The diploma thesis deals with the identification and analysis of misconceptions that are formed when the ninth grade pupils work with thematic maps of quantitative mapping methods, specifically with the choropleth map and proportional symbol map. The theoretical introduction defines the tested mapping methods, reviews previous foreign and Czech studies of map skills, and describes misconceptions that are formed both in cartography in general and specifically when working with thematic maps of quantitative mapping methods. The theoretical part is followed by the practical part - the research methodology and the design of an open conceptual test itself. The test is compiled according to the concept map, which was based on the literature review of previous empirical studies and theoretical publications. From the conceptual map eight propositions (statements) that are key to understanding the concept of choropleth map and proportional symbol map were determined based on an expert evaluation. The conceptual test was used to reveal misconceptions that are formed when working with these mapping methods. A total of 257 pupils from eight primary schools across Czechia took part in the testing and a total of 59 misconceptions of varying severity and frequency were revealed. These misconceptions were then...

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The investigation aimed at identifying the factors that accounted for the teacher trainees’ low understanding of basic scientific concepts and the appropriate strategies needed to rectify these obstacles. In this investigation thirty open ended questions were administered to test three hundred teacher trainees’ understanding of science concepts. Also, observations were conducted during science lessons to monitor the participation of trainees. The teacher trainees’ poor background in science was identified. Inflexible teaching methods such as lecturing and provision of pointers to correct answers by teachers contributed. Teacher trainees lacked the necessary conceptual, logical and linguistic background, and the vocabulary to express themselves in English. Most science lessons did not consider media integration, but were conducted through verbal communication. Teacher trainees employed ineffective study techniques in learning science. Recommendations included reading assignments, laboratory work, media integration and the employment of effective study techniques in the teaching and learning of science. / Teacher Education / Thesis (M. Ed. (Didactics))

The investigation aimed at identifying the factors that accounted for the teacher trainees’ low understanding of basic scientific concepts and the appropriate strategies needed to rectify these obstacles. In this investigation thirty open ended questions were administered to test three hundred teacher trainees’ understanding of science concepts. Also, observations were conducted during science lessons to monitor the participation of trainees. The teacher trainees’ poor background in science was identified. Inflexible teaching methods such as lecturing and provision of pointers to correct answers by teachers contributed. Teacher trainees lacked the necessary conceptual, logical and linguistic background, and the vocabulary to express themselves in English. Most science lessons did not consider media integration, but were conducted through verbal communication. Teacher trainees employed ineffective study techniques in learning science. Recommendations included reading assignments, laboratory work, media integration and the employment of effective study techniques in the teaching and learning of science. / Teacher Education / Thesis (M. Ed. (Didactics))

The thesis is focused on energetic utilisation of biomass. It was used a qualitative research and document analysis of articles. The first part deals with the theoretical framework, therefore definitions and possibilities of biomass utilisation. The second part contains methodology, follows research and its evaluation. The first aim of this thesis is to summarize the utilisation of biomass as renewable energy and to distinguish positive and negative impacts of the utilisation of this source and evaluate its economic efficiency. There are several possibilities of utilisation of biomass, but it is necessary to select the suitable process and its utilisation. Based on the large number of examples from life it can be stated that it is economically efficient. The second aim is to identify main misconceptions related to utilisation of biomass. The main misconception is comparing the utilisation of solar energy, which has not left positive attitude of people to renewable energy, with utilisation of biomass. There are few examples of comparing photovoltaic with utilisation of biomass on the same level. In regard of the basic principles of utilisation of biomass, those two sources cannot be compared at all, they are not similar. Another misconception is apprehension of appropriation of land used for growing energy...

