Journal of Baltic Science Education

629-630

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page

632-633

Authors: Andrej Šorgo

Hooray! You have succeeded in publishing an article based on your own, yet unpublished questionnaire. This can certainly be regarded as a personal success. However, many articles based on questionnaires are not particularly reader-friendly. I am sure that these authors are not being deliberately evil; however, in their path to fame, they forget that their writing is not a secret diary but something that should communicate readily with the reader.

651-665

Authors: Paken Pandiangan, I Gusti Made Sanjaya, Budi Jatmiko

The Physics Independent Learning (PIL) model is an authentic problem-based model designed teaching guide for improving self-directed learning and problem-solving skills in open and distance education. This research is aimed to analyze the validity and effectiveness of PIL model. This research was conducted using focus group discussions of experts that consisted of three science education experts and applies quasi-experiment of one group pre-test and post-test design to 144 students in East Java, Indonesia. Before applying the lesson using the PIL model, the students are given pre-test and after accomplishing the learning, the students are given post-test. The data collected from pre-test and post-test then is further analyzed by means of validity coefficient (rα), Cronbach’s alpha (α), pair t-test, n-gain and ANOVA. The result of research shows that rα = .75 and α = .92 is for content validity; rα = .79 and α = .99 is for construct validity, so that PIL model is validity and reliability qualified. In addition, there are increasing scores of physics problem solving skills and self-directed learning skills of α = 5% with moderate category of n-gain consistent in a limited trial test and of high category in a broader trial test for all groups.

678-693

Authors: Serap Çalışkan

The aim of this research is to determine the predictive level of physics self-efficacy with regard to physics anxiety and the correlations between the physics anxiety and self-efficacy of pre-service teachers, also to examine whether physics anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs differ depending on pre-service teachers' achievement in physics and their gender. The research was conducted with 344 pre-service teachers enrolled at a state university in Turkey. The data obtained were analyzed using means (M), standard deviation (SD), simple regression analysis, the one-way multivariate analysis of variance (one-way MANOVA) and as a follow-up test, the univariate analysis of variance (univariate ANOVA). The outcome of the research indicating the physics anxiety of the pre-service teachers was a significant predictor of their physics self-efficacy, significant differences between physics anxiety and self-efficacy depending upon the level of achievement in the physics course, also showing that in general, female pre-service teachers had significantly higher levels of anxiety compared to males and that with respect to self-efficacy, differences were in favor of male pre-service teachers only in the dimension of problem-solving in physics.

706-722

Authors: Lwun-Syin Lwo, Jim- Hua Fu, Cheng-Chieh Chang

This research aims to explore the tendency of the New Ecological Paradigm and environmental concerns on local environmental issues of secondary school teachers. Two hundred seventy teachers were selected by stratified random and cluster sampling from 13 schools to participate in the survey. The seven teachers were interviewed on their concepts and beliefs on the ecological worldviews and local environmental concerns. The results of the research include: With high pro-environmental beliefs, most of the teachers expressed their concerns about the environment. However, teachers believe that “Human will eventually learn enough about how nature works to be able to control it,” which is labeled as anti-NEP item. It seems that teachers mostly notice to “human learn” not to “human control”. It also seems that teacher’ environmental worldviews may be affected by their career training. The results of the research provide some implication for strengthening teachers’ environmental endorsement and therefore to affect people’s environmental ethics and friendly behaviors.

733-745

Authors: King-Dow Su

This research focuses on students’ tactic assessments of 3 correlations with illustrated 2-step strategic map and animated presentations in stoichiometry. The participants were divided into 2 learning groups: the experimental and the control group by quasi-experimental approach. Most of all, experimental group participants have been contingent on critical performances of thinking capabilities in accordance with tactic fulfillments of 3 correlations helpfully. In contrast with statistic findings of post-tests, experimental group participants get more formulated goals of individual learning in answering 5 algorithmic and conceptual pairs of achievement test items than those of control group participants. Students’ shift of reasoning from model-based to case-based requires them to explore an effective mental cognition and responses for full-fledged performances of problem-solving skills. After tactic fulfillments for 3 study objectives of visualized developments, experimental group participants have upgraded a distinct learning accumulation and project-based feedback at their best learning performances.

761-779

Authors: Mundilarto, Helmiyanto Ismoyo

The aim of the research was to know the effect of implementation of problem-based learning model on students' physics achievement and critical thinking. The research was a quasi-experimental using a pre-test-post-test control group design. It was conducted at a state senior high school in Indonesia. The data were collected by a students' physics achievement test, a students' critical thinking test, and an observation sheet. The data were analysed by calculating normalized gain scores and hypothesis testing by using MANOVA with the significance level of .05 as criterion. The research results indicated that the average gain scores for students' physics achievement of the experimental and control groups were respectively .63 and .32, the average gain scores for students' critical thinking of the experimental and control groups were respectively .49 and .34, and a value of p is .0001 was obtained from the MANOVA calculation so that it is concluded that such learning as that in the experimental group is better in comparison with such learning as that in the control group. The results of this research are expected to increase insight and knowledge of teachers in implementing the learning process in the classroom so as to apply varied learning models.

797-812

Authors: Arif Rachmatullah, Sariwulan Diana, Minsu Ha

Conceptions of learning have been known as having influence on students’ learning outcomes, the one of which is science learning as to be a scientifically literate person. Even, the effects of students’ conceptions in learning have been known, but the contributing factors are still vague. This research aims to explore Indonesian high-school students’ conceptions of learning science (COLS), to find out if gender and students’ favorite science subject cause differences in their COLS, and to validate the COLS instrument by using Rasch analyses. Thirty-one items measuring six COLS were administered to 609 Indonesian high-school students. Rasch analyses, an independent sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and cluster analyses featuring chi-square tests of interdependence were used to answer the research questions. Based on the analyses, it was found that the COLS instrument was best fitted as six-dimensional. Gender difference was emerged in memorizing, and differences based on students’ favorite science subject were also found in memorizing and calculating and practicing. Finally, the results of cluster analyses showed that Indonesian students were divided into three different classes based on their COLS, and that the clusters were significantly related to the school locations.