Skip to main content
Log in

Investigating the Effectiveness of a Constructivist-based Teaching Model on Student Understanding of the Dissolution of Gases in Liquids

  • Published:
Journal of Science Education and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

The research presented in this paper consisted of an investigation of the effectiveness of a four-step constructivist-based teaching activity on student understanding of how pressure and temperature influence the dissolution of a gas in a liquid. Some 44 Grade 9 students (18 boys and 26 girls) selected purposively from two school classes in the city of Trabzon, Turkey participated in the study. Students’ understanding were evaluated from examination of two items from a purpose-designed solution concept test, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and examination of students’ self-assessment exercises. Statistical analysis using two-way ANOVA of student test scores point to statistically-significant differences in test and total scores (p < 0.05) suggesting that the teaching activities employed help students achieve better conceptual understanding. Further, no statistically significant differences were seen between post-test and delayed test scores, suggesting that teaching the activities enable students to retain their new conceptions in their long-term memory. However, in a few instances the activities resulted in the development of new alternative conceptions, suggesting teachers need to be conscious of the positive and negative effects of any teaching intervention.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bodzin, A., Cates, W. M., and Price, B. (2003). Formative evaluation of the exploring life curriculum: Two-year implementation fidelity findings. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA

  • Bodzin, A., Cates, W. M., Price, B., and Pratt, K. (2003). Implementing a web-integrated high school biology Program. Paper presented at the National Educational Computing Conference, Seattle, WA

  • Coştu, B. (2006). Determining students’ conceptual change levels: Evaporation, condensation and boiling. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Institute of Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

  • Çalık, M., Ayas, A., and Coll, R. K. (2006a). A constructivist-based model for the teaching of dissolution of gas in a liquid. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching 7(1), Article 4

  • Çalık, M., Ayas, A., and Coll, R. K. (2006b). Enhancing pre-service primary teachers’ conceptual understanding of solution chemistry with conceptual change text. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. Published online 20 December, 2005

  • Çalık M., Ayas A., Ebenezer J. V. (2005). A review of solution chemistry studies: Insights into students’ conceptions. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14(1): 29–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çalık, M. (2003). A cross-age study of level of students’ understanding related to concepts in solution chemistry. Unpublished Master Thesis, Institute of Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

  • Duit R., Treagust D. F. (1998). Learning in science – from behaviorism towards social constructivism and beyond. In B. J. Fraser, K. G. Tobin (Eds.), International handbook of science education (pp. 3–25). London: Kluwer

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebenezer J. V., Gaskell P. J. (1995). Relational conceptual change in solution chemistry. Science Education, 79(1): 1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ebenezer J. (2001). A hypermedia environment to explore and negotiate students’ conceptions: Animation of the solution process of table salt. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 10: 73–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fensham P. J. (1992). Science and technology. In PW Jackson (Ed.), Handbook of research on curriculum. Macmillan, New York, pp. 789–829

    Google Scholar 

  • Guba E. G., Lincoln Y. S. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Sage, Newbury Park, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison A. G., Treagust D. F. (2001). Conceptual change using multiple interpretive perspectives: Two case studies in secondary school chemistry. Instructional Science, 29: 45–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glynn S. M., Takahashi T. (1998). Learning from analogy-enhanced science text. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35(10): 1129–1149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hynd C., Alvermann D., Qian G. (1997). Preservice elementary school teachers’ conceptual change about projectile motion: Refutation text, demonstration, affective factors, and relevance. Science Education, 81: 1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews M. R. (2002). Constructivism and science education: A further appraisal. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 11(2): 121–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merriam S. B. (1988). Case study research in education. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer D. H. (2003). Investigating the relationship between refutational text and conceptual change. Science Education, 87: 663–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilot A., Bulte M. W. (2006). What do you ‘need to know’? Context-based education. International Journal of Science Education 28(9): 953–956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pınarbaşı T., Canpolat N. (2003). Students’ understanding of solution chemistry concepts. Journal of Chemical Education, 80(11): 1328–1332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pınarbaşı, T. Canpolat, N., Bayrakçeken, S., and Geban, Ö. (2005). An investigation of effectiveness of conceptual change text-oriented instruction on students’ understanding of solution concepts. Research in Science Education (Published online) 17 March 2006

  • Prieto T., Blanco A., Rodriguez A. (1989). The ideas of 11 to 14-year-old students about the nature of solutions. International Journal of Science Education, 11(4): 451–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stavy R. (1990). Pupils’ problems in understanding conservation of matter. International Journal of Science Education, 12(5): 501–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taber K. S. (2001). The mismatch between assumed prior knowledge and the learner’s conceptions: A typology of learning impediments. Educational Studies, 27(2): 159–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teichert M. A., Stacy A. M. (2002). Promoting understanding of chemical bonding and spontaneity through student explanation and integration of ideas. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(6): 464–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tobin K. G., Capie W. (1981). The development and validation of a group test of logical thinking. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 41: 413–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Treagust D. F., Harrison A. G., Venville G. J. (1998). Teaching science effectively with analogies: An approach for preservice and inservice teacher education. Journal of Science Teacher Education 9(2): 85–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai C. C. (1999). Overcoming junior high school students’ misconceptions about microscopic views of phase change: A study of an analogy activity. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8(1): 83–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tytler R. (2002). Teaching for understanding in science: Constructivist/conceptual change teaching approaches. Australian Science Teachers’ Journal, 48(4): 30–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin R. K. (1994). Case study research design and methods (2nd ed). Sage, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Widodo, A., Duit, R., and Müller, C. (2002). Constructivist views of teaching and learning in practice: Teachers’ views and classroom behavior. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muammer Çalık.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Çalık, M., Ayas, A., Coll, R.K. et al. Investigating the Effectiveness of a Constructivist-based Teaching Model on Student Understanding of the Dissolution of Gases in Liquids. J Sci Educ Technol 16, 257–270 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-006-9040-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-006-9040-4

Keywords

Navigation