an innovative approach

misconceptions. According to the two surveys, Introductory Photosynthesis Survey
(IPS) and Advanced Photosynthesis Survey (APS), those were aimed to probe
students’ understanding of photosynthesis along with its relation to the environment
and the nature of science before and after teaching respectively.
4. Environmental Conservation
There was the students’ practice on using/applying knowledge of
photosynthesis to conserve the environment around their place, school and
community. The practice was observed and/or interviewed based on their planning;
operating and reporting on the science project. The project could be collection and
experiment, survey and report, poster/display, model and demonstration or research
project, and provide basic information for the environmental conservation.
5. Nature of Science
The nature of science which was integrated in the teaching intervention
emphasized the three aspects of science (IPST, 2002) which are that scientific ideas
are subjected to change, science demands evidence, and science is a complex social
activity. The nature of science was addressed in the two surveys, the interviews and
the learning activities such as historical narrative, experimentation, problem-solving
and a science project.
Summary
Thai students had been expected to understand photosynthesis based on the
National Education Act of 1999 (ONEC, 2000a) and the National Science Curriculum
(IPST, 2002). However, Grade 11 students’ learning about photosynthesis had not
appeared to accomplish the expectation. Also, old traditional teaching about
photosynthesis did not obviously appear to promote better learning. Consequently,
the development of a teaching approach that was based on constructivist belief of
learning was claimed to be a way to promote better learning. Therefore, this study
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