Journal of Baltic Science Education

363

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, JBSE, Vol. 17, No. 3, 2018

367-380

Authors: Aslı Sarışan-Tungaç, Süleyman Yaman, Belgin Bal-Incebacak

One of the most important objectives of the science education includes helping students to think about the nature of scientific inquiries like a scientist and keep this point of view in order to understand the events occurring around them. This research aims to (1) compare secondary school students’ views -who have creative drama & conventional education- about scientific inquiry, (2) and whether the experimental and control group students’ views about scientific research differ depending on gender after process. Pre-experimental design with control group was used in this research. The sample of this research consisted of 130 students of 6th grade secondary school in Samsun, Turkey. The data were collected by using VOSI-E questionnaire. Data collected with VOSI-E were analyzed using grouping standards, and students were classified as novice, transition and expert. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and nonparametric chi-square test. Research results show that when compared to conventional activities in terms of developing positive views about scientific inquiry, creative drama activities lead higher number of students to expert level. Also, it was found out that the number of students in expert category in experimental group was higher than those in control group at the end of education process.

395-413

Authors: Fayadh Hamed Alanazi

The purpose of this research was to explore and compare the ideas of Saudi boys and girls on animal species. Eighty-four children (comprising 42 boys and 42 girls), aged nine years, from four primary schools, participated in structured interviews to determine their ideas pertaining to taxonomic labels, namely ‘animal’, ‘fish’, ‘amphibian’, ‘reptile’, ‘bird’, ‘mammal’, and ‘insect’. The results demonstrated that Saudi children of both genders display a wide range of alternative conceptions; more specifically, the effect of gender was significant for all taxonomic vertebrate labels, suggesting that Saudi boys have better knowledge relating to animals than girls. However, generally, children did not have adequate forms of reasoning for biological classification. It was also found that none of the fourth graders thought of humans as animals due to the Islamic science worldview. Based on these findings, it is argued that science education, notably in an international context, should strive to incorporate an understanding of local values and beliefs.

428-445

Authors: Amani K. Hamdan Alghamdi, Saiqa Azam

Saudi students’ science academic performance has declined as evidenced by (TIMSS). Saudi science teachers are characterized as using the lecture format without considering individual student differences and failing to provide differentiated Method (DM). This paper reports on an effort to help female Saudi pre-service science teachers (PSST) develop DI knowledge and skills, striving to discern how they understood and practiced differentiation during their field experience after completing a specially-designed DM-focused university course. A mixed method research design followed a sequential, connected approach wherein quantitative data were collected through classroom observations (N=47) using a Likert scale observation instrument followed by qualitative interviews (n=11). The pre and post averages of differentiated teaching skills in the DM planning stage were statistically significant (p=.0001). The PSSTs moved from very small to moderate mastery on virtually all 10 planning items, from 1.75 to 2.99 on a five-point Likert scale. The DM implementation stage (20 items) also reflected a statistically significant difference with scores moving from 1.68 to 3.01 (moderate mastery). Interview qualitative data confirmed and elucidated the quantitative results. The course was deemed effective in developing PSSTs’ differentiated teaching skills (statistically significant, p=.01). Teaching PSSTs about DM should improve Saudi students’ science academic achievement.

462-473

Authors: Yeşim Yener, Mehmet Bahar, Naciye Somuncu Demir, Mustafa Yılmaz, Dündar Yener

In this research word association test was used to explore the cognitive structure of Pre-service science teachers about biological energy metabolism. The participant group constitutes 67 Pre-service students at a university in Black Sea Region of Turkey. Ten key concepts in General Biology course were given as a stimulating word and a mind map was established by using the frequency values of valid response words. The results showed that the total number of different response words for the key word “enzyme” is the highest with “cell” and “energy” being higher than others and for the key word “photosynthesis” is the lowest. The mind map also showed that they based their cognitive perceptions of the biological energy mechanism mostly on scientific concepts that are emphasized in the lessons and are academically acknowledged and included in the concepts used in everyday life at the least. However, they were not able to see the key concept “enzymes” as a part of branched network and they had also problems regarding the respiratory event in the plants as well as realization process of photosynthesis in the cellular level. Implications of the results in terms of understanding the subject of biological energy metabolism are also discussed.

