The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the conceptual change oriented instruction using hands-on activities and traditionally designed chemistry instruction on 10th grade students&rsquo / understanding of gases concept. Also, the effect of instruction on students&rsquo / attitude toward chemistry as a school subject was investigated. The sample of the study consisted of 59 tenth grade students from two chemistry classes in a public high school. This study was conducted during the 2006-2007 fall semester. The classes were randomly assigned as control and experimental groups. Students in the control group were instructed by traditionally designed chemistry instruction whereas students in the experimental group were instructed by the conceptual change oriented instruction accompanied with hands-on activities. Gases concept test and Attitude Scale Toward Chemistry were administered to both groups as a pre-test and post-test to assess the students&rsquo / understanding of gases concepts and to determine their attitudes toward chemistry, respectively. Science Process Skills Test was given only at the beginning of the instruction to determine students&rsquo / science process skills. v The hypotheses were tested by using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The post-test results showed that conceptual change oriented instruction using hands-on activities caused a significantly better acquisition of scientific conceptions related to gases concept. But it was found that treatment has no significant effect on students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject.

Magister Educationis - MEd (Mathematics and Science Education) / The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the teaching of electric circuits in Grade 10 Physical Sciences using a conceptual change approach would enhance learners' understanding of the concept. The conceptual change approach is a process whereby concepts and relationships between concepts change over the course of an individual's lifetime. The process whereby conceptual change occurs is of central interest in helping to understand the process of learning, and is also important when considering the design of instruction. The study was conducted at a secondary school in a small town in the Karoo. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample of a Physical Science Grade 10 class. A mixed method approach was used to observe the effectiveness of the conceptual change approach - four conditions must exist before a conceptual change is likely to occur: (1) assess learners' dissatisfaction with their existing concepts; (2) the new concept must become intelligible; (3) the new concept must appear plausible; and (4) the new concept must be fruitful. All learners' total scores for the pre-test and post-test were calculated and recorded and total scores were statistically analyzed. This study could provide means to improve science teaching and learning. The learners were assisted to discover what was not clear to them, they were encouraged towards deeper understanding and to use their own knowledge to make sense of new concepts. The conceptual change approach could be used effectively by the teachers as it will assist to remove misconceptions learners have prior to the learning of new science concepts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of conceptual change oriented instruction accompanied by demonstrations and gender on tenth grade students&rsquo / understanding of gases concepts, and attitudes toward chemistry. Hundred tenth grade students from two classes taught by the same teacher in a public high school were enrolled in the study in the Fall semester of 2003-2004. Control group students were taught by traditionally designed chemistry instruction (TI), while experimental group students were instructed by conceptual change oriented instruction accompanied by demonstrations (CCID). Gases Concept Test and Attitude Scale toward Chemistry were administered to both groups as a pre-test and post-test to assess the students understanding of gases concepts and students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry, respectively. Science Process Skills Test was given at the beginning of the study to determine students&rsquo / science process skills. Learning Style Inventory was also given to all students to determine their learning styles. After treatment, interviews were conducted with the teacher and several students from the two groups. The hypotheses were tested by using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that CCID caused significantly better acquisition of the scientific conceptions related to gases than TI. There was no significant effect of the treatment on the students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry. No significant effect of gender difference on students&rsquo / understanding the concepts about gases and students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry was found. Science process skill was determined as a strong predictor in understanding the concepts related to gases.

The main purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of instructions one based on conceptual change approach and the other based on traditional chemistry instruction on tenth grade high school students&amp / #8217 / understanding of solubility equilibrium concept. In addition, students&amp / #8217 / attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject and toward conceptual change texts were investigated. Moreover, students&amp / #8217 / science process skills were also investigated. 125 tenth grade students from four classes of a chemistry course taught by three teachers in Kocatepe Mimar Kemal High School in 2004-2005 spring semesters were enrolled in the study. Quasi-experimental research design where intact groups were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, was applied since it was difficult to arrange students randomly to experimental and control groups. Students in experimental group instructed by conceptual change approach in which conceptual change texts were used. On the other hand, in control group students were instructed by traditionally designed chemistry instruction. Solution concept test was administered as a pre test before the study to all groups. In addition, science process skill test and attitude scale toward chemistry as a school subject were also administered to students before the study. Solubility equilibrium concept test was administered as a post test to all groups. Moreover, each group also received attitude scale toward chemistry after the treatment and the students in experimental group also received attitude scale toward conceptual change texts after the treatment. The hypotheses were tested by using correlation analysis, t-test, ANOVA and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results indicated that instruction based on conceptual change approach caused significantly better acquisition of concepts related to solubility equilibrium than the traditionally designed chemistry instruction. In addition, no significant difference was found between experimental group and control group students with respect to attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject. However, significant mean difference was found between male and female students with respect to both their attitudes toward chemistry and their attitudes toward CCTs. Moreover, no relationship was obtained between attitudes toward CCTs and understanding of solubility equilibrium concept. In addition, students&amp / #8217 / science process skills and prior achievements were strong predictor of understanding of concepts related to solubility equilibrium. On the other hand, no significant effect of interaction between gender difference and treatment with respect to both students&amp / #8217 / understanding of solubility equilibrium concept and their attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject was found. Results obtained revealed that students have several misconceptions that hinder learning, related to solubility equilibrium concept. Therefore, it is important to find ways for remediation of those misconceptions. Therefore, the effectiveness of instruction based on CCA in which CCTs were used in this study on remediation of misconceptions and enhancing understanding of solubility equilibrium concept compared to instruction based on traditional methods was investigated and instruction based on CCA was found more effective.