O aprendizado é o resultado desejado do processo educacional. Quando um aluno é exposto a determinadas experiências de ensino e oportunidades de aprendizagem de vários conhecimentos durante um período e, ao final de todo o processo, não aprender sequer os conhecimentos mínimos ou conceitos fundamentais daquele curso é um exemplo de não aprendizado. O não aprendizado dos alunos do curso de graduação em Ciências Contábeis pode ser de-duzido pelo baixo índice de aprovação em todas as edições do Exame de Suficiência, reali-zado pelo Conselho Federal de Contabilidade - CFC. A proposta de pesquisa é aprofundar o entendimento dos erros cometidos pelos egressos que acarretam na reprovação em massa no Exame de Suficiência, com o intuito de classifi-cá-los e verificar se são padrões de erros conceituais em Contabilidade, buscando evidên-cias de que eles ocorrem com frequência, intensidade, recorrência e persistência. A base de dados dos Exames de Suficiência não pôde ser compartilhada pelo CFC, então adaptamos a pesquisa aos relatórios disponíveis do ENADE, exame nacional aplicado em larga escala também para os concluintes do curso de graduação em Ciências Contábeis. Foi feita uma análise minuciosa das questões dos ENADES de 2006 e 2009 que tiveram uma concentração de escolha pelos avaliados em uma das alternativas erradas, podendo superar a concentração da alternativa correta. Separamos as questões que tiveram este tipo de padrão de erro, combinamos com a per-cepção dos professores entrevistados e com a validação de professores consultores e sele-cionamos quinze questões que possuem padrões de erros conceituais em ao menos uma de suas alternativas. Estas questões foram respondidas por alunos ingressantes e concluintes de três Instituições de Ensino, para verificarmos a confirmação ou não dos padrões de erros conceituais. É um padrão de erro conceitual, se há maior concentração de escolha na alternativa con-tendo este tipo de erro, que competirá com a alternativa correta, revelando sua intensidade. A escolha será similar entre ingressantes e concluintes, indicando sua persistência, mesmo após o aluno ter sido exposto ao conteúdo durante o curso de graduação. Entre os demais tipos de erros, os padrões de erros conceituais são mais frequentes e per-meiam disciplinas diversas, por serem conceitos fundamentais para o entendimento da Contabilidade. O resultado é um forte indício da existência de um padrão de erro conceitual, que é a con-fusão entre os conceitos de regime de caixa e de competência. Esses conceitos são basila-res, não sendo admissível que o egresso do curso de graduação em Ciências Contábeis co-meta tais erros. O cálculo e raciocínio matemático permeiam os padrões de erros conceituais e a resolução de boa parte dos exercícios de todas as avaliações citadas nesse trabalho. São um padrão de erro, geralmente relacionados às quatro operações básicas de matemática: soma, subtração, divisão e multiplicação; o que também não é admissível para alunos que foram selecionados para ingressar em um curso superior e que saem ainda com estas deficiências. / The learning is the desired outcome of the educational process. When a student is exposed to certain learning experiences and opportunities for learning, and several skills during a period and at the end of the whole process, not learning even the minimum knowledge and fundamental concepts that course is an example of not learning. The non-student learning in the undergraduate program in accounting can be deduced by low approval ratings in all editions of Exame de Suficiência, realized by the Federal Ac-counting Council - CFC. The research proposal is to deepen the understanding of the errors committed by graduates who lead in the reprobation mass in the Exame de Suficiência, in order to classify them-here and check patterns are conceptual errors in Accounting, seeking evidences that they occur with frequency, intensity, persistence and recurrence. The database of the Exame de Suficiência could not be shared by the CFC, and we has to adapt the research reports available in the ENADE exam, a national test applied on a large scale also for graduating undergraduate in Accounting. We conducted a thorough analysis of the issues of ENADES 2006 and 2009 that had a concentration of choice for one of the alternatives evaluated in the wrong, and can over-come the concentration of the correct alternative. Separate the questions that had this type of pattern error, combined with the perception of the teachers interviewed and validated with teacher consultants, we selected fifteen questi-ons that have patterns of conceptual errors in at least one of its alternatives. These questions were answered by students in three educational institutions to verify the confirmation or not of patterns of conceptual errors. It\'s a misconception, if there is a higher concentration of an alternative choice in having this type of error, which will compete with the correct alternative, revealing its intensity. The choice will be similar between freshmen and indicating its persistence even after the student has been exposed to the content during the undergraduate degree. Among the other types of errors, misconceptions are more frequent and are related with diverse disciplines, because they are fundamental concepts for the understanding of Ac-counting. The result is a strong indication of the existence of a pattern of conceptual error, which is the confusion between the concepts of system of cash and accrual. These concepts are es-sential is not acceptable that the graduates of undergraduate degree in Accounting commit such errors. The calculation and mathematical reasoning pervade patterns of conceptual errors and resolution of most of the exercises all reviews quoted in this work. Are one standard error, usually related to the four basic math operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, which is also not permissible for students who were selected to join a college and leaving even with these shortcomings.

