Effect of Learning by Simulation-based Inquiry on Students’ Mental Model Construction

Abstract

A fundamental challenge for science learning is the need of develop meaningful understanding of the relationship between the observable phenomena and interaction at the molecular level for student. In order to understanding conceptually the complexity of scientific phenomena, essential, nonessential, and irrelevant features of the concepts must also be determined and understood for applying and evaluating to a variety of affined situations. To enhance student learning in intermolecular forces concepts, a computer simulated experiment of water contact angle has been developed to reveal a dynamic situation of relationship between intermolecular force, hydrogen bonding, and water contact angle phenomenon under different temperature, type of solution, and type of material conditions. The simulation was designed to represent the change of phenomenon both observable and molecular level of matter to student for increasing meaningful understanding construction of the concepts. The aim of this study is explore an effect of the contact angle simulation, shortly called CA-SIM, on students’ mental model. 116 college students voluntarily undertook learning with the CA-SIM. Results show a potential of the CA-SIM that it helps students to correct their mental model on intermolecular forces concepts. This finding suggests the power of the CA-SIM on enhancing students’ better mental model of intermolecular forces concepts. Additionally, it could be used to be an integral part for practical experiment for providing a sense of direction and making more conceptual reflection of learning science concepts.