486-495

Authors: Lindelani Mnguni

The use of visual models in teaching, learning and research has increased. Consequently, students have to develop various new competencies including visual literacy in order to learn efficiently. However, visual literacy among biochemistry students is not well documented. Using quantitative research methodology, the current research was aimed at determining visual literacy among biochemistry students. The participants were 74 purposefully selected third year undergraduate biochemistry students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The data were collected using a Senior Aptitude test and BioVisual Literacy test. The results show that students performed well in the sub-sections of the Senior Aptitude test including patterns test and spatial perception 2D test. They had difficulties with non-verbal reasoning with figures and spatial visualization 3D tests, as well as with the BioVisual Literacy tests. The results suggest that students generally have poor visual literacy, which could affect their ability to comprehend content knowledge in biochemistry.

511-524

Authors: Andrej Vidak, Nataša Erceg, Elvedin Hasović, Senad Odžak, Vanes Mešić

Earlier research has shown that students have tremendous difficulties with understanding certain aspects of rolling without slipping, such as the zero-velocity at the contact point and plausibility of application of the law of conservation of mechanical energy despite action of the friction force. The aim of this research was to explore whether using analogies and reasoning about extreme cases can facilitate conceptualization of the above-mentioned phenomena. A pre-test – post-test quasi-experiment has been conducted, with 93 students in the control group (CG) and 91 students in the experimental group (EG). Whereas control group students received conventional teaching, in the experimental group rolling of a cylinder has been considered as a special case of a tumbling prism for which the number of prism surfaces tended to infinity. The results of analysis of covariance showed that students from the experimental group significantly outperformed their peers from the control group on the Rolling Motion Concept Test (RMCT). Between-group differences were greater on test items that required higher level of cognitive transfer. This research suggests that using analogies and extreme case reasoning can facilitate comprehension of certain seemingly counterintuitive aspects of rolling motion.

183

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, JBSE, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2018

187-199

Authors: Shyang-Chyuan Fang

Environmental problems nowadays pose threats to the sustainability of environment, such as global warming, urban air pollution, water scarcity, environmental noise, and biodiversity loss. The root cause of those problems is human behavior. Inspiring the interest of preschoolers is crucial in their future cognition of the environment. This research discussed the influence of parent-child reading on the children’s environmental interest. It also integrated environmental education into the learning process of preschoolers more comprehensively and continuously. A questionnaire was used for data collection and the data were analyzed using Smart PLS 2.0. The results show that personality trait, visual attention, and expression of ideas have statistical significance in terms of the children’s learning attitude. The picture book designed in this study can improve the pro-environmental behavior after parent-child reading.

215-228

Authors: Nyet Moi Siew, Mui Ken Chin

The purpose of this research was to design and develop a teaching and learning module using Problem-Based Learning and Cooperative Learning (PBL-CL) and evaluate its effects on scientific creativity of pre-schoolers. The module was developed using the ADDIE instructional design model which included five phases: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Formative evaluation was conducted to determine the reliability, content validity, pedagogical usability and pre-schoolers’ acceptability of the module, which involved five subject matter experts, 10 pre-school teachers, and 30 six-year-old pre-schoolers. The results of formative evaluation indicated an acceptable reliability, good content validity, high acceptability among the pre-schoolers, and high level of pedagogical usability. Finally, a pre- and post-test non-equivalent control group quasi experiment design was employed to determine the effects of the PBL-CL module. A total of 144 six-year-old pre-schoolers from three pre-schools were randomly assigned to PBL-CL group (n=72) and control group (n=72). The finding of Paired Sample T-test and Independent T-test established the effects of the PBL-CL module and would therefore represent a reliable, credible, and effective teaching and learning module for fostering scientific creativity among pre-schoolers.

