The effect of conceptual change based instruction on students' understanding of rate of reaction concepts


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Matematik ve Fen Bilimleri Eğitimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2011

Öğrenci: EBRU KAYA

Danışman: ÖMER GEBAN

Özet:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of conceptual change based instruction accompanied by demonstrations (CCBIAD) and gender on 11th grade students’ understanding and achievement in rate of reaction concepts, and their attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject compared to traditionally designed chemistry instruction (TDCI). Sixty nine 11th grade students from two classes in a public high school in Ankara participated in this study in the Fall Semester of 2008-2009. These classes were randomly assigned as control and experimental groups. In the control group TDCI was used, while in the experimental group CCBIAD was used as instructional methods. Rate of Reaction Concept Test, Rate of Reaction Achievement Test, and Attitude Scale toward Chemistry were administered to both groups as pre-tests and post-tests to assess students’ understanding of rate of reaction concepts, achievement in these concepts, and attitudes toward chemistry, respectively. Science Process Skills Test was given at the beginning of the study to control students’ science process skills. After treatment six students from each group were interviewed to determine their misconceptions about rate of reaction. The hypotheses were tested by using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results show that CCBIAD used a significantly better acquisition of scientific conceptions related to rate of reaction than TDCI. In addition, there was a significant effect of CCBIAD on students’ attitudes toward chemistry. There was no significant effect of gender on both students’ understanding of rate of reaction concepts and their attitudes toward chemistry.