Using multiple levels of representations to teach physical and chemical change in science classroom


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Savaşcı Açıkalın F., Demir Güldal M.

NARST, Oregon, United States Of America, 15 - 18 March 2020, pp.106-108, (Full Text)

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • City: Oregon
  • Country: United States Of America
  • Page Numbers: pp.106-108
  • Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
  • Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Affiliated: No

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate how preservice teachers use multiple levels of representations to explain and teach physical and chemical changes in science classrooms.  Research questions were designed as follows: (a) How do preservice teachers understand physical and chemical change? (b) How do they teach physical and chemical change in grade 6-8? A qualitative research method was adopted in the study. Participants were forty two preservice science teachers. Data were collected from open-ended questionnaires and lesson plans.  Data collection took four weeks. Firstly, participants were asked to explain and draw their understanding after watching four videos related to physical change and chemical change at the macroscopic level. Secondly, they were asked to prepare lesson plans for teaching physical and chemical change.  Findings indicated that participants had more scientific representations of physical change than those of chemical change. Most of the participants had difficulty to explain dissolving salt in water (19%) and sublimation of dry ice (28%) while they had more scientific representations related to dissolving sugar and ink in water. A majority of the participants did not have scientific representations of chemical changes. An analysis of lesson plans indicated that participants did not integrate multiple levels of representations to teach physical and chemical changes in their classrooms.