The role of multimedia in understanding extremely small and large numbers in chemistry education

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the presence of difficulties in understanding extremely small and extremely large numbers during learning the concepts of mole and atom in students of elementary school, as well as to investigate the effects of multimedia applications to overcome this problem. The sample comprised 125 elementary school students from Novi Sad, Serbia (aged 13-14). Difficulties to understand small and large numbers related to concepts of mole and atoms were identified. In the control group of students, the traditional teaching approach was applied; experimental group multimedia was used in teaching. The obtained results indicate that students had difficulties in learning the above-mentioned concept of the mole. When multimedia material was used, it contributed to the higher academic achievement of students in overcoming issues related to atomic sizes and masses, constant, definition of a mole, and visualization of the given amount of samples of different substances.