<p>A qualitative descriptive study approach was used to gather the required information. The sample for this study was drawn from an existing group of volunteers who participated in the vaccine trial at Mbeya Medical Research Centre in 2006-2007. A purposive sampling method was used to select respondents because they had had experience of being participants in a HIV vaccine trial. Twenty audio recorded in-depth interviews were conducted. The interviews were conducted at the clinic during their routine follow up visits. An open ended interview guideline was used to guide the discussion to elicit the required information from the respondents. The data was transcribed, translated and then analyzed by both content and thematic approach. Ethical procedures were observed, including getting permission from the local ethical committee in Mbeya region and participants were given an informed consent form to read and sign before starting the interview.</p>

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 aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of conceptual change text oriented instruction accompanied with analogies over traditionally designed chemistry instruction on overcoming 10th grade students&rsquo / misconceptions, their understanding of rate of reaction concepts and their attitude towards chemistry as a school subject. 42 tenth grade students from two classes of a chemistry course taught by the same teacher at a public high school in &Ccedil / anakkale involved in the study. The study was carried out in Spring Semester of 2005-2006 Education Year. Two groups of students participated in the study. One group was called Experimental Group and instructed with conceptual change texts oriented instruction accompanied with analogies and the other group was called Control Group and was instructed with traditionally designed chemistry instruction over a period of four weeks. To investigate the effectiveness of the treatment, Rate of Reaction Concepts Test and Attitude Scale Towards Chemistry as a school subject were administered to both groups of students at the beginning and at the end of the treatment period. To evaluate students&rsquo / science process skills, Science Process Skills Test was administered to both groups of students before the treatment. MANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis of the study. The results of the study indicated that students instructed with conceptual change texts oriented instruction accompanied with analogies gained higher average scores in Rate of Reaction Concepts Test than the students instructed with traditionally designed chemistry instruction. Results and strategies that were developed for the present study may be used by science teachers to reduce and eliminate students&rsquo / misconceptions about rate of reaction concepts.

ABSTRACT EFFECTIVENESS OF CONCEPTUAL CHANGE INSTRUCTION ON OVERCOMING STUDENTS&#039 / MISCONCEPTIONS OF ELECTRIC FIELD, ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY AT TENTH GRADE LEVEL VATANSEVER, Orhan MS, Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education Supervisor: Dr. Mehmet Sancar December 2006, 107 pages The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the conceptual change text based instruction over traditionally designed physics instruction to overcome tenth grade students&amp / #8217 / misconceptions on electric field, electric potential and electric potential energy concepts. To provide conceptual change, conceptual change texts (CCT) were developed by the researcher. An Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy Concept Test (EPEPECT) which consists of 10-items was developed and used to examine students&amp / #8217 / probable misconceptions. Physics Attitude Scale (PATS) was administered to the students to obtain valid information concerning how conceptual change text based instruction effect students&amp / #8217 / attitudes toward physics. The subjects of this study included two tenth grade level classes from TED Ankara College Private High School in Ankara, Turkey, and a total of 37 students&amp / #8217 / scores were used for the statistical analysis. Students from one of the classes that were randomly assigned participated in traditional instruction and referred as the control group. Students from the other class participated in CCT based instruction and referred as the experimental group. EPEPECT and PATS had been administrated to both groups on two different occasions as pretest and posttest. According to the results of the study, statistically significant differences were found between conceptual change instruction and traditional method. Students taught with CCI showed a better scientific conception related to electric field, electric potential and electric potential energy and elimination of misconceptions than the students taught with traditionally designed physics instruction (TDPI). However, CCI did not increase the students&amp / #8217 / attitudes toward physics as school subject more than TDPI did. That is, conceptual change instruction was not effective in improving positive attitudes toward physics.