The Effect of the conflict map instruction on the alternative conceptions change about air pressure

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of the conflict mapinstruction on the alternative conceptions of 7th grade students about air pressureschool. The students? ideas about science courses based on the conflict mapinstruction were also investigated in the study.This study is a quasi-experimental study with experimental and controlgroup. A science test devoleped by the researchers was applied as pre and post-testto both experimental and control group. The alternative conceptions of both groupswere analyzed according to the results of the pre-test. Science courses in theexperimental group were taught by the conflict map instruction, but the courses inthe control group were taught by just doing the activities in the textbook about airpressure. In the end of the application, the opinions of the students? in theexperimental group were acquired by two open-ended questions.When the means of pre-tests of both groups were compared, a statisticallysignificant difference was found. Therefore, to compare experimental and controlgroup means, ANCOVA test was applied. ANCOVA statistics showed that thesuccess of the students? in the experimental group which were taught by the conflictmap instruction increased more than the other group.Qualitative data, was collected by two-open-ended questions method wasused. In the first question, students were asked to write three advantages of theconflict map instruction; in the second question they were asked to write threedisadvantages of the instruction. Descriptive method was applied in the analysis ofthe qualitative data.Results revealed that the students in the experimantal groupexpressed positive opinions about the conflict map instruction. This indicated thatthe students were satisfied with the conflict map instruction.Key Words: Elementary Science, Alternative Conceptions, Conceptual Change,Conflict Map