International Journal of Physics and Chemistry Education
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Media – Chemistry – Interest? Identifying the Types of Students’ Chemistry - Related Media Reception
Get PDFIn the present qualitative study we identified different types of students’ mass media reception on topics related to chemistry. 19 secondary school students participated in guided interviews concerning their overall encounter with chemistry in the mass media. The collected data was analyzed referring to Grounded Theory by an open and axial coding procedure. The evaluation is based on four categories including context, social condition, cause and consequence of media reception. For analysis, a special focus was placed on the development of interest with respect to media reception. In total, four types of media reception like "The News Focused" or "The Effect Focused" were identified. The guided interviews showed that students are interested in a large variety of chemical topics present in media. Due to this, a strong individualization of chemistry related media reception can be concluded. Finally, it will be shown that the results of this study are relevant for revising teaching materials in order to create individualized and motivating learning tasks
A Blind Student’s Outdoor Science Learning Experience: Barrier Hunting at METU Science and Technology Museum
Get PDFThe aim of this study is about how to adapt the science centers to blind students. For this purpose a barrier hunting methodology is used. This methodology includes seven steps such as selecting the group and place, recording the barriers during the visit and evaluating the recorded barriers. According to the barrier hunting with a blind student at METU Science and Technology Museum, barriers are categorized in six dimensions; access barriers to the area, access barriers to the material, access barriers to the information, safety barriers around the area, safety barriers around the material, and validity problems about the information. These dimensions also present suggestions about how to make the METU Science and Technology Museum more visit friendly
11th Grade Students’ Conceptual Understanding about Torque Concept: A Longitudinal Study
Get PDFIn this study, it is aimed to reveal the effect of instruction on students’ ideas about torque before instruction, after instruction and fifteen weeks after instruction. The working group consists of twenty five high school eleventh grade students. To reveal these students’ ideas about the concept of torque a concept test consisting of seven open-ended questions was prepared. These questions analyzed at three themes. Instruction was carried out for the students’ meaning making. Before instruction not faced with scientific answers about the concept of torque and students’ scientific answers has increased at post test and delayed post test. Faced with alternative concept frequency are decreased after instruction. Meaning making instruction is effective in realization of permanent conceptual change on students’ ideas about the concept of torque. Effective studies can be carried out in the realization of conceptual change in all of the students
The Investigation of the Perception of Problem Solving Skills by Pre- Service Science Teachers in the Science Laboratory
Get PDFThis study was conducted with 100 pre service science teachers, who participated in problem solving applications at the science laboratory and the aim was to determine; i) their performances in problem solving applications, ii) their of perception levels for problem solving skills and iii) whether their performances in problem solving applications could be predicted by certain variables as their perception of problem solving skills and scientific process skills. Single group posttest model was made use of in the study. Perception of problem solving skills inventory, scientific process skill test, problem solving skill evaluation form and student report evaluation form were used as data collection tools. Following the activities, fully structured interviews were made with 10 pre service teachers for their opinions “problem solving approach in the science laboratory” and the processes it involves. Statistical analysis concluded that 45% of the change in performances of student teachers could collectively be predicted by certain variables as their perceptions of problem solving skills and scientific process skills
An Investigation of Teacher Response to National Science Curriculum Reforms in Turkey
Get PDFMajor science education curriculum reform is taking place in Turkey involving a substantial break with past science curricula. Such reform has significant implications for teachers but to date there has been little research on teacher response to these reforms. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the impact on the teachers who are charged with implementing reforms. Semi-structured interviews with 18 elementary science teachers were conducted and additional observational data was recorded. The interview schedule comprised 23 questions in 9 themes. According to the data analysis, the main problem for teachers is that curriculum reforms involve overly big innovative ideas within unrealistically short timelines and with limited economic investment in human resources and supporting materials. In addition, there is a lack of organization and coherence between system stakeholders. Another drawback is the very centralized educational system and the idea that change can be driven from the top down
Editorial
Get PDFIt is a pleasure to publish a new issue of EJPCE where we find interesting articles about researches in Physics and Chemistry Education and several topics of theoretical and applied Physics and Chemistry. We thank for contributions of 8 authors from Turkey. I am glad to share the news that our journal is included into MedOANet and CiteFactor this year besides the ones it is included in
The Effects of Peer Instruction Method on Attitudes of 9th Grade Students towards Physics Course
