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an innovative approach

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In case of the teachers e.g. Mrs. Amp who was not confident in the chemical<br />

knowledge <strong>an</strong>d also not enthusiastic about the teacher-student interactions, mainly<br />

used reading homework to enh<strong>an</strong>ce the students’ adv<strong>an</strong>ced underst<strong>an</strong>ding. This study<br />

found that a majority of students held some misconceptions. Less th<strong>an</strong> half students<br />

(24%) in her class developed the scientific conceptions about the dark phase. Her<br />

students had less development of the adv<strong>an</strong>ced underst<strong>an</strong>ding th<strong>an</strong> Mr. Vyn’s<br />

students.<br />

Also, this study found that the number of students who understood the<br />

photosynthesis was in relation to the number of students who understood the nature of<br />

science. This study described the students’ underst<strong>an</strong>ding about the nature of science<br />

as follows.<br />

The teacher’s personal perception of the nature of science (NOS) indicates<br />

way of illuminating the three aspects of science that scientific ideas are subjected to<br />

ch<strong>an</strong>ge; that science dem<strong>an</strong>ds evidence; <strong>an</strong>d that science is a complex social activity.<br />

Mrs. Engka, who perceived underst<strong>an</strong>ding NOS as import<strong>an</strong>t as underst<strong>an</strong>ding<br />

photosynthesis concepts, consistently appeared to discuss about historical narratives<br />

involved photosynthesis. Also, she facilitated students’ experimentation, role play,<br />

problem solving, <strong>an</strong>d science project. This study found that a majority of her students<br />

could develop both the underst<strong>an</strong>ding about photosynthesis <strong>an</strong>d the underst<strong>an</strong>ding<br />

about NOS in three aspects.<br />

On the other h<strong>an</strong>d, Mr. Vyn <strong>an</strong>d Mrs. Amp, the teachers who perceived NOS<br />

as scientific concepts, appeared to teach NOS as similar to teach photosynthesis<br />

concepts. Mr. Vyn lectured NOS prior to experiment, role play <strong>an</strong>d science project<br />

based on the unit. Mrs. Amp informally used reading homework <strong>an</strong>d science project<br />

to illuminate the students’ underst<strong>an</strong>ding without discussion. The findings indicated<br />

that a majority of their students did not underst<strong>an</strong>d some aspects of NOS. Mr. Vyn’s<br />

students unclearly understood that scientific ideas were subjected to ch<strong>an</strong>ge. Mrs.<br />

Amp’s students did not underst<strong>an</strong>d that science dem<strong>an</strong>ded evidence <strong>an</strong>d scientific<br />

ideas were subjected to ch<strong>an</strong>ge. This study also found that their students who did not<br />

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