Development and implementation of some subject areas of pure substances and mixtures unit based on design thinking

The aim of the study is to develop a module based on design thinking in some subject areas in the unit of pure substances and mixtures and to examine the development of students' conceptual learning, model-based explanations, and the change in both model-based explanations and conceptual learning over time. In addition, another objective of the study is to evaluate the views and experiences of the students participating in the study based on design thinking. The study was planned as a design-based empirical research. The study was conducted with 30 middle school 7th grade students. The quantitative data of the study were collected using the model-based explanations evaluation scale and the conceptual learning scale for the subject of mixtures. Qualitative data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire and project notebooks, and these data were used to qualitatively analyze students' views on design thinking and their experiences during the activity process. It was observed that the students who participated in the study improved the level of the elements they used and the connections they made about the concepts in the module created in the context of pure substances and mixtures unit based on design thinking. In addition, average scores were also collected from students' answers to open-ended questions about mixtures. When these scores were analyzed, it was determined that the average scores of the answers given to open-ended questions after the module was implemented also increased. According to the project notebooks in which the students clearly stated their views on design thinking, they comprehended the activities in the unit of pure substances and mixtures after the applications and expressed positive opinions after the activities. In summary, it was determined that model-based and conceptual learning made progress.