Video-based instruction on safety rules in the chemistry laboratory: its effect on student achievement

Abstract

This study explores the effect of video-based instruction on the safety rules in the chemistry laboratory on student achievement. The sample for the study comprised 61 ninth grade students enrolled in two different classes at a public high school. The students in the class designated as the experimental group (N= 32) were given video-based instruction onthe safety rules required to be applied in the chemistry laboratory, while the other class that was designated as the control group (N= 29) was taught the same topic, but with traditional instruction. The experimental and control groups were randomly selected, and the same teacher instructed both groups. The students in both groups were administered an academic achievement test on safety rules made up of six open-ended questions as a pretest and as a posttest. The collection of the data took 3 weeks. The pretest was administered in the first week, the posttest in the third week. The data were subjected to content analysis, which was performed as qualitative analysis. It was found as a result of the analysis that the students exposed to video-based instruction showed greater improvement in their academic achievement compared to the students given traditional instruction. The results of the study provide helpful information for chemistry teachers and researchers in the field of chemistry education.