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Makale Özeti:
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The aim of the study is to examine how blended learning can be used more effectively
for university chemistry courses, based on the perceptions of students. The sample
included 179 pre-service science teachers in year one through year four who had taken
a university chemistry class. Qualitative data were gathered through open-ended
questions and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by using descriptive
statistics and thematic content analysis.
The results revealed necessary design characteristics for an effective blended
chemistry course from students’ point of view regarding content of online instruction,
the teaching methods, interface design, use of media and other visual elements,
usability, design techniques, and facilitator role.
The results showed that instruction should be carefully planned and must be
appropriate to student needs and characteristics, the content should not be too long or
complicated, content should be prepared by experts in chemistry, include reliable and
valid information, designed to promote the learning process by choosing appropriate
visual elements and media, be consistent with the learning outcomes, and include
evaluation questions.
Blended instruction should include various updated and easily accessible technological
resources and tools to facilitate learning. The results also revealed that blended
learning environment is most suitable for specific topics such as organic chemistry,
acids and bases, the structure of atom and matter.
Finally, a blended learning component matrix was created and suggested to show the
interactions between the categories based on the perceptions of the participants. The
results of this study, therefore, suggest important implications for instructors when
designing effective blended chemistry courses for pre-service science teachers.
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