No abstract

This research is a qualitative study conducted to determine pre-service physics teachers' conceptual comprehension of the first law of thermodynamics. In this study, which was conducted with the participation of 25 students, case study pattern was used, and a holistic single case pattern was adopted. Five open-ended questions which include drawings and explanations were used as data collection tool. In order to support the obtained findings, semi-constructed interviews were done with 20% of pre-service physics teachers. As a result of the findings obtained from content analysis, it was seen that pre-service teachers represent energy mostly as object with potential energy, electric energy, and vibration energy; and it was seen that they think of the world as an insulated place and thus think that there is confined transformational energy within it. When findings of the study are taken into consideration, it is believed that the first law of thermodynamics should be explained by drawing examples from daily life.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

In this research, the teaching of mechanical waves was realized with inquiry-based learning; the aim was to determine the changes in students’ conceptual understanding of spring, water, and sound waves. It was designed as action research. The study group comprised 58 upper-secondary school students enrolled in 10th grade at an Anatolian upper-secondary school in Turkey. Data collection tools used in the research were the form for conceptual understanding of mechanical waves, semi-structured interviews, video recordings and photographs, student journals, and hand-made materials. Moreover, researchers designed an action plan that was composed of activities on spring, water, and sound waves. Descriptive and conceptual content analyses were utilized in data analysis. At the end of the research, it was determined that there was a change in students’ conceptual understanding of spring, water, and sound waves. Moreover, it was determined that teaching based on inquiry-based learning contributed positively to students’ learning. In this respect, it is thought that such applications should become widespread. There should be online training for lecturers which in return would contribute to students’ learning. Keywords: 5E learning model, action research, inquiry-based learning approach, mechanical waves, upper-secondary students

Studies in the literature have shown that polarization of light, which has a wide application area in daily life and modern techniques, is not understood. In this case, a detailed investigation of prospective teachers’ conceptual understandings and misconceptions on the polarization of light can be a guide for both teaching the subject and revealing students’ conceptual understanding of electromagnetic waves. This study aims to determine prospective teachers’ conceptual understanding of the polarization of light. Using qualitative research methods, it was realised with the participation of 20 prospective teachers. Participants were asked five open-ended questions to determine their conceptual understanding of the polarization of light. These open-ended questions include polarization explanations and drawings. After first coding, eleven of them were interviewed. Findings indicate that participants have incorrect or insufficient conceptual understanding of the polarization of light. Participants’ explanations and drawings showed that prospective teachers thought of polarization as losing magnetic field, propagating in a single direction, and collecting beams of light. Based on the results obtained in the study, it is believed that prospective teachers’ conceptual difficulties about the polarization of light stem from not having completely understood the electromagnetic structure of light and the function of polaroid. Based on the results, explaining the limitations of each light model, using three-dimensional simulations, and inquiry-based teaching are suggested.