The purpose of this study is to develop a three-tier test for assessing high school students&rsquo / misconceptions concerning force and motion. The first tier is a traditional multiple choice item, the second tier presents several alternatives addressing the reason for the response for the first tier, and the third tier asks if examinees are confident for their responses to the first two tiers. In the process of test development, Force and Motion Test Requesting Reasoning was developed and utilized to determine the alternatives of Force and Motion Three Tier Test (FMTTT). The test was administered to 207 students, but 19 students were removed from all analyses due to too many missing items. For checking validity of the FMTTT, correlation was investigated between confidence levels and student scores on the first two tiers, and also correlation between confidence levels and student misconception scores on the first two tiers was investigated. Factor analyses were conducted using scores and misconception scores / and percentages of false negatives and false positives were estimated. The percentages of false negatives and false positives were found to be 6% and 8%, respectively. The reliability coefficients were estimated for student scores and misconception scores as 0.48 and 0.62, respectively. In conclusion, using the FMTTT as an achievement test may not be as reliable as using it as a misconception test.

The purpose of this study was to identify the relative predictive influences of prior knowledge, meaningful learning orientation, formal reasoning ability and mode of instruction on understanding in photosynthesis and respiration in plants concepts. Two hundred thirty three 8th grade students from six classes of one elementary school in Ankara participated in this study. The study was carried out during the 2004-2005 Fall semester. Students in the experimental group (N=117) received conceptual change instruction, and the students in the control group (N=116) received traditional instruction. Two-tier multiple choice diagnostic test, &ldquo / Photosynthesis and Respiration in Plants Concept Test&rdquo / developed by Haslam and Treagust (1987), was used to determine students&rsquo / understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants concepts. The test was administered to the sample prior to the treatment as pre-test, and after the treatment as post-test. The pre-test scores were used as prior knowledge of students. Students&rsquo / reasoning abilities were measured by the &ldquo / Test of Logical Thinking&rdquo / and their learning orientations were measured by &ldquo / Learning Approach Questionnaire&rdquo / . The results of the study indicated that students held several misconceptions concerning photosynthesis and respiration in plants concepts. Significant differences between the experimental group and control group with respect to understanding of the concept were found in favor of experimental group. The main predictor of achievement in the experimental group was students&rsquo / prior knowledge, while it was reasoning ability in the control group. Meaningful learning orientation accounted for a small amount of variance in the experimental group but it did not contribute to understanding on post-test scores in traditional group.

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of conceptual change text oriented instruction accompanied with analogies over traditional instruction on tenth grade students&rsquo / understanding of the acid and base concepts and attitude toward science as a school subject. In addition, effect of the gender difference and science process skills on students&rsquo / understanding of acid and base concepts and effect of gender difference on students&rsquo / attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject were also investigated. Subjects of the study were fifty tenth grade students from the two chemistry classes of the same teacher from a public school at the center of Ankara. There were one experimental group and one control group. Two teaching methods used were randomly assigned to the already formed groups of the teacher. Experimental group received conceptual change oriented instruction by using conceptual change text accompanied with analogies and control group received traditional instruction over a period of four weeks. Acid and Base Conception Test and Attitude Scale Toward Chemistry were given to all groups as a pre-test and post-test. Science Process Skill Test was given to all groups at the beginning of the study to determine students&#039 / level of science process skills. At the end of the study, interviews were hold with randomly selected experimental and control group students from the medium achievement level to get an in-dept idea about the nature of the misconceptions related with the topic. ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to test the hypotheses of the study. The results showed that establishing an analogical thinking during the course of instruction together with a conceptual change text caused a better acquisition of scientific conceptions and elimination of misconceptions related with acid and base concepts as compared to the traditional instruction. Because, the students in the experimental group taking conceptual change oriented instruction performed much better in the post-test than the students in the control group taking the traditional instruction. However, the two modes of the instruction and gender difference did not indicate a significant contribution to students&rsquo / attitude toward chemistry as a school subject. Besides, results showed that science process skills of the students&#039 / could be a strong predictor for their achievement in acid and base concepts whereas there was no significant effect of gender difference on students&rsquo / understanding of acid and base concepts.

