Increasing the presence of Einsteinian physics in high school: the impact of a professional development program on teacher knowledge and practice
Teacher Development, Jan 6, 2022
ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of a professional development program aimed at encourag... more ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of a professional development program aimed at encouraging high school teachers to include more modern physics in their enacted classroom curricula through improved content and pedagogical knowledge. The program was implemented with 17 high school physics teachers (three were the focal point of this study) in Turkey. A multi-case study using mixed-methods analysis followed by a cross-case analysis revealed conceptual and pedagogical gains. Teachers’ higher scores on an achievement test indicated their development of increased subject-matter knowledge. Further, classroom observation revealed a shift from lecturing to dialogic practices centered on student sense-making such as discussion, questioning, and interactive use of technology (simulations, videos). In alignment with the professional development, teachers devoted more instructional time to modern physics, increased the conceptual scope of their lessons (more concepts were taught), and adopted instructional approaches that were more dialogic. It is argued that the combined use of legal mandate and teacher development can help address the problematic status of Einsteinian physics as an absent curriculum at the high school level.
Hacettepe Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi-hacettepe University Journal of Education, Jun 1, 1999
In this research, the factors affecting the students' attitudes toward physics were investigated.... more In this research, the factors affecting the students' attitudes toward physics were investigated. In order to find the effects of six independent variables namely socioeconomicstatus,prioracmevement,cumulative GPA, future occupation, locus of control and achievement in mathon students'attitudestowardphysicswere examined. Three scales; Physics Attitude Scale, Socioecononllc Status Scale and Locus of Control Scale were developed and administered to 317 high school students. Multiple Regression and Correlation Analysis (MRC) was used to analyze the data obtained from the scales. This research showed that the combined effect of these six independent variables on students' attitudestowardphysics is significanl. The unique effects of future occupation, locus of control, achievement in math and prior achievement were significantfactors while the uniqueeffects of socioeconomic status and cumulative GPA were nol.
Hacettepe Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi-hacettepe University Journal of Education, Jun 1, 2000
The purpose of this study was to find out how pre-service and in-service science teachers' percep... more The purpose of this study was to find out how pre-service and in-service science teachers' perceptions differ on the characteristics of good science teachers. In order to obtain this information, 29 pre-service science teachers who are senior students studying science teaching in English and 29 in-service science teachers who are science teachers in Anatolian and Private high schools in central Ankara were given a questionnaire about good science teachers' characteristics. The questionnaire has 50 questions and established over six categories that are teachers' classroom behavior and relationships, teaching and other experiences, school and community relations, confidence on subject matter, professional activities, and bilingualism. For analyzing the data, mean and standard deviation and frequency analysis of each category were used. The results indicated that in-service science teachers' perceptions were significantly different than pre-service science teachers' perceptions about all categories except confidence on subject matter.
This paper attempted to investigate the combined and individual effects o f certain independent v... more This paper attempted to investigate the combined and individual effects o f certain independent variables (teachers' characteristics, gender, experience in teaching, age, students' gender, grade level and schools' conditions) on students' attitudes toward physics. The study was conducted with 317 tenth and eleventh grade Science students frorn 5 high schools in Ankara. İn this study, a physics attitudes scale and a physics teachers' characteristics scale were used. These tests consisted o f 56 Likert-type questions. İn order to analyze the obtained data, Multiple Regression and Correlation Analysis (MRC) was used. The results indicated that the combined effect o f these independent variables on students' attitudes towardphysics was significant. Also the teachers' characteristics, gender, experience in teaching, age, students' gender, and schools' conditions individually affected the students' attitudes towardphysics signifîcantly but grade level did not.
This study investigated the effect of the metacognitive instruction in which students' epistemic ... more This study investigated the effect of the metacognitive instruction in which students' epistemic cognitions were explicitly addressed, on tenth-grade students' conceptual understandings regarding force and motion. The participants of the study included 107 (49 female, 58 male) tenth-grade students at two public high schools. A quasi-experimental design was employed. Two intact classes of each school were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The Force and Motion Conceptual Tests I and II were administered to assess the students' conceptual understandings in force and motion. A survey was applied to probe the students' prior epistemic cognitions in physics. The results of the study revealed that the metacognitive instruction was more effective than the expository teaching in terms of promoting students' conceptual understandings. A statistically significant interaction between the treatment and the students' prior epistemic cognitions was also observed. The students with higher pre-epistemic cognitions got higher conceptual scores in the experimental group whereas the conceptual development of the control group students was independent of their pre-epistemic cognitions.
