The Department of Chemistry discussed a Master’s thesis entitled “The Effect of the Vermunt Model on Chemistry Achievement and Serious Thinking among Second-Year Intermediate Students.” Postgraduate student Karrar Alaa Hassoun Matar presented the thesis under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Nagham Hadi Abdul-Amir.
The examination committee consisted of Professor Dr. Zainab Aziz Ahmed, Chair; Professor Dr. Afaf Ziad Wadi, Member; Professor Dr. Jawad Kadhim Fahad, Member; and Assistant Professor Dr. Nagham Hadi Abdul-Amir, Member and Supervisor.
The study aimed to investigate the effect of employing the Vermunt Model in teaching chemistry through two main dimensions. The first was to examine its effect on chemistry achievement among second-year intermediate students, while the second focused on investigating its effect on developing students’ serious thinking.
The researcher adopted an experimental design involving two groups, an experimental group and a control group, using a post-test design. The research population consisted of second-year intermediate students enrolled in public daytime intermediate and secondary schools affiliated with the Directorate of Education of the Holy Karbala Governorate, Al-Hurr Sector. Ibn Al-Nadim Intermediate School for Boys was purposively selected as the research site.
Two second-year intermediate classes were then selected randomly. One class represented the experimental group, consisting of 33 students, who studied chemistry according to the Vermunt Model. The other represented the control group, consisting of 31 students, who studied according to the conventional teaching method.
The researcher established equivalence between the two groups across a number of relevant variables, including previous achievement in chemistry, chronological age, prior knowledge, Raven’s Intelligence Test, and serious thinking.
To achieve the objectives of the study, two research instruments were developed: a chemistry achievement test consisting of 40 multiple-choice items, and a serious-thinking test consisting of 20 essay items. The validity and reliability of both instruments were verified. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 24 and Microsoft Excel.
Study Findings
The statistical findings demonstrated that students in the experimental group, who were taught according to the Vermunt Model, outperformed students in the control group, who were taught using the conventional method, in both the chemistry achievement test and the serious-thinking test.
These findings indicate the effectiveness of employing the Vermunt Model in supporting chemistry learning and enhancing educational outcomes related to academic achievement and thinking. They also highlight the value of adopting contemporary instructional models that provide learners with a more active role in the learning process.
Based on the findings, the researcher recommended encouraging chemistry teachers and teachers of other subjects to adopt active-learning models and strategies, including the Vermunt Model, given the positive effect demonstrated by the study on achievement and serious thinking.
The study also recommended providing the necessary educational conditions, resources, and instructional materials to facilitate the implementation of contemporary teaching models, as well as organizing training seminars and workshops for educational personnel in education directorates to develop their competencies in applying the Vermunt Model in teaching chemistry and other subjects.
The recommendations further emphasized the importance of developing instructional guides for teaching personnel that include effective teaching models and strategies, together with practical lesson-plan examples to facilitate their implementation. The study also highlighted the need to activate the role of school laboratories and provide the necessary educational materials, equipment, and resources, thereby creating an appropriate environment for employing contemporary instructional models in chemistry education.
The study is directly aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Quality Education, as it seeks to improve the quality of education, enhance chemistry teaching methodologies, strengthen students’ academic achievement and thinking skills, and support the professional development of teaching personnel through the adoption of more effective instructional models and strategies.
The study can also contribute indirectly to Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9): Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, particularly by encouraging innovation in educational practices and developing science-teaching approaches that foster thinking and problem-solving skills, which are fundamental to future scientific learning and innovation.
The significance of this thesis lies in providing empirical evidence for the potential effectiveness of the Vermunt Model in chemistry education at the intermediate-school level. It therefore supports the educational sector’s efforts to adopt evidence-based teaching practices and research-informed instructional approaches, contributing to the advancement of science education and the development of students’ cognitive and intellectual capabilities.