Get PDFThe aim of this study is to determine the effects of peer instruction method on student attitudes towards physics course. In the study, single group pre and posttest quasi- experimental design was adopted. The study was conducted with 46 students registered to 9th grade in a secondary school situated in Ankara province in Turkey in the spring term of 2012-2013 educational year. During 50 class hours “Force and Motion” and “Energy” units were instructed with peer instruction method. “Physics Attitude Scale (PAS)” was utilized as the main data collection tool of the study. PAS is 5-choice Likert type scale with 30 items. The reliability coefficient Cronbach Alpha of the PAS was calculated as 0.963. PAS which, was applied onto the students before and after peer instruction period has 4 factors called; ‘physics course perception’, ‘appreciating the value of physics course’, ‘expectations about physics course’ and ‘hesitations about physics course’. The data obtained with PAS were analyzed with dependent samples t-test. There was statistically significant difference between ‘appreciating the value of physics course’ and ‘expectations about physics course’ factors. This difference may arise from that the peer instruction method encourages students to speak and share ideas among peers more frequently about physics phenomena. As a result of the study the application of peer instruction method was recommended as it facilitates conceptual discussions in abstract concepts of physics
The Effect of Problem Based Learning Approach on Conceptual Understanding in Teaching of Magnetism Topics
Get PDFThe aim of this research is to examine effect of problem based learning on conceptual understanding in teaching of magnetism topics. The research was conducted with 48 students attending of 1st class of the Department of Science Education in a state university in Turkey and a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design was implemented. A concept test of magnetism topics was developed to identify students’ conceptual understanding about units of “Magnetic Field and Its Effects”, “Magnetic Field Sources” and “Magnetic Flux and Induction Law”. The control group was taught using traditional teaching methods. The traditional approach to concept teaching consists of the following steps; giving the student the word that expresses the concept, specifying the definition of the concept and identifying and distinguishing qualities needed to understand the definition, to ensure that students find examples related and unrelated to the concepts. However, the experimental group was exposed to Problem Based Learning (PBL) activities involving problem scenarios. PBL is informed in sessions within which there are small collaborative groups comprised of 6 or 8 students with guidance from a tutor. They deal with scenarios involving several problems that are authentic, complex, illstructured problems to help students make connections between theory and real-world application. Instruction took 18 class hours in total. The data were analyzed using ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance). The findings of the study revealed that PBL is more effective than the traditional teaching methods in improving students’ conceptual understanding about magnetism topics
The Impact of Argumentation on High School Chemistry Students’ Conceptual Understanding, Attitude towards Chemistry and Argumentativeness
Get PDFArgumentation activities, which have become prominent in the education literature, are an important process to improve conceptual understanding. According to researchers there is a relationship between the argumentation and conceptual change, and thus argumentation enhances conceptual understanding since an argument deals with disagreement, which is the first step of conceptual change. The purpose of this research is to explore the impact of classroom-based argumentation on high school students’ conceptual understanding of chemistry concepts, their attitude towards chemistry, and argumentativeness when compared to traditional teaching approach. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, control group design was used. The study was conducted with 53 students in Grade 9 and with the same students in the Grade 10. Implementations lasted 13 weeks in the first year and 8 weeks in the second year. The concept tests, attitude scale towards the chemistry, and argumentativeness scale were applied on both groups. Interviews to reveal the level of student understandings not defined by the concept tests were conducted at the end of each year with 6 students from each group. According to multivariate analysis of variance results, it was found that the experimental group students’ conceptual understanding, attitude toward chemistry, and argumentativeness were significantly higher than those of the control group students
The Impact of MOODLE-Supported Cooperative Learning Process on University Students’ Anxiety Levels towards Chemistry Laboratory and on Their Attitudes towards Chemistry
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to reveal the impact of MOODLE (Modular Object- Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment)-supported cooperative learning process on Elementary Science Teacher Education Program (ESTEP) undergraduate freshman students ‘anxiety levels towards chemistry laboratory and on their attitudes towards chemistry. Besides, students’ opinions on cooperation process are also worked on. The study was carried out on one group using both pre-and post-test experimental studies. The findings of the study were obtained through qualitative and quantitative approaches. The sample of the study was 46 first-year undergraduate students at a state university in Turkey taking General Chemistry Laboratory-I classes. The study was implemented during the autumn semester of the 2012-2013 academic years and for a period of 28 hours. The quantitative data were obtained using the “Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Scale”, “Chemistry Course Attitude Scale” and “Cooperation Process Scale”. The qualitative data, on the other hand, were collected via “Questionnaire to Determine Student Opinions on MOODLE-supported Cooperation Groups”. Paired sample ttest was used for the pre-and post-test comparisons. One-sample t-test was used to analyze the data obtained from the cooperation process scale. Qualitative data were subjected to descriptive analysis and then given infrequency and percent tables. The findings of the study revealed that MOODLE-supported cooperative learning process had no impact in decreasing ESTEP students’ anxiety levels towards chemistry laboratory and on their attitudes towards chemistry. It is found that MOODLE- supported cooperative learning process has a positive impact on positive dependency, face-to-face supportive interaction, individual responsibility, small group skills and group process behaviors