239-251

Authors: Sane Hwui Chan, Yoon Fah Lay

Understanding teacher’s behavioural intention in teaching science becomes a foundation to improve teacher education programme. Prior to the evaluation of the interrelation between teacher self-efficacy beliefs, teaching motivation, attitudes towards teaching science, and behavioural intention in teaching science, this research examines the reliability and validity of instruments used to measure the constructs. ‘Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-Form B’ (STEBI-B) was used to measure pre-service science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. ‘Work Tasks Motivation Scale for Teachers’ (WTMST) was used to measure teaching motivation. ‘Dimensions of Attitude towards Science’ (DAS) was used to measure attitudes towards teaching science whereas the ‘Behavioural Intention Scale’ was used to measure behavioural intention in teaching science among pre-service science teachers. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling approach was used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the instruments. Research findings concluded all instruments are valid and reliable to be used in future research.

267-276

Authors: Andrej Flogie, Andreja Barle Lakota, Boris Aberšek

Information and communications technology (ICT) shapes life and work in every educational system. Where to place ICT in the pedagogical process and how it affects students' psychosocial and cognitive abilities are questions that do not have one definitive answer. The research addresses the intense introduction of ICT that accords with educational trends and the requirements of today’s society, but sometimes neglects social competences and any potential psychosocial effects. A need for new and effective methods in upbringing and education to offer everyone, equal opportunities become more and more important in the “world of the 21st century”. The research also proved that innovative didactic methods of teaching (4.0) using a transdisciplinary model and supported by state-of-the-art information and communications technology as well as cooperative learning, have a positive psychosocial effect on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. Students who experience innovative didactic teaching supported by ICT reach higher taxonomic, cognitive and social standards of competence and are thus better prepared for the challenges of future society.

288-299

Authors: Dževdeta Dervić, Džana Salibašić Glamočić, Azra Gazibegović-Busuladžić, Vanes Mešić

Teaching and learning with simulations is widely used in today's classrooms. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that potentially influence the effectiveness of simulation-based teaching environments. The aim of this research was to compare the effectiveness of teacher-centered and student-centered Physlet-based classes about one-dimensional kinematics at the level of upper-secondary school. The student sample consisted of 43 students (mostly 15-year-olds). Within the teacher-centered approach the teacher ran and controlled the simulations, and students watched the simulations on the projection screen. In the student-centered approach the students had the opportunity to work through the simulations on their computers. At the post-test, students from the teacher-centered approach outperformed their peers when it comes to conceptual understanding of kinematics, but students from the students-centered approach were more successful in solving quantitative problems. The results of this research support the idea that a progression from teacher-centered to student-centered approach may be optimal for learning novel concepts.

320-330

Authors: Erdoğan Özdemir, Mustafa Coramik

In electromagnetism, to determine the direction of the electromagnetic force and magnetic field, the right-hand rule (RHR) is used. Previous researches show that students have difficulty in applying the RHR. This research is aimed to find out the factors which make it difficult for the students to apply the RHR. To achieve this, qualitative case study design is used and 270 students who took Basic Physics II course at university participated. The Right-Hand Rule-Diagnostic Test (RHR-DT) and the unstructured interview were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data, firstly, the right-hand types used by the students were determined. Then the right-hand types used by the students in the solution of each task are presented. After that, eight of these students were interviewed about their RHR-DT answers and those interviews were video recorded. Video recordings are divided into three categories according to the level of students: upper, middle and lower. According to the results of this research, it can be said that the conceptual understanding of electromagnetism, the vector algebra and spatial cognition effect the usage of the RHR. In the light of research results, suggestions were made for the teaching of RHR to physics teachers.