The main purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of conceptual change oriented instruction accompanied with computer animations and traditionally designed chemistry instruction on 10th grade students&rsquo / understanding, achievement and retention of gases concepts and attitudes towards chemistry as a school subject. Also students&rsquo / views about nature of science were investigated. Quasi experimental design was used in this study. 67 tenth grade students from two intact classes of a chemistry course taught by the same teacher in Sokullu High School were enrolled. The hypotheses were tested by using analyses of covariance and two- way analyses of variance. The results indicated that instruction based on conceptual change approach caused significantly better acquisition of the scientific conceptions, achievement and retention related to gases concepts than traditionally designed chemistry instruction. Science process skill was determined as a strong predictor in the concepts related to gases. Moreover instruction based on conceptual change approach improved students&rsquo / attitudes as a school subject. However no significant effect of gender difference on students&rsquo / understanding, achievement and attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject was found. Finally experimental group students&rsquo / views about some characteristics of nature of science were determined as more realistic than control group students.

The main purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the conceptual change oriented instruction through demonstration and traditionally designed chemistry instruction on 10th grade students&rsquo / understanding of chemical reactions and energy concepts and attitudes towards chemistry as a school subject. In this study, 61 tenth grade students from two classes of chemistry course instructed by same teacher from Atat&uuml / rk Anatolian High School took part. The study was conducted during 2003-2004 fall semester. This study included two groups which were selected randomly throughout 9 classes. One of the group was defined as control group in which students were taught by traditionally designed chemistry instruction, while the other group defined as experimental group in which students were instructed by conceptual change oriented instruction through demonstrations (CCID). Chemical Reactions and Energy Concepts Test and Attitude Scale toward Chemistry were administered to both groups as a pre-test and post-test to assess the students understanding of chemical reactions and energy concepts and students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry, 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 analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that CCID caused significantly better acquisition of the scientific conceptions related to chemical reactions and energy concepts than TDCI. The results showed that there was a significant difference between post-test mean scores of students taught with CCID and those taught with TDCI with respect to their attitude toward chemistry as a school subject. A Science process skill was determined as a strong predictor in understanding the concepts related chemical reactions and energy.

ABSTRACT EFFECTIVENESS OF CONCEPTUAL CHANGE INSTRUCTION ACCOMPANIED WITH DEMONSTRATIONS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED CONCEPT MAPPING ON STUDENTS&rsquo / UNDERSTANDING OF MATTER CONCEPTS Yavuz, Ayse PhD., Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education Supervisor: Prof. Dr. &Ouml / mer Geban January 2005, 133 pages The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of conceptual change instruction accompanied with demonstration and computer assisted concept mapping on seventh grade students understanding matter concepts. In addition, the effect of instruction on students&rsquo / attitudes toward science as a school subject and the effect of gender difference on understanding matter concepts were investigated. Seventy five, seventh grade students from four classes of a General Science Course taught by the same teacher at &Ouml / zel ENKA Middle School during fall semester of 2003&ndash / 2004 was enrolled in this study. The classes were randomly assigned as conrol group and experimental group. Students in the control group received traditional science instruction including traditional lecture method with discussions and traditionally designed labsheets. Students who were in the experimental group received conceptual change instruction accompanied with demonstration and computer assisted concept mapping. Both groups were administered Matter Concept Test as pre- and post-tests and Attitude Scale toward Science as a School Subject. In addition to these, Science Process Skill Test was used at the beginning of the study to determine students&rsquo / science process skills. T-test, univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used for testing the hypotheses of the study. The results indicated that conceptual change instruction accompanied with demonstration and computer assisted concept mapping caused a better acquisition of scientific conceptions related to matter concepts and produced more positive attitudes toward science as a school subject than traditionally designed sicence instruction. In addition, science process skill was a strong predictor in understanding matter concepts. On the other hand, no significant effect of gender difference on students&rsquo / understanding of matter concepts and their attitudes toward science as a school subject was found.

