DESK-TOP KITS IN THE TEACHING OF INTRODUCTORY CHEMISTRY IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: AN APPROACH BASED ON THE PIAGETIAN MODEL

Recent literature has suggested that many entering college students
have not yet reached Piaget's formal operational level of intellectual
development. The material in introductory chemistry, however, requires
formal operational thought processes and chemistry instruction typically
assumes that this level has been reached by students.
The premise of this study was that if many introductory chemistry
students have not yet reached formal operational levels but work exclusively
at the concrete operational stage, instruction should be directed
toward concrete thought processes with the aim of helping the student
advance from the concrete to the abstract.
Desk-top kits containing chemicals, model-building materials and
demonstration devices were distributed to each student during lecture.
Each student handled the materials, contructed models and performed his
own demonstrations as concepts were introduced. Relationships between
the material or process itself (e.g., solutions or precipitation), seen
firsthand, and the symbolic representation of that material or process
were stressed. This study has demonstrated that, by taking into account the intellectual
level of the learner, greater growth and higher achievement
can result for introductory chemistry students. It has presented evidence
that the Piagetian model of intellectual development is a useful
approach for chemical educators to pursue. Presentation of new material
in concrete terms with individual handling of materials and models and
the individual performance of demonstrations can help introductory
chemistry students grow and achieve. It is interesting that, while
this approach may be necessary for the concrete operational members
of a class, the formal operational members can also benefit from it.