ENHANCING CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY AND ENTROPY: A STUDY ON THE TRIPOD APPROACH

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of the Tripod Approach, developed in our previous research, which focuses on teaching energy and entropy holistically. The subjects were 11th-grade students from a private school in Turkey, with 15 students in the control group and 19 in the experimental group. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Quantitative data were collected using the Chemistry and Energy Achievement Test (CEAT). The results revealed a significant difference in favor of the experimental group in both post-test CEAT scores and pre-test-post-test score changes. Qualitative data were analyzed using content and descriptive analysis methods, providing deeper insights into students' conceptual development. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative results, showing that the Tripod Approach not only enhanced factual knowledge but also improved understanding of complex thermodynamic concepts. These findings highlight the potential of the Tripod Approach as an effective teaching strategy in high school science education. By integrating macroscopic and microscopic views of entropy, the approach offers a comprehensive understanding of thermodynamics, making it a valuable tool for educators.