Sukarmin, Achmad Lutfi, Kusumawari Dwiningsih, Rusly Hidayah
The problem and the aim of the research. Chemistry, as a natural science, is closely connected to life at both micro and macro levels. One key concept is the reaction rate, which describes how quickly reactants change into products over time. Students often misunderstand this concept, for instance by focusing only on the amount of reactant and overlooking time as a crucial factor. Left unaddressed, such misconceptions hinder deeper understanding. To tackle this, a learning approach that combines multiple representations, inquiry, and multimedia technology is needed, helping students move beyond memorizing formulas toward meaningful interpretation and application. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of the PIMOTS multimedia-assisted inquiry learning model, which integrates multiple chemical representations, in preventing and reducing students’ misconceptions about reaction rates. Study participants and methods. The participants of this study were 68 eleventh-grade students from two randomly selected classes (XI-A and XI-B) at a senior high school in Surabaya, Indonesia. These students were chosen because they had not previously studied the topic of reaction rates formally in class, so their initial conceptions could be identified more clearly. The sample represented typical science program students at the senior high school level, providing a relevant context for examining common misconceptions and testing the effectiveness of the PIMOTS multimedia-assisted inquiry learning model. Results. The implementation of learning achieved an average score of 89% in class XI-A and 91% in class XI-B, categorized as outstanding. Student activities reached 93% in class XI-A and 92% in class XI-B, indicating that the learning process was highly student-centered. Questionnaire responses were also very positive, with interest, ease of use, and learning outcomes scoring 86%, 91%, and 88% in class XI-A, and 83%, 86%, and 82% in class XI-B. Furthermore, the proportion of students with scientific conceptions increased to 75% in class XI-A and 78% in class XI-B, while misconceptions decreased to 6% and 4%, respectively. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test confirmed that these conceptual changes were statistically significant (p < 0.05), demonstrating that the PIMOTS multimedia-assisted inquiry model effectively reduced misconceptions and enhanced students’ understanding of reaction rates. Conclusion. This study has tested the effectiveness of preventing misconceptions about reaction rates using a multi-representation approach with a multimedia-assisted inquiry learning model, PIMOTS, which produced positive outcomes. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the novelty of simultaneously integrating the inquiry model with a multi-representation approach and PIMOTS-based media to systematically prevent misconceptions, which are rarely explored in previous research on reaction rates. Furthermore, this approach has a complex function, serving as a visual aid developed as a conceptual strategy to enhance students’ in-depth understanding of chemistry. © Sukarmin, Achmad Lutfi, Kusumawari Dwiningsih, Rusly Hidayah, 2026
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Universitas Negeri, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
