Learning Companion-Based Self-Learning Module (LCSLM) For Stoichiometry Instruction

Stoichiometry remains one of the most challenging topics in secondary chemistry education due to its high cognitive load and integration of abstract mathematical and chemical concepts. This study evaluated the design, development, and instructional efficacy of a Learning Companion-Based Self-Learning Module (LCSLM) featuring an animated pedagogical agent named "Jul". Jul provides six instructional functions: conceptual explanations, procedural rule guidance, worked-example accounting, contextualized real-world bridging, metacognitive self-check prompts, and affective support. Expert evaluation (N = 3) confirmed high module acceptability (M = 3.9) across content, instructional design, usability, and pedagogical alignment. A single-group pretest-posttest pilot implementation was conducted with Grade 11 secondary students (N = 21). A non-parametric evaluation demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in stoichiometry achievement scores from pre-assessment (Mdn = 5.00) to post-assessment (Mdn = 12.00), as confirmed by a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test (W = 184, p < 0.001, rrb = .593). Learners also evaluated the module favorably, with an overall mean of 3.49, interpreted as Highly Acceptable. The findings suggest that the LCSLM demonstrates promising instructional quality, usability, and potential to support learners' conceptual understanding and self-directed engagement in stoichiometry. Further research involving larger samples and more rigorous experimental designs is warranted to establish its effectiveness.

Educational Design Research, learning companion, self-learning module, stoichiometry

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