Effectiveness of Analogy Instructional Strategy on Undergraduate Student’s Acquisition of Organic Chemistry Concepts in Mutah University, Jordan

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of analogy instructional strategy on undergraduate students’ acquisition of organic chemistry concepts in Mutah University, Jordan. A quasi-experimental design was used in the study; Participants were 97 students who enrolled in organic chemistry course at the department of chemistry during the academic year (2015–2016) at Mutah University in Jordan, both classes of the same teacher, one was randomly considered to be the experimental group (n=38) while the other was considered to be the control group (n=44). Ten analogies were used in the experimental group, the topics of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, ethers, carbonyl compounds, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids have been studied in chemistry course. All of the analogies were prepared by the researcher. During four-week period; each group received an equal amount of instruction. The chemical concepts achievement test consisted of 20 multiple-choice questions was administered as pre-test, post-test. The results showed that the students in the experimental group showed significantly greater achievement than the students in the control group.

Keywords: Analogy, Instructional Strategies, Organic Chemical Concepts, Undergraduate Students.