The effect of argumentation based science teaching on eliminating 8th grade students misconceptions about mutation-modification

In this study, it was aimed to determine the misconceptions of 8th grade secondary school students about mutation-modification and to examine the effect of argumentation-based science teaching in eliminating their misconceptions. In the study, a simple experimental design with a pretest-posttest pattern applied on a single group was used in order to observe the conceptual change of the students. The sample of the study consisted of 28 8th grade students studying in a secondary school in the Gölyaka district of Düzce province in the 2020-2021 academic year. The research sample was selected in accordance with the purposeful sampling method. As a data collection tool, two-stage diagnostic test was used to detect misconceptions, concept maps, concept cartoons, conceptual change texts, competing theories and statements tables were used to eliminate misconceptions. At the beginning of the research, the misconceptions of the students were determined by applying the two-stage diagnostic test as a pre-test. After the misconceptions were identified, concept education was completed with activities on mutation-modification within the scope of argumentation-based science teaching. At the end of the training, the two-stage diagnostic test was applied as a post-test and the misconceptions of the students were determined again. Related samples t-test was used to analyze the data in the study. Analyzes were made with the SPSS program. According to the results of the application, it was seen that the level of students' misconception at the beginning of the study decreased positively at the end of the study. It has been determined that the students have improved both in terms of the number of misconceptions and in terms of total points. Depending on the results, the study can also be done for misconceptions about other concepts in the 'DNA and Genetic Code' unit. Keywords: Argumentation-based Science education, Misconception, Mutation-modificatio