The effect of conceptual change approach on 8th grade students? understanding of fhotosentesis and respiration in plants concepts

The main purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of instructions one based on conceptual change approach and the other based on traditional science instruction on eight grade primary school students? understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants concepts. And also students? attitudes toward science was investigated.The group of the study were 60 eight class students, who are in three diffrent classes of two different primary scholls. Treatment was carried out in the first semester of 2007-2008 education year. Two of groups was called experimental group and instructed with conceptual change texts, the other group was called control group and was instructed with traditionally designed science instruction over a period of four weeks. Photosynthesis and Respiration in Plants Success Test, Attitude Scale Towards Science and to evaluate students? learning sytles Grasha-Reichman Learning Style Scale were administered to both groups of students. The students in experimental group also received Attitude Scale Towards Conceptual Change Texts.The hypotheses were tested by using, t-test, ANOVA and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results of the research showed that, no significant difference was found in photosynthesis and respiration in plants subject success and attitudes toward science between groups. As another result, any significant difference was found between student?s success and attitude score means who have different learning styles.