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Full-Text Articles in Education
Teaching For Conceptual Change And Conceptual Discrimination With Year 8 Science Students: An Exploratory Study Of The Topic 'Respiration', S. Morgillo
Theses : Honours
Research has shown that despite formal education, secondary and tertiary students hold a host of misconceptions about respiration. This exploratory study investigated whether a four phase conceptual change teaching strategy could overcome conceptual problems typically associated with respiration, in a Year 8 science class from a school in Perth, Western Australia. The strategy consisted of a Conceptual Awareness Phase, an Exposition Phase, a Misconception Awareness Phase and an Application Phase. Two-tier multiple choice test items used in previous studies to identify misconceptions about respiration were also used in this study, together with interviews. The encouraging results suggest that the implemented …
What Do Primary Students Know About Light?: An Investigation Into Misconceptions Held By Year 7 Students In Western Australia, Christine Ann Coulstock
What Do Primary Students Know About Light?: An Investigation Into Misconceptions Held By Year 7 Students In Western Australia, Christine Ann Coulstock
Theses : Honours
This research examines misconceptions about light held by Year 7 primary school students. The subjects (n = 37) were selected from six schools in the northeastern area of Perth, Western Australia. An Interview About Instances approach was used in this research using instance cards specifically designed for this study. Misconceptions were ascertained and those held by 25% or more of the students were considered significant. Misconceptions were found in the understanding of the physical and the physiological process of sight, the relationship of light to colour, night vision in animals and the distance light travels under different circumstances. The misconceptions …
Characteristics That Determine The Holding Power Of Computer-Based Exhibits At Scitech Discovery Centre, Victoria Dodds
Characteristics That Determine The Holding Power Of Computer-Based Exhibits At Scitech Discovery Centre, Victoria Dodds
Theses : Honours
Scitech Discovery Centre is a hands-on science and technology centre located in the city West Complex, West Perth. The centre contains over 160 interactive exhibits including a number of computer-based exhibits that cover topics not easily incorporated in standard interactive exhibits. The problem considered in this study was the observed low percentage of visitors completing the programmes at seven of these computer-based exhibits. The author used unobtrusive observation and survey methods of data collection, for 245 visitors, on sundays over a three month period. The study was to determine two things, firstly the holding power of the exhibits, and secondly, …
The Effect Of A Vee-Mapping Strategy On Students' Perceptions Of Laboratory Activities, Sonia J. Hueppauff
The Effect Of A Vee-Mapping Strategy On Students' Perceptions Of Laboratory Activities, Sonia J. Hueppauff
Theses : Honours
Practical work is considered important for learning science, by teachers and science educators. This acceptance though, has been reported as based on intuition rather than evidence (Atkinson & White, 1961). A significant proportion of class time is occupied with doing practical work. It is evident that in a majority of situations, students commence laboratory activities unsure of their aim, the procedure they are going to carry out, or that experimentation is a way of forming knowledge (Moreira, I 960; Novak & Gowin, I 964). Vee-maps (Novak & Gowin, 1 964) are one way of making laboratory work more meaningful. That …
Secondary Students' Difficulties With Designing A Controlled Experiment, Bradley E. Watson
Secondary Students' Difficulties With Designing A Controlled Experiment, Bradley E. Watson
Theses : Honours
This research investigation was conducted to identify the difficulties encountered by secondary science students in the design of a controlled experiment. These difficulties were illuminated by studying the combination of knowledge, skills and strategies employed by experts. Three categories of individuals were used in the study, Year 10 science students, Year 12 science students and science lecturers who had completed doctoral studies in their fields. There were six subjects interviewed in each category. Each of the subjects were given a task which involved thinking aloud while planning a controlled experiment. When the subjects had completed the task, they were asked …