A case study on development of heat and temperature concepts in process of problem-based learning

The purpose of this study is to investigate development of basic concepts related to heat and temperature concepts that arouse certain difficulties in the learning processes of the students and relationship between these concepts in the Problem?Based Learning (PBL) process. For this aim, the concepts of heat, temperature and internal energy were selected in order to investigate. Heat transfer, phase boundary and expansion processes were also addressed as examples.In this study, purposive sample was composed of 13 second year voluntary students in the department of Physics Teaching in the Faculty of Education in Gazi University who did not take the Thermodynamics lesson. Data obtained from the participants were analysed through qualitative and quantitative techniques. A multiple-choice conceptual test was applied as a pre-test and post-test. Furthermore, students were asked to assess the process of PBL by filling some forms. Through five weeks, semi-structured interviews were applied with six of participants about concepts and events every week. Data belonging to one of these students were analysed in detail. Triangulation was used in this analysis. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data. Techniques of the grounded theory were used for qualitative data by using descriptive analysis and content analysis statistics.Relationships between participant's thoughts were revealed with the help of grounded theory. As a result, participant?s learning process was described. Findings of research showed that the concept of heat was defined by including internal energy concept. The heat concept prevent to the learning of internal energy concept. Radiation which is one of the heat transfer ways is known the least. The concept of temperature is perceived best, but cannot be identified easily. Furthermore, it was determined to PBL has positive contribution to conceptual change process. What?s more, PBL process has positive effects on affective domain.