343-356

Authors: Mustafa Ugras

The aim of the present research is to explain how the heuristics utilized by the students in a multiple choice examination on the general chemistry subject of “chemical bonding theories and molecular structures” caused biases on intuitive judgment and decision making processes, using the three characteristics of associative memory (attribute substitution, fluency process and associative coherence). A mixed-methods approach, both qualitative and quantitative research methods, were used in this research. Therefore, both questionnaire and individual interview were utilized to collect data. The results of the current research demonstrated that the participants used 4 different decision making strategies. Detailed evaluation of these strategies demonstrated that most of the participants did not prefer the processes related to the use of chemical knowledge and thus, were not able to assess the target attribute. Furthermore, it was identified that most of the students’ decision making processes were dependent on one or more of these three associative memory processes. It was also determined by this research that the most dominant of these three associative memory processes is the fluency effect, since participants often prefer to use superficial features. The dependence of participants on associative memory processes caused various biases, so participants often responded incorrectly to questions.

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2018

8-18

Authors: Hidayah Mohd Fadzil

Despite the existing research on technology use in tertiary education, there is limited scholarly literature on the use of infographics in education or on the effective design of infographics specifically for educational settings. By employing qualitative research, the researcher attempts to explore the learners’ perception of the use of infographics. This research involved the researcher working independently on an in-class research project with 40 third-year undergraduate students. The pre-service science teachers were required to individually create an infographic related to the upper secondary school science curriculum. The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers expressed positive viewpoints about the infographics assignment. When the pre-service teachers were engaged in the learning process, they had a sense of agency and responsibility for their learning. The findings also indicated that this research created a meaningful experience for the pre-service teachers in engaging technology. This research essentially promoted innovations in teaching and learning of the course that encouraged student engagement with technology.

31-42

Authors: Dagnija Cēdere, Inese Jurgena, Vilija Targamadze

Interest is one of the most important components for a successful teaching/learning process; unfortunately, nowadays students’ interest in science and mathematics is decreasing. The aim of the research is to explore the cognitive interest of 15-year- old students in science and mathematics. Students in Latvia and Lithuania participated in the survey; the data show that students’ cognitive interest in this area in both countries is mediocre. The factor analysis was used to single out four main dimensions of the cognitive interest – interest in the context, interest in mathematics, inquiry interest and enthusiasm. Students’ interest is higher in issues connected with practical life, the solution of real problems, but much lower if the problem to be solved needs effort, if they have to use mathematical tools. Enthusiasm is not characteristic for students. Only few respondents are willing to engage in science and mathematics in their leisure time. Latvian and Lithuanian students show slight differences in their interests. There are more Lithuanian students, who like mathematics and who are not afraid of difficulties. Latvian students, in their turn, show greater enthusiasm.

65-83

Authors: Süleyman Yaman, Şadiye Karaşah

This meta-analysis has two objectives: (a) to address the main effects of learning cycle models on students’ success in science; and (b) to address potential moderators of the effect of LC models. This meta-analysis was conducted by calculating the effect size of 75 studies, including theses and journal papers associated with the implementation of LC models published in Turkey. The studies were selected according to the following criteria: experimental studies on LC models in science courses at different educational levels. The studies, which were included within this scope, were carried out between the years of 2004-2016. As possible moderators of LC models; effects, type of publication, educational level, period, sample size and the year of construction were investigated. This moderator analysis indicates that there are significant differences among the effect sizes of the research. Nevertheless, the values of the general effect size of the researches provide a positive outlook to increase the students' science success of the LC models. Considering the effects of LC model on the students’ science success, this research could be helpful to both researchers and practitioners in the field of science education.

97-119

Authors: Joaquín Martínez-Torregrosa, Ruben Limiñana, Asunción Menargues, Rafael Colomer

Pre-service primary teachers mostly have negative attitudes towards science teaching and learning, and their science background is usually low. This usually results in them feeling unable or unconfident to teach science at school. A previous step to improve their willingness to teach science to children is that they feel they can learn in-depth any science core idea. To do that, a course conducted as oriented-research about a core science problem was developed and used to evaluate the influence of their previous science background and initial attitudes towards science teaching and learning on content knowledge attainment. The chosen science idea was about diurnal astronomy (Sun movements and the Sun/Earth model). Content knowledge attainment was assessed using learning indicators, which represent what pre-service teachers should “know” and “know how” on this science core idea. Overall, pre-service teachers achieved high learning levels on this topic, and no significant differences in content knowledge attained by students according to both initial attitudes and science background were found. This suggests that this teaching methodology could be useful for pre-service teachers to achieve a thorough knowledge on science core ideas, which is considered to be an important step to improve their willingness to teach science at the primary school.

