Journal of Baltic Science Education

146-155

Authors: Huseyin Akkus, Hakki Kadayifci, Basri Atasoy

The purpose of this study is to develop a two-tier multiple choice test to detect tenth grade high school students’ conceptual understanding related to chemical equilibrium. In the development of the test the steps described by Treagust (1988) were used. The test was prepared for the purpose of detecting students’ conceptual understanding in topics like approach to equilibrium, equilibrium state, changes in the equilibrium conditions, addition of inert gas and catalyst. The test was administered to 102 tenth grade students. The internal validity coefficient of Cronbach alpha was 0.903. Difficulty indices ranged from 0.20 to 0.93, and discrimination indices ranged from 0.19 to 0.89. Each item was analyzed to determine student understanding and identify alternative conceptions about, chemical equilibrium concept. Results of the test suggested students did not acquire a satisfactory understanding of chemical equilibrium concepts and 25 common students’ alternative conceptions were identified through analysis of test items.

168-182

Authors: Evangelos Manolas, Walter Leal Filho

Misconceptions may be characterized as wrong or inaccurate views of a particular issue which, due to lack of clarity, are seen or perceived wrongly. Students hold misconceptions about many issues and subjects, including in respect of climate change. Most alarming about misconceptions is that if people continue to build knowledge on such misunderstandings, this may have serious impacts on their learning. Following a brief literature review on cooperative learning, this paper adopts a research methodology which a) defines what a misconception is, b) lists possible sources of misconceptions, c) discusses five misconceptions students often have about climate change and d) puts forward some cooperative learning techniques teachers can use to handle the problem.

195-208

Authors: Vincentas Lamanauskas, Dalia Augiene

Human progress is inseparable from scientific achievements. The role of scientific achievements and knowledge in the modern world progress process is evident. Science can help the humanity a lot: create a more comfortable life, predict natural phenomena, foster humanistic traditions, educate society, change the development of society and so on. Today it is obvious, that the basis of country’s prosperity is its members’ perceptiveness, ability to discover, research and create. Therefore, society, its education system is concerned with forming conditions, encouraging young generation to try their abilities in scientific research activity, develop necessary competences and to know scientist’s, researcher’s activity and career peculiarities already in a secondary school. After carrying out the research, the opinions of upper secondary school students (9-12 forms) about scientific research activity at school were analysed, Lithuanian comprehensive school upper secondary school students’ attitude towards researcher, scientist’s activity was revealed. Factor analysis was carried out applying the main component method and Varimax rotation with Kaiser Normalization. After carrying out this analysis it became clear that upper secondary school students do not relate their future with scientific research activity, researcher’s career is considered to be not perspective and of low prestige.