The effect of constructivist role-play instruction method on conceptual achievement and perception, interest and attiude of lise 2 (grade 10) about dissolution of substances

Ill THE EFFECT OF CONSTRUCTIVIST ROLE-PLAY INSTRUCTION METHOD ON CONCEPTUAL ACHIEVMENT AND PERCEPTION, INTEREST AND ATTITUDE OF LİSE 2 (GRADE 10) ABOUT DISSOLUTION OF SUBSTANCES (Ph.D. Thesis) Nusret KAVAK GAZI UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY September 2004 ABSTRACT While the use of role-play as an instruction method in social fields like teaching of language has very old history it is very new in science education. The key feature of role play, which appealed to us, lay in its potential to assist students to develop and create their own mental models as, in trying to understand science students draw on available mental models. Often in science these mental models create a view of a microscopic world which is inferred from observation of, and the applications of, theories to explain phenomena. In this context, it can be used in teaching concepts, which are difficult to understand and usually misunderstood, like dissolution of substances. The purpose of the study is to compare and contrast constructivist role-play instruction method and traditional instruction method in teaching the concept of dissolution of substances to Lise 2 students. This study was administered to total 66 Lise 2 students consist of 43 students enrolled in 50. Yıl High School and 23 students enrolled in M. Rüştü Uzel Chemistry High School. The students from 50.Yil High School were divided into two groups, one of which was identified as control group and the other as experimental group. The students from in M. RüştüIV Uzel Chemistry High School were designated as control group. In control g roups, t raditional i nstruction m ethod was u sed tot each t he concept of dissolution of substances, while in experimental group, constructivist role-play instruction method was used to teach same concept. Knowledge Test, Logical Thinking Test, Visualization of Rotations Test, Attitude and Perception towards Chemistry, and Dissolution of Substance Concept Test were applied prior to study as pre-test and Dissolution of Substance Concept Test was applied as post-test. In analyzing the results of data obtained ANCOVA was used. In addition, a total of 11 students from both groups were interviewed. The findings of this study indicated that constructivist role-play teaching method was more effective in producing conceptual change and visualization of dissolution of substances than traditional instruction method. Science Code : 405.03.00 Key Words : Role-play instruction method, constructivist learning approach, conceptual change, misconception, dissolving, Page Number : 190 Adviser : Prof. Dr. Fitnat KÖSEO?LU