Understanding atomic structures is a fundamental aspect of chemistry education, yet students often struggle to understand these concepts abstract concepts due to limited access to hands-on instructional tools. This study investigate how low-cost atomic model kits can enhance the teaching and learning of these concepts. Specifically, it explores teachers' and students' perceptions andevaluate teachers' pedagogical practices. . An explanatory sequential research design was employed, beginning with quantitative data from Likert scale questionnaires and classroom observations involving 151 students and 20 teachers, followed by qualitative interviews for deeper insights. The quantitative results revealed high level of agreement for both teachers and students (above 90%) that the kits improved visualization and conceptual understanding. However, the study did not find statistically significant differences in teachers' perceptions based on their teaching experience or educational level (p > 0.05). Similarly, students' perceptions did not differ significantly with respect to gender (p > 0.05). Additionally, classroom observations results showed that use of atomic model kits significantly improves teachers' pedagogical practices (p < 0.001). Thematic analysis revealed that teachers valued the kits for being cost-effective and durable while students emphazize greater engagement and active participation. The study concludes that integrating low-cost atomic model kits into teacher training and curriculum design can enhance learning in resource-limited contexts..
Iyamuremye et al. (Wed,) studied this question.