The effect of conceptual change texts on the pre-service primary teachers? understanding of physical and chemical change topics

It is important to overcome teachers? and students? misconceptions in order not to form the new knowledge on the mistaken concepts. It has been found out that various materials are needed especially in teaching the subjects which pre-service primary teachers who will educate first year students starting the basic education, have misconceptions. In this line, the aim of the study is to investigate into the effect of conceptual change texts used in 5E teaching model based on constructivist approach on the preservice primary teachers? understanding of physical and chemical change topics. The sample of the study consisted of 90 freshmen pre-service teachers enrolling Primary Education Program at Rize University. In this study, quasi experimental method was used and it was conducted with 3 groups namely Experimental Group, Control Group 1 and Control Group 2. As a data collection tool, Physical and Chemical Change Concept Test (PCCCT), Interview and Conceptual Change Texts Attitude Scale (CCTAS) were utilized. As a result of the pilot test consisted of 20 questions, KR-20 reliability co-efficient was determined as 0,76. Also, students were provided some blanks following each of the questions to write down the reasons of their choice for the questions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 pre-service teachers, 5 from each group. F-test and dependent t-test were used for the data analysis. Second part of the test was analyzed as categories such as ?understanding?, ?partial understanding?, ?misconception?, ?no response?. In the interview, by gathering the points obtained from all questions, a total point for each preservice teacher was calculated and they were compared on a chart. The results of the study showed that compared with the preservice teachers in the other group, preservice teachers in the experimental group in which conceptual change texts were used developed better understanding about physical and chemical change. Besides, it was determined that experimental group preservice teachers? attitude toward the conceptual change texts are quite high. Some suggestions were made in regarded of the study results.