As advocated by the National Research Council [NRC] (1996) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] (1989), a change in the manner in which science is taught must be recognized at a national level and also embraced at a level that is reflected in every science teacher's classroom. With these ideas set forth as a guide for change,this study investigated the fifth grade students' understanding of force and motion concepts as they engaged in inquiry-based science investigations through the use of the 5E Learning Cycle. The researcher's journey through this process was also a focus of the study. Initial data were provided by a pretest indicating students' understanding of force and motion concepts. Four times weekly for a period of 14 weeks, students participated in investigations related to force and motion concepts. Their subsequent understanding of these concepts and their ability to generalize their understandings was evaluated via a posttest. Additionally, a review of lab activity sheets, other classroom-based assessments, and filmed interviews allowed for the triangulation of pertinent data necessary to draw conclusions from the study. Findings showed that student knowledge of force and motion concepts did increase although their understanding as demonstrated on paper lacked completeness versus understanding in an interview setting. Survey results also showed that after the study students believed they did not learn science best via textbook-based instruction.

The purpose of this study is to probe whether there is a significant effect of 5E learning cycle model as compared to traditional instruction and gender on tenth grade students&rsquo / understanding in the particulate nature of matter concepts and their epistemological beliefs and to investigate whether there is an impact of 5E learning cycle model and traditional instruction in promoting the understanding of the nature of science. Pilot study was performed for the instruments in the between April and June 2009. Treatment was conducted between October and December 2009. Participants were 113 students from one high school in Ankara. Two experimental groups and two control groups were randomly formed from four classes. Before and after the treatment, pre-tests and post-tests were administered and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Treatment was executed throughout the five weeks. While 5E learning cycle model was used in the experimental group, traditional instruction was used in the control group. According to MANCOVA results, there was a significant mean difference between groups on the collective dependent variables of the particulate nature of matter concepts and epistemological beliefs toward chemistry and chemistry courses. This effect was favor of the experimental groups. Also, there was no significant mean difference between post-test mean scores of girls and boys and for the interaction of treatment with gender on the collective dependent variables of the particulate nature of matter concepts and epistemological beliefs toward chemistry and chemistry courses. Moreover, the mean scores of students in the experimental group on the understanding of the nature of science were higher than those of students in the control group. Responses of the students in the interviews supported their responses in the tests.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 5E learning cycle model compared to traditional teacher-centered instruction on eleventh grade students&rsquo / conceptual understanding of acids and bases concepts and student motivation to learn chemistry. The measuring tools were Three-tier Acids-Bases Test (TABT) and Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire (CMQ). There were two groups, which were the experimental and traditional group, consisting of 78 students. Before the implementation, the tools were administered as pre-tests to both groups and the semi-structured pre-interviews were conducted with eight students to determine students&rsquo / prior knowledge about acids-bases and motivation to learn chemistry. During the implementation, 5E learning cycle model was used in the experimental group and the traditional teacher-centered instruction was used in the traditional group throughout eight weeks. After the implementation, the tools were administered as post-tests to both groups and the semi-structured post-interviews were conducted with the same students to determine their post knowledge about acids-bases and motivation to learn chemistry. Afterwards, the data were analyzed and descriptive and inferential statistics were obtained. Based on MANCOVA results, there was a statistical significant mean difference between the groups in favor of experimental group. Similarly, the students from experimental group scored higher motivation and this difference was found to be statistically significant. The results were analyzed in terms of gender as well, and there was found no statistically significant differences between the post-test mean scores of girls and boys for the effect of the implementation on understanding of acids-bases concepts or motivation to learn. The inferential statistics results were also supported with the students interviews.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of instruction based on 5E learning cycle model (LCI) compared to Traditional Instruction (TI) and gender on 11th grade students&rsquo / understanding of solubility equilibrium concept, students&rsquo / perceived motivation, use of learning strategies, and attitudes towards chemistry. There were 53 students in the experimental group instructed by the LCI and 56 students in the control group instructed by the TI. Solution Concept Test and Science Process Skills Test were administered to students in both groups as a pre-test. Attitude Scale towards Chemistry and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire were given to students in both groups before and after the treatment. Moreover, Solubility Equilibrium Concept Test was administered to both groups as a post-test and retention test two months after treatment. Treatment implementation continued for seven weeks. After the instruction, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six students from experimental group and six students from control group. Data were analyzed by using MANCOVA. The results revealed that LCI was more effective than the TI on students&rsquo / understanding and retention of the solubility equilibrium concepts. In addition, LCI improved students&rsquo / attitudes towards chemistry, intrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy for learning and performance, rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation, time and study environment, and peer learning. Moreover, females found as more positive towards chemistry and better organization and help seeking. Furthermore, interview results indicated that students in experimental group demonstrated better scientific understanding of solubility equilibrium concepts compared to those in control group.

