AYVACI, Hakan Şevki Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi - Fatih Eğitim Fakültesi - İlköğretim Bölümü, Turkey , BAKIRCI, Hasan Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi - Fatih Eğitim Fakültesi - İlköğretim Bölümü, Turkey , YILDIZ, Mehmet Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi - Fatih Eğitim Fakültesi - İlköğretim Bölümü, Turkey

The Student s Understating Level of Mass, Weight and Gravity Concepts at Different Grades

17196

It is a well known fact that there is a couple of problems encountered in teaching some specific basic concepts such as mass, weight and gravity in terms of Science and Technology course. Learners produce alternative concepts regarding these if these problems were not removed. This paper reveals developmental process of mass, weight and gravity concepts in learners’ minds and to determine the effect of curriculums in this process. Sample of the study covers 189 students from city centre of Trabzon. 68 students are primary, 65 students are elementary and 56 students are university levels. A survey consisting open ended questions was implemented in the study to make learners explain mass, weight and gravity concepts. Besides, innovative research method was employed in the study. Frequencies and percentages of the answers given in response to open ended questions in the survey are demonstrated in tables. In order to support survey data, 6 students were interviewed in total with 2 students from each level. As a result of the research, it was concluded that these concepts are not thoroughly comprehended by none of the grades. It was observed that students from different grades possess alternative concepts existing in literature regarding these concepts. Another attention-drawing conclusion was that students used formulas while explaining the concepts as the grade increased. Depending on the conclusions obtained from the study, some recommendations were made.

381

Science Education , Mass , Weight , Gravity , Alternative Concepts , Students From Different Grades.

Journal Of Uludag University Faculty Of Education

397