136-151

Authors: Suyidno, Mohamad Nur, Leny Yuanita, Binar Kurnia Prahani, Budi Jatmiko

The Creative Responsibility Based Teaching (CRBT) model is an innovative physics-teaching model designed to enhance students’ scientific creativity and responsibility. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the effectiveness of CRBT model to improve scientific creativity and first year students’ responsibility on Basic Physics learning in academic year 2016/2017. This research used one group pre-test and post-test design on 144 students divided into 4 groups at University of Lambung Mangkurat, South Kalimantan (Indonesia). The data collection methods were conducted by using: scientific creativity tests emphasized on unusual uses indicator, problem finding, product improvement, creatively science problem solving, creatively experiment designing, and creatively product design; questionnaire of responsibility emphasized on: participatory indicator, respecting others, cooperation, leadership, and delivering opinion; and interviews. The data analysis technique was done by using paired t-test / Wilcoxon test, n-gain, and ANOVA / Kruskal-Wallis test. The results showed that there was a significant increase in students’ scientific creativity and responsibility at α = 5%, with n-gain average of moderate category, and both were not different (consistent) for all four groups. Thus, the CRBT model is effective for enhancing students’ scientific creativity and responsibility.

162-176

Authors: Vera S. Županec, Branka N. Radulović, Tijana Z. Pribićević, Tomka G. Miljanović, Vujadin G. Zdravković

The Flipped Classroom (FC) is a teaching approach in which students gain the first-exposure learning with online materials outside the classroom, and then, in the classroom, they focus on interactive or engaging exercises. Despite its considerable publicity, the studies focused on the FC in primary education are deficient. The aim of this research is to determine efficiency and students’ involvement in the flipped Biology classroom in primary school, compared to the conventional classroom (CC) approach. Educational efficiency and students’ involvement are measured by combining the values of the students’ performance and mental effort on the test. Each task in the test was followed by the 5-point Likert scale for evaluation of invested mental effort. The total sample of this research included 112 students, aged from 12 to 13. The results show that the FC approach contributes to the reduction of the students’ mental effort and an increase in the students’ performance. On the basis of calculated efficiency and students’ involvement of applied teaching approaches, it was concluded that the FC represents a feasible and efficient approach to Biology primary education.

831

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents

836-854

Authors: Tormi Kotkas; Jack Holbrook; Miia Rannikmäe

Students’ lack of motivation in learning school science has been recognized as a problem, due to its negative impact on students´ STEM-related career choices. For supporting students´ motivation to study science, the use of an introduction which sets the scene, sometimes called a scenario, has been recommended. Although scenarios, which introduce STEM-related careers in an everyday life problem solving context, are seen as useful tools for the teachers, they are not automatically guaranteed to be motivating to students. The current research aims to develop an empirically tested and validated instrument to measure the impact of context-based scenarios, through evaluating perceived motivational triggers such as relevance, interest and enjoyment by 7th grade students. An analysis of students´ responses showed that the test scenario was able to trigger mostly situational interest toward the topic of energetics. Only a small number of students indicated motivation to take the learning of this topic further.

873-897

Authors: Kateřina Chroustová, Martin Bílek, Andrej Šorgo

The aim of this research was to empirically validate constructs for evaluation of teachers' attitudes toward usage of educational software in chemistry teaching. Questionnaire with items transformed from UTAUT (Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology) and other technology acceptance theories were filled in by 556 Czech chemistry teachers. All constructs passed recommended .7 thresholds of Cronbach’s alpha so they can be used in acceptability researches before and after introduction of educational software or building models. However, analyses of effect sizes show that there are not only differences between users and all nonusers generally, but also prove differences between various types of nonusers. Nonusers were established as a) those who had used educational software and abandoned it; b) those who do not use educational software, but are planning to use it in the future, and c) those who do not use educational software and have no intentions to use it. An unexpected finding reveals that differences among subgroups of nonusers can be even larger than between users and nonusers, especially the group c) is an outstanding group. Consequently, factors and their influence on the acceptance and use of educational software in chemistry teaching should be explored for each group separately.