The aim of the diploma thesis is to observe the conceptual change in primary school students within the understanding of the market mechanism. On the basis of model situations, a diagnosis of children's understanding will be carried out, on which the didactic procedure will be made leading to the change of erroneous and incomplete ideas about the functioning of the market. On the basis of verifying the didactic procedure, recommendations will be presented for teaching the subject on primary school. KEY WORDS Conceptual change approach, domain-general theory, domain-specific theory, constructivism, qualitative pedagogical research

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Students frequently leave first-year physical science classes with a dual set of physical laws in mind- the equations to be applied to qualitative problems and the entrenched set of concepts, many erroneous, to be applied to qualitative, descriptive, or explanatory problems. It is in this sense that the emphasis of this study is on ‘change’ rather than acquisition. Thus, a blend of theoretical framework was considered according to the aim of the study. Of immediate relevance in this regard within the “constructivist paradigm” are: Posner, Strike, Hewson and Gertzog’s (1982) conceptual change theory and the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, the very shift or restructuring of existing knowledge, concepts or schemata is what distinguishes conceptual change from other types of learning, and provides students with a more fruitful conceptual framework to solve problems, explain phenomena, and function in the world (Biemans & Simons, 1999; Davis, 2011). A quasi-experimental design was adopted to explore pre-service teachers’ conceptual and procedural difficulties in solving mathematical problems in physical science. Sixteen second and third year pre-service teachers in one of the historically black universities in the Western Cape, South Africa, participated in the study. Two inseparable concepts of basic mechanics, work-energy concepts were taught and used for data collection. Data were collected using questionnaires, Physical Science Achievement Test (PSAT), Multiple Reflective Questions (MRQ) and an interview. An explicit problem solving strategy (IDEAL strategy versus maths-in-science instructional model) was taught in the intervention sessions for duration of three weeks to the experimental group (E-group). IDEAL strategy placed emphasis on drill and practice heuristics that helped the pre-service teachers’ (E-group) understanding of problem-solving. Reinforcing heuristics of this IDEAL strategy include breaking a complex problem into sub-problems. Defining and representing problem (e.g. devising a plan-using Free-Body-Diagram) was part of the exploring possible strategies of the IDEAL. More details on IDEAL strategy are discussed in Chapter 3. The same work-energy concepts were taught to the control group (C-group) using lecture-demonstration method. A technique (i.e. revised taxonomy table for knowledge and cognitive process dimension) was used to categorize and analyse the level of difficulties for each item tested (e.g. D1 = minor difficulty, D2 = major difficulty, and D3 = atypical difficulty

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Students frequently leave first-year physical science classes with a dual set of physical laws in mind- the equations to be applied to qualitative problems and the entrenched set of concepts, many erroneous, to be applied to qualitative, descriptive, or explanatory problems. It is in this sense that the emphasis of this study is on ‘change’ rather than acquisition. Thus, a blend of theoretical framework was considered according to the aim of the study. Of immediate relevance in this regard within the “constructivist paradigm” are: Posner, Strike, Hewson and Gertzog’s (1982) conceptual change theory and the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, the very shift or restructuring of existing knowledge, concepts or schemata is what distinguishes conceptual change from other types of learning, and provides students with a more fruitful conceptual framework to solve problems, explain phenomena, and function in the world (Biemans & Simons, 1999; Davis, 2011). A quasi-experimental design was adopted to explore pre-service teachers’ conceptual and procedural difficulties in solving mathematical problems in physical science. Sixteen second and third year pre-service teachers in one of the historically black universities in the Western Cape, South Africa, participated in the study. Two inseparable concepts of basic mechanics, work-energy concepts were taught and used for data collection. Data were collected using questionnaires, Physical Science Achievement Test (PSAT), Multiple Reflective Questions (MRQ) and an interview. An explicit problem solving strategy (IDEAL strategy versus maths-in-science instructional model) was taught in the intervention sessions for duration of three weeks to the experimental group (E-group). IDEAL strategy placed emphasis on drill and practice heuristics that helped the pre-service teachers’ (E-group) understanding of problem-solving. Reinforcing heuristics of this IDEAL strategy include breaking a complex problem into sub-problems. Defining and representing problem (e.g. devising a plan-using Free-Body-Diagram) was part of the exploring possible strategies of the IDEAL. More details on IDEAL strategy are discussed in Chapter 3. The same work-energy concepts were taught to the control group (C-group) using lecture-demonstration method