Development and Effectiveness of Facilitated Learning Modules in Introductory Analytical Chemistry

Abstract

This study involved development and assessment of facilitated learning modules that emphasized mathematical and statistical tools in introductory analytical chemistry. These facilitated learning modules were deemed to address the need of medical technology students for supplementary learning materials that address students' difficulty in solving quantitative problems involved in introductory analytical chemistry.

The first phase of the study covered the development of seven facilitated learning modules on selected topics in introductory analytical chemistry which require mathematical and statistical tools. These topics were considered necessary because they involve mathematical and statistical treatments which students find difficult because of their insufficiency in mathematical and statistical background. The development of facilitated learning modules employed both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The qualitative aspect involved evaluation of the facilitated learning modules face content and form by chemistry education experts. Relevant comments and suggestions incorporated into the modules' final forms characterized the essential features of the facilitated leaming modules. The quantitative aspect focused on lhe evaluation of analytical chemistry instructors on the facilitated learning modules' objectives in terms of attainability, clarity, and relevance. It also included their evaluation of the modules' content in terms of appropriateness, appeal, innovativeness, and conformity to standards using a questionnaire developed by Lumaque (2011 ). The instructors found the objectives of the learning modules to be highly attainable, very clear, and very relevant. They rated the modules' content to be very appropriate, very innovative, very appealing, and strongly conforming to standards. Part of the quantitative aspect was the determination of the facilitated learning modules' student's involvement index, grade level, and communication index. Using Romey's procedure (1965), students involvement index of the modules was 1.34, which indicated that the modules could keep the interest of users while reading the modules. Fry's Readability Graph ( 1968) indicated Grade 11 as the grade level of the modules, which matched that of the intended users. Further, Talisayon's procedure (1983) indicated that communication index of the learning modules was acceptable at 0.009.