The Determination and elimination of misconceptions related with chemical equilibrium in second year high scool student

Ill THE DETERMINATION AND ELIMINATION OF MISCONCEPTIONS RELATED WITH CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN SECOND YEAR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT (M.Sc. Thesis) Hüseyin AKKUŞ GAZI UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY September 2000 ABSTRACT In this study, the misconceptions related with chemical equilibrium were determined and the effects of the constructivist approach and traditional instructional method upon the recognition of the concepts related with chemical equilibrium were comparatively examined in second year high school students. The study was realized in two different classes with a total student of 71 though by the same teacher in the second term of the 1999-2000 academic year. One class was taken as the control and the second one as an experimental class. The control group was thought with the traditional instruction method while constructivist approach was employed in the experimental group. The study was carried out for a period of five weeks and both groups were subjected a conceptual test, designed to determine the success of the student in the realization of concepts related with chemical equilibrium, before and after the study. The conceptual test was used in order to measure the success of the students in understanding of the concepts of the chemical equilibrium and thescientific calculation skill test was employed in order to determine whether the scientific calculation skills of the students had any effect in their understanding of the chemical equilibrium concepts. A total of 17 students who took the highest, medium and the lowest marks in both classes were interviewed. Each interview took an average of 30-40 minutes and recorded in a tape. All the interviews were carefully analysed and the bases of the conceptual skills of the students and the misconceptions after the education were determined. The hypotheses of this study were put into test by the use of t-test and ANCOVA (Analysis of covariance) analysis. The results of these analysis indicated that the success of the students thought with the restructuring approach was higher than those though with the traditional instruction method and the constructivist approach was much more successful in the elimination of the misconceptions compared with the traditional method. It was also concluded that the scientific calculation skills of the students and their previous knowledge were important factors in this success. Science code : 88 Key Words: Constructivist Approach, Traditional Instructional Method, Misconception, Chemical Equilibrium, Science Process Skills Test Page number : 312 Adviser : Prof. Dr. Basri ATASOY