Aim of the study is to focus on pupils' perceive of challenging probability problems within the second stage of primary school (age 12-15), especially aimed at pupils' mental blocks in intuitive and false beliefs or conjectures on the probability of events. The theoretical part of the thesis defines basic terms correlated with propedeutics of probability. The practical part of the work pursues intuitive solving of the challenging probability problems, especially of the Monty Hall problem. In the thesis research will be applied: the questionnaire method, tasks including probability problems, (group) work observation and examination of reasoning behind the probability problems followed by interviews with pupils focused on probability misconception phenomena. Findings of this study will be based on collected data analytics and a résumé of pupils' preconceptions about the field of probability and their ability to accept reeducation to their own-made misconceptions. KEYWORDS: Preconceptions, Misconceptions, Probability, Intuitive Ideas, Primary school

The purpose of this study was to examine the conceptual understandings of 55 elementary preservice teachers for the concept of buoyancy. This study used Ausubel’s Assimilation Theory (Ausubel, 1963) as a framework for a 15-week intervention that used pre/post concept maps (Cmaps), pre/post face-to-face semi-structured interviews, and drawings as evidences for change of formation of cognitive structures. Using a convergent parallel design and mixed methods approach, preservice teachers’ conceptions were analyzed using these evidences. Results of the study show that preservice teachers held both scientific conceptions and misconceptions about buoyancy as a force before and after an instructional intervention. Of importance were the existence of robust misconceptions about buoyancy that included inaccurate scientific knowledge about the foundational concepts of gravity, weight, mass, and density. The largest gains in scientific knowledge included the concepts of gravity, surface area, opposing forces, and the buoyant force. These concepts were consistently supported with evidence from post-concept maps, post, semi-structured interviews, and drawings. However, high frequencies of misconceptions were associated with these same aforementioned concepts as well as additional misconceptions about buoyancy-related concepts (i.e., weight, density, displacement, and sinking/floating). A paired t test showed a statistically significant difference (t = -3.504, p = .001) in the total number of scientifically correct concepts for the pre-concept maps (M = 0.51, SD = .879) and post-concept maps (M = 1.25, SD = 1.542). The Cohen’s d effect size was small, .47. Even through gains for the pre/post concept maps were noted, a qualitative analysis of the results indicated that not only were there serious gaps in the participant’s scientific understanding of buoyancy, after the instructional intervention an increased number of misconceptions were presented alongside the newly learned concepts. A paired t test examining misconceptions showed that there was a statistically significant difference (t = -3.160, p = .003) in the total number of misconceptions for the pre-concept maps (M = 2.709, SD = 1.449) and post-concept maps (M = 3.363, SD = 2.094) after the intervention. The Cohen’s d effect size was small, .43. Taken together, these results revealed that, in general, the preservice teachers had understandings of buoyancy that align with children in preschool and elementary school (Biddulph and Osborne, 1983; Grimellini-Tomasini et al., 1990; Halford, Brown & Thompson, 1986; Hsin and Wu, 2011; Kohn, 1993; Rappolt-Schlichtmann et al., 2007; Yin et al., 2008). Based on these findings, implications for this study suggest that elementary preservice teacher candidates should be carefully screened to ensure they have mastered foundational scientific knowledge that they are expected to teach to children. As such knowledge is a prerequisite to the development of pedagogical content knowledge, it is unlikely that large numbers of robust misconceptions will be significantly reduced or eliminated during a science methods course that is designed to focus on pedagogical content knowledge.

