The effect of an argumentation-centered class environment on the conceptual change about acid-base and the understanding nature of science

The objective of this thesis is to research the effect of an argumentation centered classroom environment on the conceptual changes about acid-base, on the understanding of the nature of science of 8th grade students in comparison to the class environment where traditional teaching methods are applied.The sampling of this research which uses quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design constitutes of a total of 64 students who were studying the first semestre of 2008-2009 academic year from two schools that is connected to the Province of Ankara: Türkoğlu Primary School class 8-A (32 students) and Misket Primary School class 8-C (32 students). The sample was chosen by the easily reachable sampling method and one of the classes was randomly determined as the experimental group and the other as the control group. While the lessons in the control group were being taught with traditional methods, the lessons of the experimental group were being taught in an argumentation-centered environment where the configuration of concepts and the explicit-reflective approach to understanding the nature of science were combined with scientific reasoning patterns.The data of this research consists of quantitative data. The quantitative data was obtained by using six measuring vehicles: Acid-Base Concept Test, Acid-Base Achievement Test, The Nature of Scientific Knowledge Scale, Scientific Reasoning Test, Attitudes Towards Science and Technology Lesson Scale was applied to the experimental and control group students in the form of pretest-posttest. In addition, the Argumentative Survey was applied only to the experimental group students in the form of pretest-posttest.The quantitative data obtained during the research was evaluated by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science). The hypotheses were tested with t-test and Ancova (Analysis of Covariance) analysis.The statistical analysis results of the quantitative data showed that the conceptual changes about acid-base, the understanding of the nature of science, the development of scientific reasoning abilities and the attitudes towards science and technology class of the experimental group students were significantly better in comparison to the control group students. Moreover, it was determined through the results of statistical analysis that the experimental group students? enthusiasm towards discussion had increased after the application.