Effects of conceptual text based discussion method on students? achievement towards electrical potential energy and electrical potential concepts: Example of Gazi University, second year Physics Education students

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of conceptual text based discussion method on second year (sophomore) Gazi University Physics Education students? achievement toward ?electrical potential energy (EPE)? and ?electric potential (EP)? concepts. The study was conducted, in 2010-2011 spring semester, with 26 second year students enrolled in Gazi University Physics Education program. The study is an example of one-group case study.In the study, ?Electrical Potential Energy and Electric Potential Concepts Achievement Test (EPEEPCAT)? is used as a measurement tool that includes 10 open-ended questions developed by the researcher. After assessing students? pre-knowledge on ?EPE? and ?EP? concepts by EPEEPCAT, 5 conceptual texts were developed in accordance with Paul Hewitt?s conceptual approach to use in teaching these concepts. These conceptual texts were constructed in order to teach concepts that students had difficulties in pretest and to remediate the related misconceptions which are reported in literature. Conceptual text based discussion method was implemented for 3 weeks (6 x 3 = 18 lecture hours). Subsequently, EPEEPCAT was administered again as posttest in the study.In this study, analysis of pre and post tests were done with descriptive analysis method which is one of the quantitative analysis methods in order to investigate effects of conceptual text based discussion based instruction on students? achievement towards ?EPE? and ?EP? concepts. As descriptive analysis of tests was done, students? answers were categorized into four groups as follow: ?Correct Knowledge?, ?Partial Correct Knowledge?, ?Wrong Knowledge?, and ?Incomprehensible Expressions?. Also, frequency analysis of expressions in each category was done. In addition, students? pre and post test scores are given over 100 points by using detailed rubric developed by the researcher and standardized gain scores of instruction was calculated. Since standardized gain scores of instruction is found 0.44 ( = 0.44), it indicates that the effect of conceptual text based discussion based instruction on students? achievement towards ?EPE? and ?EP? is medium level.Keywords: Physics Education, Conceptual Approach, Conceptual Texts, Discussion Based Instruction