As states, districts, and teachers work to make science classes more about doing the work of science and less about remembering science facts, research is needed to show what doing science looks like. This is especially needed for the youngest students, since much of the current research studies examine the upper part of the K-12 grade range. Having been an early elementary science teacher, my work in this dissertation and beyond is focused on making the doing of science accessible to young children. One way to do science is to collect and interpret data – to measure something and make sense of changes in measurement over time. Kindergarten teachers already do this with the weather as called for in math curriculums and science standards, albeit in simplified forms with words like hot, cold, sunny, cloudy, etc. I was curious if the children could understand more complex ways of measuring the weather, using quantitative measurements with the help of a thermometer designed for young children. Over the course of three interviews for each child, I asked six kindergarteners to show illustrate different temperatures, read thermometers, and interpret graphs of changing temperatures. Based on my analysis of the interviews, my findings indicate that the six kindergarteners could all read the specialized thermometer and four of them demonstrated an understanding of how the measurements related to air temperature. This work may help with the planning of future science classes.

Dagens moderna samhälle är uppbyggt av olika sannolikhetsmodeller. Det kan innefatta allt från väderprognoser och försäkringar till att förutspå sannolikhetsmått i spel och lekar där slumpen gör sig påmind. Lärarstudenter möter sannolikhets- och slumpbegrepp i de matematikkurser som en lärarutbildning erbjuder, i syfte att utveckla specifika ämneskunskaper och pedagogiska färdigheter. Betydelsen av att framtida lärare erhåller kunskaper i sannolikhetslära blir tydlig då TIMSS (Sollerman & Nydahl, 2020) senaste rapport visar att statistik och sannolikhet är ett område där yngre elevers resultat försämras för varje fyraårsperiod som undersökningen genomförs. Eftersom sannolikhetslära utgör grunden för statistiska antaganden är området viktigt, både i vardagen och i undervisning då grundläggande kunskaper och uppfattningar erhålls. Detta ställer i sin tur krav på att lärarstudenter i sin framtida yrkesroll har kunskap om kända missuppfattningar och intuitiva antaganden. Studien utgår från Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching som är ett ramverk för lärarkunskap och syftar till betydelsen av lärares matematiska och pedagogiska kunskaper. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka lärarstudenters kunskaper och uppfattningar för slumpmässiga händelser i det matematiska området sannolikhetslära. Detta görs genom kvantitativ datainsamlingsmetod i form av en digital enkät av varierande frågor. 55 lärarstudenter svarade på enkäten som analyserades kvantitativt och kvalitativt. Studien delade in deltagarna i två grupper. Första och sista halvan av utbildningen för att undersöka skillnader. Följande frågeställningar ligger till grund för att uppfylla studiens syfte: Vilka svårigheter och missuppfattningar uppmärksammas av lärarstudenter? Hur resonerar lärarstudenter kring specifika områden inom sannolikhetslära? Hur påverkar en lärarutbildning över tid, lärarstudenters förmåga att resonera matematiskt eller intuitivt? Resultatet visar att relativa frekvensen, representativitet och sammansatt slumpmässig händelse är problematiska områden. Intuitiva antaganden resulterar i problematiska resonemang och lärarstudenters personliga känsla för slump uppmärksammas. Vidare syns skillnader mellan grupperna och gruppen med lärarstudenter som går sista halvan av utbildningen uppvisar ett bättre resultat. / Today´s modern society consists of different probability models. It can include everything from weather forecasts and insurance to predicting probability measures in games where chance is reminded. Teacher-students encounter concepts of probability and chance through their basic teacher education, which is part of mathematics teaching. The importance of gaining specific knowledge in probability theory becomes clear when TIMSS (Sollerman & Nydahl, 2020) latest report shows that statistics and probability is an area where younger students results drops for each four-year period that the survey is conducted. Because probability theory is the basis for statistical assumptions, the area is important, both in everyday life and in teaching when basic knowledge and perceptions are held. This in turn requires that teachers-students in their future professional role have knowledge of known misconceptions and intuitive assumptions. The study is based on Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, which is a framework for teacher knowledge and aims at the importance of teachers mathematical and pedagogical knowledge. This study aims to examine teacher-students knowledge and perceptions of random events in the mathematical area of probability theory. This is done through a quantitative data collection method in the form of a digital survey of varying questions. 55 teacher-students responded to the questionnaire, which was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The study divided the participants into two groups. First and last half of the education to study differences. The following questions form the basis for fulfilling the aim of the study: What difficulties and misconceptions are noticed by teacher-students? How do teachers-students reason about a specific area i probability theory? How does a teacher education over time affect teacher-students ability to reason mathematically or intuitively? The result shows that relative frequency, representativeness and compound random events are problematic areas. Intuitive assumptions result in problematic reasoning and the teacher-students personal sense of probability is noticed. Furthermore, differences of teacher-students who attend the last half of the education show a better result.