908-918

Authors: I Putu Artayasa, Herawati Susilo, Umie Lestari, Sri Endah Indriwati

Teacher training students require the mastery of science process skills (SPS) to improve their performance in teaching science. The purpose of this research was to (1) compare the difference in effectiveness between the three levels of inquiry (structured, guided, open inquiry) and the conventional strategy in improving SPS; (2) compare the differences in effectiveness between the three levels of inquiry and conventional strategy in improving the integrated science process skills (ISPS), especially the skills of preparing experimental procedures, collecting data, presenting data, discussing data, and making conclusion. This research was a quasi-experimental: pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group design. The sample of this research consisted of 154 students of Teacher Training for Elementary School Education of University of Mataram. The data were collected by using SPS test and the scoring of experiment report. The data were analyzed by using ANCOVA and the Kruskal Wallis test. The results indicate that there is a significant difference in the effectiveness between the three levels of inquiry and the conventional strategy in improving SPS. Among the three levels of inquiry itself, there is no any significant difference. On the ISPS, the open inquiry has the highest effectiveness and the structured inquiry has the lowest effectiveness.

932-945

Authors: Hwoe-gwan Yang, Jongwon Park

Even though experimental design (ED) in open inquiry is important for more authentic scientific inquiry, it is not easy for students. The objective of this research was to identify factors considered important in students' ED and explore how to utilize it to improve students’ ED. To achieve the objective, in the first step, eighteen middle-school students in a gifted center participated in this study voluntarily. They were asked to design experimental procedures without any guidelines or help. Students’ EDs were analyzed qualitatively to extract difficulties that students experienced when designing experimental procedures. Based on analysis results, 17 factors were identified as factors to be considered for students’ ED and structured in a form of checklist. In the second step, the checklist was provided to 50 students in the gifted center as guidelines for their ED. They were then asked to design experimental procedures. Comparing scores of these students’ ED with those of the control group, it was found that these factors were significantly effective for improving students’ ED with high effect size. In conclusion, results of this research suggest that effective teaching strategy for students’ ED in scientific open inquiry can be obtained based on analysis about their difficulties in ED.

958-979

Authors: Jan Andersson, Margareta Enghag

More knowledge of how the actual design of the laboratory work influence students’ communication, is needed to design and implement physics laboratory work lessons. The aim with this quantitative research, conducted at a Swedish upper secondary school, was to explore how the design of the laboratory work affects students’ communication. Twenty students divided into five groups participated in this natural case study and were video recorded while performing four practical tasks with the theme uniformly accelerated motion, designed by their teacher. The four workstations were categorised based on three predefined descriptors: outcome, approach and procedure. Students’ work at each workstation was coded according to five defined activities: planning, preparing equipment, collecting data, processing data and analysis of results. The activities were thereafter divided into shorter episodes that were coded for three different types of communication: disputational talk, cumulative talk and exploratory talk. The result shows that the amount of exploratory talk students engaged in are influenced by the style of the laboratory work and the character of the activity. Based on these research results, teachers can better accustom the laboratory work to facilitate fruitful physics discussions which endorse students’ learning.

994-1008

Authors: Sinem Dinçol Özgür, Ayhan Yılmaz

Inquiry-based learning is a usable approach in developing gifted and talented students’ learning and one that overlaps with their properties and learning needs. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of guided inquiry-based learning approach compared with that of traditional teacher-centered instruction on gifted and talented eighth grade students’ understanding of acids-bases concepts and motivation towards science learning. A nonequivalent control group design was used in the research. The participants were 40 gifted and talented eighth grade students from one Science and Art Center in Ankara/Turkey. There were two different groups: the experimental group and the control group. The Acids and Bases Diagnostic Test and Students’ Motivation towards Science Learning questionnaire were used in the research as data collection tools. Before and after the implementation, the tools were administered as pre-test and post-test to both groups. For data analysis the independent samples t-test and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used. The results showed that there was a statistical significant difference between the groups in favor of the experimental group.

