Misconceptions of primary school candidate teacher`s in heat and temperature subject and the effect of constructivism in recovering these concepts

IV ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify the misconceptions of primary school candidate teachers' in heat and temperature subject, and to test the effect of construction to conventional method in recovering these concepts in the students' cognitive structures. knowledge. comprehension. appliement study levels. In this research the sample consisted of 60 second class university students who where in Science Education Laboratory-I course at the Gazi University Kırşehir Education Faculty Department of Primary School Education. The research was conducted during the 2002-2003 spring semester. In this research, Pre- Post Test Control Group Design was used. The subjects of this study was divided into two groups (experimental and control) randomly. The control group were taught under conventional method, while the experimental group were taught under constructivist method. Then laboratory activities were used in both groups. t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for testing the hypotheses of the study. The results showed that, students who were taught under constructivist method scored significantly higher than the students who were taught under conventional method in recovering these concepts. The results also indicated that attitue towards science and laboratory in both groups were not significantly different and it was seen that logical thinking ability of students were not significantly different.From the findings of this research, one can conclude that constructivist teaching method will be more effective in recovering these concepts in the students' cognitive structures