We investigated the effect of the context-based approach on 9 th grade students' conceptions of the Periodic Table . Within a nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design the study was conducted with 80 grade 9 students (aged 15-16) drawn from two classes (39 and 41 students) in a high school in Turkey. The experimental group was exposed to the context-based material, while the control group was taught with the traditional approach (teacher's explanation, question and answer, writing, etc.). The results of this study indicated that the use of storylines embedded within the context-based learning resulted in the students in the experimental group performing better with respect to understanding concepts of the Periodic Table and gaining more positive attitudes towards chemistry than did those in the control group, and this improved performance was also observed in a test taken ten weeks after the treatment. Some suggestions are made on implications for practice and learning.
The aim of this study is to determine the effect of activities developed in accordance with PDEODE teaching strategy on students' understanding of the particulate nature of matter. The sample of the study consists of the first grade students who study in the Primary School Teacher Education Program. In order to determine the conceptual change on students a test consisting of 8 questions was applied to the sample. This test was applied as pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test. The difference between the measurements was found statistically significant (p<0.05). This result shows that the treatment promotes the conceptual change and enhances students' conceptual understanding. As a result of a post-hoc test (Tukey HSD test) it was established that there is a statistically significant difference between the means of pre-test and post-test, and pre-test and delayed test (p<0.05), there isn't a significant difference between the means of post-test and delayed test (p>0.05).
Alternative conceptions of ‘physical and chemical change’ concepts to minimize their effects on further learning should be handled at lower secondary school in that these concepts are formally introduced at grade 6. This study aimed to investigate the effect of storylines embedded within context-based learning approach on grade 6 students’ understanding of ‘physical and chemical change’ concepts. To probe the students’ conceptions, Chemical and Physical Change Concept Questionnaire (CPCCQ) was employed as pre- and post-test. The results indicated that most of the students tended to pay more attention to ‘reversibility’ criterion in distinguishing ‘chemical change’ concept from ‘physical change’ one. Finally, it can be deduced that the storylines embedded within the context-based learning approach not only resulted in a better meaningful learning but also increased student achievement level. To give an opportunity for the students to grasp the relevance of chemistry/science to their lives, the meaning of each daily life concept should be bridged with that in a chemistry context.
Key words: alternative conception, context-based learning approach, chemical change, physical change, science education, storylines.
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