Hacettepe Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi-hacettepe University Journal of Education, Jun 1, 2000
ÖZET: Bu çalışma, yurtdışında bu alanda yapılan araştırmaların Türk üniversite öğrenci leri ile y... more ÖZET: Bu çalışma, yurtdışında bu alanda yapılan araştırmaların Türk üniversite öğrenci leri ile yapılmış bir tekrarı niteliğindedir. Çalışmanın amaçları; (i) üniversite öğrencilerinin mekaniğe giriş dersindeki kavram yanılgılarını (misconceptions) ölçecek bir testin düzenlenmesi ve geliştirilmesi, ve (ii) ODTÜ birinci sınıf öğrencilerinin mekaniğe giriş konusundaki kavram yamlgılarının taranmasıdır. 46, Türkçe çoktan seçmeli sorudan oluşan mekanik kavram yanılgısı testi ön test olarak 946 ve son test olarak 506 üniversite birinci sınıf öğrencisine mekaniğe giriş dersinde uygulandı, Sonuçların betimsel istatistik metodları ile analizi sonucu, öğrencilerin han:~i konuda ve ne kadar kavram yanılgısına sahip oldukları bulundu, Sonuçlar üç ana kategoride incelendi. I, Aristo fiziği, 2, İmpetus fiziği, ve 3, Grafiklerin yorumlanması, Aıisto fiziği üç kısımda incelendi; I, İdeale karşı gerçek sistemler, 2. Hareket kuvvetin göstergesidir, ve 3. Kuvvet, iv me ile değil hız ile doğru orantılıdır. İmpetus fiziğinde doğrusal impetus incelendi. Grafiklerin yorumlanması kısmında, öğrencilerin konumzaman grafiğinde yükseklik ile eğim arasında kavram yamlgıları incelendi. Bu kavram y.mılgılarının detayları, yüzdelikleri ve diğer ülkelerdeki çalışmalar ile karşılaştırılması detaylı olarak yapıldı.
The effects of conceptual assignments, conceptual change discussions, and a cai program emphasizing cognitive conflict on students' achievement and misconceptions in physics
ABSTRACT Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida Institute of Technology, 1996. Includes bibliographical referen... more ABSTRACT Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida Institute of Technology, 1996. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-109). System requirements: IBM AT, PS/2, 80286 CPU or higher; MS-DOS.
In this study, we aimed to develop an instrument that could be used to measure students' achievem... more In this study, we aimed to develop an instrument that could be used to measure students' achievement in modern physics at high school level in a valid and reliable manner. The study was carried out in fall 2013-2014 with a total of 304 students. In this study, expert opinions were obtained to determine the test's content validity. The reliability of the test was obtained via Cronbach's alpha, which produced reliability coefficients that fell within acceptable limits. Item analysis were conducted to eliminate improper items. Based on these findings, it could be concluded that the test is an instrument that produces valid and reliable measures, and that can be used to determine students' achievement in modern physics.
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, Nov 6, 2015
One way to fascinate, engage, arouse curiosity, motivate, and stimulate intellectual development ... more One way to fascinate, engage, arouse curiosity, motivate, and stimulate intellectual development in learning scientific concepts is to use counterintuitive questions. These questions make students aware of the inadequacies of their own thinking by exposing them to situations whose outcomes are inconsistent with what they would expect. In this study, a counterintuitive dynamics test (CIDT) is developed and administered to high school students along with the force concept inventory (FCI). After expert reviews, the initial version of the test consisting of 39 questions was administered to 87 students as a pilot study. After item analysis, a final version of 30 questions was developed; its internal consistency reliability coefficient was calculated as 0.826. The CIDT and FCI were administered to 229 students from 9 different high schools in Turkey. The results indicated that while in FCI students were mostly affected by everyday experiences and while in CIDT by carelessness and a superficial approach. Average scores for both tests were roughly equal and low. The results showed that the CIDT is a new test that measures another dimension of dynamic concepts and should be used along with the FCI.