The main purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of 5E learning cycle model based instruction and traditionally designed chemistry instruction on 10th grade students&rsquo / understanding of state of matter and solubility concepts and attitudes towards chemistry as a school subject / and students&rsquo / perceived motivation and perceived use of learning strategies. In this study, 119 tenth grade students from chemistry courses instructed by same teacher from Atat&uuml / rk Anatolian High School took part. The study was conducted during 2007-2008 spring semester. This study included two groups which were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. Control group students were taught by traditionally designed chemistry instruction, while the experimental group students were instructed by 5E learning cycle model based instruction. In the experimental group, students were taught with respect to the sequence of 5E learning cycle model which are engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation through the use of activities such as demonstrations, video animations, laboratory ectivities, and discussions. In the control group, traditionally designed chemistry instruction was implemented through teacher explanations and use of textbook. State of Matter and Solubility Concepts Test (SMSCT), Attitude Scale toward Chemistry (ASTC), and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were administered to both groups as a pre-test and post-test to assess the students understanding of state of matter and solubility concepts, students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry, students&rsquo / perceived motivations and students perceived use of learning strategies, respectively. Science Process Skills Test was given at the beginning of the study to determine students&rsquo / science process skills. The hypotheses were tested by using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVAs). The results showed that instruction based on 5E learning cycle model caused significantly better acquisition of the scientific conceptions related to state of matter and solubility concepts than traditionally designed chemistry instruction. In addition, instruction based on 5E learning cycle model improved students&rsquo / attitudes as a school subject, intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, elaboration strategy use, organization strategy use. A Science process skill was determined as a strong predictor in understanding the concepts related state of matter and solubility.

The aim of study was to investigate the effect of context-based approach (CBA) through 5E learning cycle (LC) model over traditional instruction on students&rsquo / understanding, achievement, and chemical literacy on chemical reactions and energy concepts. The effect of instruction on students&rsquo / motivation to learn chemistry and the factors of motivation questionnaire were also explored. Additionally, the effect of gender difference was investigated. Six eleventh grade classes with 187 students taught by three teachers from two public Anatolian high schools of Ankara in 2011-2012 fall semester were enrolled in this study. Each teacher had experimental and control group. These classes were assigned randomly as experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were treated with CBA through 5E LC model, control groups were treated with traditional instruction. Chemical reactions and energy concept test and chemistry motivation questionnaire were administered as pre- and post-tests to groups. Achievement test and open-ended chemical literacy items on chemical reactions and energy were administered as post-tests to all groups. Science process skill test was administered to all groups at the beginning of the instruction. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used for the analysis of data. The results revealed that CBA through 5E LC model was superior to traditional instruction on students&rsquo / understanding, achievement, and chemical literacy in the chemical reactions and energy unit. Although, students&rsquo / overall motivation scores did not changed across the groups, experimental groups intrinsic motivation and relevance of learning chemistry to personal goals was superior than control groups. No gender difference was found.