1020-1034

Authors: Zulkarnaen, Z.A. Imam Supardi, Budi Jatmiko

Creative exploration, Creative elaboration, Creative modeling, Practice scientific creativity, Discussion and Reflection (C3PDR) teaching model is a model specifically developed to improve the students’ scientific creativity of junior high school. This research is aimed to analyze the feasibility of C3PDR model in improving the students’ science creativity. The teaching model is considered feasible if it meets the criteria: valid, practical and effective. Ninety-six of the eighth-grade students in Samarinda, Indonesia who attended the science subjects participated in the research during the odd semester in academic year 2015/2016. Its validation was performed by three science education experts through focus group discussions and using validation sheets. The practicality of the model was assessed by 4 teachers using the observation sheets and the effectiveness of the model was determined based on the pre-test post-test of scientific creativity. Scientific creativity measured using Scientific Creativity Structure Model (SCSM) test. The results showed that this model has the content and construct validity in very valid category, practical, and effective with the statistic percentage of agreement R > 85% and n-gain values = .42, and p < .05. Thus, the C3PDR teaching model is feasible to improve the student’s scientific creativity of junior high school.

631

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents

634-650

Authors: Stanko Cvjetićanin, Mirjana Maričić

The aim of this research is to establish the contribution of demonstration and student-led experiments on the quality of students’ knowledge about the air-related content in the third grade of primary school. This research included 120 students from Serbia, divided into two groups: control (C) and experimental (E). In group C the experiments were demonstrated by the teacher, whereas those same experiments were independently conducted by the students’ inside smaller groups in group E. The quality of the students’ knowledge was examined after the application of the experiments with the post-test, while the quality of the duration of knowledge was examined with the retest. The students in the group E acquired the knowledge of the higher quality and more durable knowledge about the air-related content then the students’ from the group C on the cognitive levels: analysis, evaluation and synthesis. Therefore, the priority should be given to the student-led experiments over the demonstration, when processed air-related content in the third grade of primary school, because their application contributes to the increase of the students’ knowledge quality.

666-677

Authors: Deniz Gurcay, Hatice Ozturk Ferah

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of multiple intelligences based instruction on the 9th grade students’ achievements and attitude towards the Force and Motion topics in physics. The participants of this research are composed of randomly selected 95 ninth graders, who were divided into two experimental and two control classes. The experimental groups were exposed to lesson plans based on the multiple intelligences for six weeks. In the control groups, traditional instruction was conducted. Force and Motion Achievement Test, Force and Motion Attitude Scale, Revised Student Multiple Intelligences Profile Questionnaire and Students’ Views about MI-based instruction Questionnaire were used as research instruments in this research. As a result of this research, it was found that multiple intelligences based instruction had a significant effect on students’ achievements in the Force and Motion topics. However, multiple intelligences based instruction had any significant effect on students’ attitudes towards force and motion topics. In addition, a large majority of the students in the experimental group found the courses based on multiple intelligences more enjoyable and found more instructive.

694-705

Authors: Špela Hrast, Vesna Ferk Savec

This research focuses on the informational value of submicroscopic representations (SMRs) in chemistry textbook sets for Slovenian primary schools (Grade 8 and Grade 9, students’ age 13-15 years). For the purpose of analysis a holistic criteria related to the accompanying descriptors of SMRs in textbook sets was developed. The research revealed four main holistic descriptors accompanying SMRs, i.e. direct descriptor (D), indirect descriptor (I), combined descriptor (C), and SMRs without descriptors (W), which support learners’ recognition of SMRs’ informational value on different levels by providing different accompanying add-ons of SMRs. In-depth analysis identified 14 main categories of the underlying representational types of SMR add-ons. The significance of the research is in initiating a discussion about the holistic criteria for the description of SMRs integrated in the textbook sets, because in practice the learner perceives each SMR as a whole.

