an innovative approach

The findings illustrated holding the misconceptions, in particular plant
food. Teaching by an emphasis on correcting the misconceptions was initiated as a
basis of developing the understanding about photosynthesis. A correcting way had
been organized through Mrs. Engka’s practices in the classroom.
5.1.1) Mrs. Engka’s Practices on Principle I
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Mrs. Engka’s classroom observations and interviews strongly
indicated that she consistently corrected the Grade 11 students’ misconception about
introductory photosynthesis including role of chlorophyll, plant food, plant materials,
plants and light energy and simple photosynthesis process. She appeared confident to
teach. She used the worksheet “what is plant food?” and the game “Circus of
misconceptions (True or False)” to elicit the misconceptions. Her teaching focused
on using the booklet “Why do plants make sugar?” as source of information to correct
the misconceptions, and using classroom discussion and concept mapping to evaluate
the conceptions. After Mrs. Engka’ practices, most of students appeared to correct the
misconceptions. Four students selected to in-depth study detailed the conceptual
change.
5.1.2) Student Understanding about Introductory Photosynthesis
The surveys and interviews with student indicated that most of
the students corrected the misconceptions, including plant food, plant and light
energy, simple photosynthesis process and equation and plant materials.
Most of the students changed their conceptual from the
misconceptions to the scientific conception. They fully understood that sugar was
plant food. Only five percentages retained the misconceptions that water instead of
sugar was the food.
It became more students who scientifically understood about
plant and light energy. There was no student telling that chlorophyll supplied energy