Effects of Guided and Semi - Guided Laboratory Investigations on Sixth Grade Students’ Conceptualization Levels

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to enlighten the effects of two different types of investigation techniques on sixth graders’ conceptualization levels related to the concepts of physical and chemical changes. The study was carried out with the six graders in a public primary school located in an economically disadvantaged district of İstanbul. Eighty students were selected as the sample of the study and two homogeneous groups (n=40) were formed by matching subjects with their science grades and science attitude scores. However, only 27 of the students in the first subgroup and 23 of the students in the second subgroup completed all the treatments. Science Attitude Scale (Toğrol, 2000) was used in order to determine students’ attitudes towards science. Science Concept Scale-Physical and Chemical Changes is the second instrument used to measure students’ conceptualization levels related to the selected science concepts-physical and chemical changes. Two groups treated with guided investigations, and two groups treated with semi-guided investigations. During guided investigations, the procedure of the tasks were given to the students explicitly by the teacher, during semi-guided investigations students find out the procedures by themselves and continue their investigations according to their own procedures. Results of the study indicates that both types of investigations cause positive developments on six graders’ conceptualization levels (guided df=26, t=-7.13, p=.000; semi-guided df=22, t=-6.17, p= .000). In addition, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted in order to find out whether there is a difference between the conceptualization levels of students who were treated with different investigation techniques. Although the result of this analysis did not indicate a statistically significant difference between the effects of these laboratory investigations on students’ conceptualizations, it is found that the number of incorrect answers or answers which include alternative conceptions for the students who were treated with guided investigations are more comparing with the other group. Also, the number of completely correct answers given by the students who were treated with semi -guided investigations is more than the ones who were treated with guided investigations.

Keywords

• Guided and semi-guided laboratory investigations,physical and chemical changes,conceptualizations

Effects of Guided and Semi - Guided Laboratory Investigations on Sixth Grade Students’ Conceptualization Levels

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to enlighten the effects of two different types of investigation techniques on sixth graders’ conceptualization levels related to the concepts of physical and chemical changes. The study was carried out with the six graders in a public primary school located in an economically disadvantaged district of İstanbul. Eighty students were selected as the sample of the study and two homogeneous groups (n=40) were formed by matching subjects with their science grades and science attitude scores. However, only 27 of the students in the first subgroup and 23 of the students in the second subgroup completed all the treatments. Science Attitude Scale (Toğrol, 2000) was used in order to determine students’ attitudes towards science. Science Concept Scale-Physical and Chemical Changes is the second instrument used to measure students’ conceptualization levels related to the selected science concepts-physical and chemical changes. Two groups treated with guided investigations, and two groups treated with semi-guided investigations. During guided investigations, the procedure of the tasks were given to the students explicitly by the teacher, during semi-guided investigations students find out the procedures by themselves and continue their investigations according to their own procedures. Results of the study indicates that both types of investigations cause positive developments on six graders’ conceptualization levels (guided df=26, t=-7.13, p=.000; semi-guided df=22, t=-6.17, p= .000). In addition, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted in order to find out whether there is a difference between the conceptualization levels of students who were treated with different investigation techniques. Although the result of this analysis did not indicate a statistically significant difference between the effects of these laboratory investigations on students’ conceptualizations, it is found that the number of incorrect answers or answers which include alternative conceptions for the students who were treated with guided investigations are more comparing with the other group. Also, the number of completely correct answers given by the students who were treated with semi - guided investigations is more than the ones who were treated with guided investigations

Keywords

• Guided and semi-guided laboratory investigations,physical and chemical changes,conceptualizations

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