723-732

Authors: Zahida Parveen

This experimental research aimed to find the effectiveness of the 5E model of education for achievement in science among students with hearing impairment at the elementary level. An instructional package was developed following the 5E model for one unit from a science subject in grade VIII. A science test was developed by the researcher to test the achievement of students of grade VIII with hearing impairment. This test was validated by experts, pilot tested, subjected to item analysis and the reliability of the test was calculated. The test with 38 items was used as a pre-test and post-test during the study. Thirty-four students of grade VIII were selected from a school and were random assigned to two groups. One group was randomly assigned as the experimental group and the other served as the control group. The research followed a pre-test-post-test control group design. The performance of both groups was compared to evaluate the effectiveness of instructions based on the 5E model. A significant improvement was found in the performance of the experimental group as compared to the control group. It was concluded that hearing impaired children can perform better in science if they are taught through approaches promoting construction of knowledge, such as in the 5E model.

746-760

Authors: Jelena D. Stanisavljević, Mirka М. Bunijevac, Ljubiša Ž. Stanisavljević

Teaching biology is characterized by a great number of concepts and facts. It is very difficult to concisely represent all important concepts and facts. In order to effectively present important concepts such as pollination and pollinators, concept maps have been applied. In particular, the pedagogical experiment was applied to determine whether the concept maps are effective as teaching technology compared to the usual teaching approach without this technology. The research involved 110 elementary school students who were divided into one experimental (E) and one control (C) group. The E group covered programme content related to pollination and pollinators by applying concept maps. The C group was exposed to the same content, without these maps. It is evidenced a difference of the attained knowledge in favour of the experimental group after the introduction of the experimental factor (application of concept maps). The application of concept maps directly contributed to better learning and knowledge acquisition in teaching the biology content Pollination and Pollinators. Based upon the obtained results of this research, concept maps will be further implemented to improve teaching process and the teachers will be gradually trained for the application of this teaching technology.

780-796

Authors: Vesna D. Milanovic, Dragica D. Trivic

The aim of this research was to explore students’ ideas about chemical reactions and difficulties in understanding the law of conservation of mass in such reactions by using an approach that started from presentations of scientists’ work associated with the law. The developed test items relied on: 1) the historical contents that illustrate the experimental work of three scientists (Lavoisier, Landolt and Lomonosov); 2) the description of school experiments and 3) real life situation. In this way, students would have an opportunity to show understanding of the law of conservation of mass in two contexts, one based on the stories from the history of chemistry and the other contemporary, based on school laboratory experiments and real life situation. Students of different ages were selected for the research: the seventh and the eighth grade of primary school (age 13–14), and the second year of grammar school (age 16). The research involved a total of 301 students. The results indicated that students’ difficulties were mostly associated with the predictions and explanations of mass changes in open reaction systems in which a gas was a reactant than with the reactions in which a gas was a product.

813-824

Authors: Mastura Halim, Rohaida Mohd Saat

The common use of questionnaires and qualitative assessments revealed that students experience difficulties in visualising the structural complexity of decision making. Thus, the use of scientific knowledge was disconnected while making a preference. The focus of this research was to explore students’ understanding of the global warming issue using a Persuasive Graphic Organiser (PGO). This research was conducted among 36 students (Grades 7-9) at a school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The developed PGO and interviews were utilised as the primary data collection techniques. Meanwhile, a constant comparative procedure was employed in the qualitative data analysis. Results showed that the use of PGO assisted students’ visualisation in relating three essential understandings of the global warming issue. The students were able to: 1) identify anthropogenic factor affecting global warming; 2) clarify the effects of global warming in health aspect, and 3) provide alternative solutions regarding green technology and daily practices. It was also found that PGO is operationally workable and can be conveniently utilised as a visualisation tool for promoting students’ understanding in socioscientific decision-making.