Bu çalışmanın amacı Basit Elektrik Devreleri konusunda öğrencilerin başarısını ölçmek için geçerl... more Bu çalışmanın amacı Basit Elektrik Devreleri konusunda öğrencilerin başarısını ölçmek için geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçüm aleti geliştirmektir. İlk olarak öğretim programı dikkate alınarak bir kazanım listesi hazırlanmış, sonra bu kazanımlara uygun sorular seçilmiştir. Test son halini almadan önce uzman görüşleri alınmış, yirmi öğrenciyle pilot çalışması yapılmış ve kapsam geçerliliği için test belirtke tablosu oluşturulmuştur. Basit Elektrik Devreleri Başarı Testi (BEDBT) son halini aldıktan sonra 307 11.sınıf öğrencisine uygulanmış, test sonuçlarının güvenirlik katsayı (Cronbach alpha) 0,896 olarak bulunmuştur. Yapılan madde analizi (ITEMAN) ile testin ortalama madde güçlük ve ayırt edicilik endeksleri sırasıyla 0,554 ve 0,447 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Bu sonuçlar geliştirilen BEDBT ile geçerli ve güvenilir sonuçlara ulaşıldığını göstermektedir. Bazı soru maddeleri ise öğrencilerin başarı seviyelerine göre ayrıca tartışılmıştır. Sonuç olarak BEDBT hem diğer bilimsel çalışmalarda hem de müfredata uygun olarak hazırlanması dolayısıyla lise fizik öğretmenlerinin sınıf içi değerlendirme süreçlerinde kullanabilecekleri geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçüm aracıdır.
This study investigated the effect of metacognitively stimulated 7E learning cycle on tenth grade... more This study investigated the effect of metacognitively stimulated 7E learning cycle on tenth grade students' epistemological understandings in physics. The participants of the study included 107 (49 Female, 58 Male) tenth grade students at two public high schools in Ankara. A quasi-experimental with matching-only pretest-posttest control group design was employed. Two intact classes of each school were randomly assigned to the experimental and control group. The experimental group was instructed based on the metacognitive 7E learning cycle while the control group was taught with the teacher-centered instruction. The Turkish Physics 1. This study is produced from the first author's dissertation and a part of it was presented at World Conference on Physics Education (2012, Istanbul).
Teacher professional development, in particular, has been at the center of efforts designed to in... more Teacher professional development, in particular, has been at the center of efforts designed to increase teaching practice and the learning of students. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the 'teacher-led PD for teachers' program, developed by the researchers, on students' achievements. The study was conducted with six high school physics teachers and 306 students in Turkey. The professional development intervention lasted for seven weeks, and teachers had 21 hours of professional development regarding modern physics at high school level. The results of ANCOVA showed that there was a significant effect of the teacher-led PD for teachers program on students' achievements. The successful implementation indicated that the teacher-led PD for teachers program possesses effective characteristics of professional development and can improve student achievement.
The study described in this paper attempted ta investigate the cambined and individual effects af... more The study described in this paper attempted ta investigate the cambined and individual effects af certain variables (gender, cagnitive develapment and saciaeco.namic status (SES» an physics achievemenL We used a physics achievement test, lagical thinking ability test and a saciaecanamic status questiannaire ta assess 35 high schaal secand grade students' physics achievement, cagnitive level and saciaecanamic level. We used Multiple Regressian and Carrelatian Analysis (MRC) for analyzing data abtained from thase tests. The analysis af data revealed that male students generally gat higher scores in physics than female students. The cagnitive level af students did nat affect their scare an achievement test. Saciaecanamic level af the students shawed significant effect an their physics achievemenL
Turkish New High School Physics Curriculum: Teachers' Views and Needs
ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to determine the physics teacher’s views about changes made to ... more ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to determine the physics teacher’s views about changes made to physics curriculum and in-service training needs about new topics added. To achieve this purpose, a survey is conducted via Internet. A questionnaire of 11 Likert-type items was used as a data collection tool. Data supplied by the participants were cleaned and finally views of 100 teachers were taken into account. The analysis of the results demonstrated that physics teacher’s attitudes toward the changes are positive. And their in-service training needs are not too much. Further, the differences between the attitudes and needs of male-female teachers and state-private school teachers are also determined.
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