The effectiveness of conceptual change approach on the views of nature of science and academic achievement in light unit

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the conceptual change approach, explicit reflective approach and the book of Ministry of National Education on students' views of nature of science (NOS), and academic achievement. The study was carried out in the light unit context at the 7th grade. Participants were 66 students in three intact groups. Two of the three groups, including 22 students, were assigned to in the experimental study groups and the other was assigned as a control group. One of the experimental groups learned NOS through a conceptual change approach. The requirements of conceptual change approach were fulfilled by conceptual change texts and concept clipboard. The other experimental group learned NOS through explicit reflective approach. The course book of Ministry of National Education was used in the control group. The study was conducted by mixed methodology. An open-ended questionnaire in conjunction with semistructured interviews was used to assess three different interventions' effects on students NOS views. The NOS views were analyzed under the category of informed, transitional, and naive. The data related to academic achievement were obtained by the Achievement Test of Light Unit. Kruskall-Wallis Test was used for the comparison of academic achievement among three groups.The results of the study indicated that conceptual change approach was the most effective intervention in the teaching of NOS. It was concluded that teaching of NOS in science courses had neither positive nor negative effect on academic achievement.