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Several studies have shown that many students have misconceptions and everyday concepts about evolution that prevent them from learning the theory of evolution. Previous research has also shown that biology teachers are not always aware of students’ difficulties or design education that challenges students’ conceptual understanding of evolution.  The purpose of this study is to develop knowledge about biology teachers’ evolution teaching, by describing which possible misunderstandings teachers identify that their students have and which teaching methods they use to identify and address these misunderstandings. The study also provides several examples of teaching strategies that could be used as a resource for teachers in their evolution teaching. Eight semi-structured interviews with Swedish biology teachers were conducted, where the majority teach at the upper secondary level.  The result shows that some biology teachers are aware of common misunderstandings in the theory of evolution, while others are not. A common misconception which most of the teachers raise is that their students express that individual organisms can adapt to the environment based on need. Evolutions is thus wrongly regarded as a need-driven process. Most biology teachers in the study do not use comprehensive methods, such as multiple-choice tests or assignments, to map students’ pre-understanding and potential misconceptions about evolution. An important conclusion from this study is that teachers need to design a student-orientated evolution education that takes a starting point from students’ misunderstandings, support students to develop their conceptual understanding and challenges prevailing misconceptions. A second important conclusion is that students together need to have the opportunity to discuss and compare everyday concepts with scientific explanatory models. / Åtskilliga studier har påvisat att flertalet elever har missuppfattningar och vardagsföreställningar inom evolution som motverkar deras inlärning av evolutionsteorin. Tidigare forskning har också kartlagt att biologilärare inte alltid är medvetna om elevers svårigheter eller utformar en evolutionsundervisning som utmanar elevers begreppsförståelse.  Denna studies syfte är utveckla kunskap kring biologilärares evolutionsundervisning, genom att beskriva vilka eventuella missförstånd som lärare urskiljer att deras elever har samt vilka undervisningsmetoder de använder sig av för att identifiera och adressera dessa missförstånd. Studien ger även flera exempel på undervisningsstrategier som skulle kunna utgöra en resurs för lärare i deras evolutionsundervisning. Åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med biologilärare genomfördes, där majoriteten undervisar på gymnasienivå.   Resultatet visar att en del biologilärare är medvetna om vanligt förekommande missförstånd i evolutionsteorin, medan andra inte är det. En vanlig missuppfattning som flertalet lärare lyfter är att deras elever ger uttryck för att enskilda individer kan anpassa sig till miljön för att det finns ett behov. Evolution betraktas därmed felaktigt som en behovsdriven process. Flertalet biologilärarna i studien använder sig inte heller av omfattande metoder, till exempel flervalstest eller inlämningsuppgifter, för att kartlägga elevers förförståelse och eventuella missuppfattningar inom evolution. En viktig slutsats från studien är att lärare behöver utforma en elevcentrerad evolutionsundervisning som tar sin utgångspunkt i elevers missförstånd, stödjer eleverna att utveckla deras begreppsförståelse samt utmanar rådande missuppfattningar. En andra viktig slutsats är att elever behöver få möjlighet att tillsammans diskutera och jämföra vardagliga med vetenskapliga förklaringsmodeller.