Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of conceptual change text oriented instruction accompanied by demonstrations in small groups (CCTI) on ninth grade students’ achievement and understanding levels of ecology, attitudes towards biology, and attitudes towards environment.
The instruments used in this study were the Test of Ecological Concepts (TEC), the Attitude Scale towards Biology (ASB), the Attitude Scale towards Environment (ASE), and the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT). All data were collected from the public high school in Balikesir in the Spring Semester of 2001-2002. 88 students from four classes and two teachers were included in this study. Two of the classes were called control group and two of them were called experimental group. While the TEC, ASE and ASB were administered to all of the students as pre- and post-tests, the TOLT were conducted as pre-test.
Data related to the TEC, ASB, and ASE were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The results of the MANCOVA showed that there was significant effect of the treatment which was the conceptual change texts oriented instruction accompanied by demonstrations in small groups on the TEC, while there were no significant effect of the treatment on the attitudes towards biology and attitudes towards environment.
Keywords: Ecology, Conceptual Change Oriented Instruction, Conceptual Change Text, Demonstration, Small Group Work, Attitude towards Biology, Attitude towards Environment, and Logical Thinking Ability.
Language: English
Reference:
Çetin, Gülcan, “The Effect of Conceptual change instruction on understanding of ecology concepts”, Ph.D., Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, December 2003, 257 pages
Correspondence
Dr. Gülcan Çetin
Middle East Technical University,
Faculty of Education,
Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, METU,
ANKARA, 06531-TURKEY
Phone: (0090) 312 2103652
Fax:(0090) 312 2101257
e-mail: gcetin@metu.edu.tr or: gulcan_cetin@hotmail.com
