Ionic Liquids in Chemistry Teacher Education: An Interactive Simulation on Their Fundamental Structure-Property Relationships
Ahmad Mudzakir, Liliasari, Hernani, Tuszie Widhiyanti and Arif Sarifudin
Department of Chemistry Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Abstract
The research was conducted to reconstruct molecular engineering activity for chemistry teacher education through interactive simulations on ionic liquids structure-properties relationships. This activity is aimed to enhance the View of Nature of Science and Technology (VNOST) of the pre-service chemistry teacher. This study refers to the Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) with three steps: (1) scientists conception study, (2) study of students pre-conceptions, and (3) design and development of learning environments. The instruments used were text analysis form, validation form, interview guidelines, VNOST questionnaire, expert assessment form and the test items available in the interactive simulation program. The questionnaire and interview were conducted to 20 pre-service teacher of the fifth year students. According to the scientific perspective and the results of the validation of learning outcomes, the chemical concepts related to the topic of ionic liquids structure-properties relationships are ionic bonds, inter-molecular interactions, melting points and salt melting processes. The results of the interviews as preconception data indicated that the topic of ionic liquids structure-properties relationships is new to students but some students can relate them to the related chemical concepts after analyzing illustration pictures and animation. The initial understanding of VNOST students is generally in the category of Has Merit and Naïve. All data obtained is used as the basis for the reconstruction of interactive simulations. The results of expert judgement of the simulation in terms of the media obtained a CVR value of 90% and in terms of content of 93%. The results of a small scale trial of the simulation which involved 15 pre-service teachers showed an increase of the number of the pre-service teachers with Realist category of their VNOST. This shows that the reconstructed interactive simulation is feasible to be implemented in learning to build pre-service teachers VNOST.
Keywords: Ionic Liquids, Chemistry Teacher Education, Structure-Property Relationships, Interactive Simulation
Topic: Research and Development in Engineering Education