Identifying 12 th grade students misconceptions related to chemical bonding and the effect of constructivist approach on to break down these misconceptions

Ill ABSTRACT The purpose of this study to identify 12th grade students' misconceptions related to chemical bonding, and to compare effect of traditional teaching method and constructivist approach on to break down these misconceptions. The subject of this study consisted of total 81 students from two classes of lyceum III in Ankara - Yenimahalle Halide Edip Lyceum. The topic of chemical bonding was teach with traditional teaching method in one of two class (control group) and with constructivist approach in other class (experience group) during five weeks in fall semester 2000 - 2001 education year. Before teaching chemical bonding topic, an introductional material and diagnostic instrument (a = 0,55) which had two-tier multiple-choice items and determined frequency of misconceptions in chemical bonding were developed by way of search thoroughly relevant literature and evaluate interviews that those were made with 14 students in first class in Education Faculty of Gazi. As well, chemical bonding pre-knowledge test (a = 0,67) was developed. Research design was pretest - posttest control group design. Logical Thinking Ability Test, Scientific Process Skill Test, Chemical Bonding Pre- knowledge Test was given to students as pre-test; Chemical Bonding Concept Test was given to students as pre-test and post-test. After teaching chemical bonding it was made interviews with 13 students and determined their deeply ideas related to chemical bonding. As the results of this study, it was identified that students hold a lot of misconceptions related to chemical bonding. When controlling other factor, thereIV was no difference between the effect of traditional teaching method and constructivist approach on to break down these misconceptions (p>0,05). However, it was determined that students' pre-knowledges, logical thinking abilities and scientific process skills affected their understanding chemical bonding.