schools in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Participants included both members (n=21) and non-members (n=33) of any kind of nature club. (b) Materials: The Ethical Values Assessment (EVA- Jensen & Padilla, 2004) and New Ecological Paradigm Scale- Revised (NEP Revised-Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K., Mertig, A., &Jones, R. E., 2000). EVA measures 3 categories of ethics, namely: Ethics of Autonomy, Ethics of Community and Ethics of Divinity. NEP scale assesses ecological worldview along 5 dimensions, namely: Reality of Limits to Growth, Ant anthropocentricism, Fragility of Nature’s Balance, Rejection of Exemptionalism and the Possibility of Eco-crisis. (c) Analysis: Analysis was done using ‘t- test’ and ‘correlation’. (d) Results: There is significant difference between members and non-members of nature club in the dimensions Ethics of community, Overall ethics, Overall ecological worldview and Awareness of the possibility of eco-crisis. Students with membership in nature clubs have higher Ethics of community, Overall ethics, Overall ecological worldview (significance at 5% level) and Awareness of the possibility of eco-crisis (significance at 1% level). Also, Overall ethics has a significant positive correlation with Overall ecological worldview. Conclusion: Membership in nature club is found to enhance better environmental consciousness and ethics. The study implies that making students part of nature clubs facilitate pro-environmental behavior and better ethics.

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Investigation of Cardiovascular Endurance Levels of Sedentary High School Students

Journal of Education and Training Studies ◽

10.11114/jets.v6i5.3039 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 144

Author(s):

Betül Akyol ◽

Kayhan Söğüt

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Heart Rate ◽

High School Students ◽

Oxygen Saturation ◽

Recovery Period ◽

Step Test ◽

School Students ◽

Walking Test ◽

Cardiovascular Endurance ◽

Significant Difference

The aim of our study is to examine the cardiovascular endurance systems of sedentary high school students. The 112 sedentary individual was taken to the 1600 meter walking test run, and the 120 sedentary individual Harward step test. While both individuals were participating in the same test, weight, height, oxygen saturation, and heart rate of participants were measured before starting the test. As soon as the test is finished (recovery period), oxygen saturation and heart rate variability of individuals are measured at 1, 3, 5 minutes. All measured variables were analyzed and compared. Analysis of the data was done according to the SPSS statistical program and the significance level was accepted as p <0.05. In the 1600-meter walking test, it was observed that there was a significant difference in mean heart rate between males and females p<0.05. There was a significant difference between the mean values of the time of completion of the 1600 m running test by males and females (p < 0.05). During the 1600-meter walking and Harward step test recovery period, there was no difference in the participants' parameters. There was no significant difference between oxygen saturations at beginning, recovery 1st, 3rd, and 5th minutes in both tests. Significant differences were found between heart rate and oxygen saturation values (beginning, recovery 1st, 3rd, and 5th minutes) in the intra-group comparisons of both groups. Participants' heart rates began to increase with exercise, but remained above the initial heart rate level during recovery. Participants' body mass indexes were observed to be within normal values. We think that can be increased cardio respiratory and cardiovascular fitness levels and can been created lifelong exercise habits by regular exercise programs are given to Sedentary high school students. Thus, we believe that the young population can be prevented from getting sick by providing healthier, social, active individuals.

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The connection of committing and experiencing cyber-bullying peer violence with depression, anxiety and stress in high school students

10.31124/advance.15155820 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marija Draganic

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Factor Analysis ◽

High School Students ◽

Cyber Bullying ◽

Online Identity ◽

School Students ◽

Peer Violence ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Identity Concealment ◽

Explained Variance

This research has aimed to determine whether cyber-bullying peer violence is associated with depression, anxiety and stress in high school students. The research results are based on the data obtained from a sample of 202 Montenegrin high school students. It has been established that committing and experiencing e-violence is associated with depression. Committing and experiencing verbal online violence, as well as involvement in online counterfeiting/criminal acts, is associated with depression, while involvement in online identity concealment and lies has no connection with depression. When it comes to anxiety, the results of this research show that involvement in verbal e-violence and in online counterfeiting/criminal acts leads to anxiety, while committing and experiencing online identity concealmentis not related to anxiety. When it comes to committing and experiencing verbal online violence and stress, although there is a statistically significant difference, it is not applicable for all values. Consequently, we cannot draw a strong enough conclusion about it. Victims of online counterfeiting and criminal acts, according to the results of our research, have a higher level of stress than those not involved in this type of cyber-bullying peer violence.Cyber victim and bullying scale has been used to collect data on committing and experiencing e-violence among peers (Cetin, Yaman and Peker, 2011).Permission to use this scale was requested and obtained. The scale examines experiencing and committing online violence. It consists of two parts, each part containing 22 particles. In the first part (Experiencing cyber-bullying subscale), participants have assessed whether the described behavior happened to them,on a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always). In the second part (Committing cyber-bullying subscale), and with identical particles, respondents have assessed whether they themselves behaved in this way. In our research, we have performed a factor analysis of the Cyber victim and bulling scale . When it comes to the Committing cyber-bullying subscale, the percentage of explained variance amounts to 55.141%, whereas factor analysis also points to 3 factors, namely: a) verbal online violence; b) online identity concealment and lies; and c) online counterfeiting and criminal acts. When it comes to the Experiencing cyber-bullying subscale, the percentage of explained variance amounts to 65,211%, whereas factor analysis also points to 3 factors, namely: a) verbal online violence; b) online identity concealment and lies; and c) online counterfeiting and criminal acts. We have used a scale for assessing the depression, anxiety and stress levels (DASS21) to determine whether experiencing e-violence leads to depression, anxiety and stress,and to what extent. We have chosen this scale because the results of a research checking its psychometric qualities have indicated that the DASS-21 scale’s psychometric qualities recommend it for use in researching unpleasant emotional states in adolescents. DASS-21 is a 21-item self-report measure giving three subclasses of seven items each: depression , anxiety and stress. Participants have been asked to indicate which statement applied to them over the past week on the Likert 4-point scale. DASS-21 has high reliability, consistent factor structure and high convergent valiadity. We did not have to ask permission for this scale and it can be used freely.

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