In this work extensive misconceptions of university students'--from nutrition area--about the metabolism of carbohydrates (CHM) in the human organism have been documented. The results lead to consider their difficulties concerning the learning of a complex set of imbricated biochemical models involved. Pursuant to these considerations, three…

Physics Education Research has a rich history of identifying common student ideas about specific physics topics. In the context of electric circuits, existing research on students' ideas has primarily focused on misconceptions, misunderstandings, and difficulties. In this paper, we take a resource-oriented approach to identifying common student…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of simulation-supported inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' conceptual understanding of capacitors. The participants consisted of 50 pre-service teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. The participants were divided into two groups of 25 each on the basis of their…

With the developing technology educating students free from misconceptions, making sense of their learnings and using them in daily life are primarily aimed. This research is designed not only for teaching "work, energy and power" concepts and the relationships among them but also for investigating the effects of the teaching on…

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of worksheets enriched with concept cartoons used in the teaching of Science Teaching Laboratory Applications-II course on the academic success and metacognition skill levels of science prospective teachers. The study was carried out using semi-experimental design. The sample of the study, science…

The research assessed secondary school students' conceptions of acid-base strengths by using the conceptual change instruction accompanied with concept maps and analogies. These teaching strategies were employed to help them make unfamiliar events familiar. Within a quasi-experimental design, the sample of the study consisted of 73 secondary…

The aim of this study was to develop an Active Learning Based-Interactive Conceptual Instruction (ALBICI) model through PDEODE*E tasks (stands for Predict, Discuss, Explain, Observe, Discuss, Explore, and Explain) for promoting conceptual change and investigating its effectiveness of pre-service physics teachers' understanding on electric field…

Acceleration is a fundamental concept in physics which is taught in mechanics at all levels. Here, we discuss some challenges in teaching this concept effectively when the path along which the object is moving has a curvature and centripetal acceleration is present. We discuss examples illustrating that both physics teachers and students have…

Discusses the need and the advantages of using conceptual change strategy in science classrooms. Describes three steps of the strategy: diagnosis; challenging conceptions; and applying the new concepts. Lists seven references. (YP)

Illustrated is the confusion over centrifugal force in sample problems, diagrams, formulas, and examples. Some recommendations to remedy the situation are suggested. (YP)

Most students enter their first formal science courses with intelligently conceived and sophisticated concepts of science. Some of these may be compatible with the principles of modern science, but others may be incorrect, inadequate, outdated, or otherwise unacceptable. Conceptual frameworks based on intuitive misperceptions, naive inferences,…

This paper reports an action study of conceptual change in mechanics using an instructional strategy based on a constructivist view of learning. The aims of the study were to determine: (1) what effect the instructional strategy had on achieving conceptual change; (2) what devices or strategies students used in their attempts to understand…

Discusses the rationality of students' alternative frameworks by considering the role played by their beliefs, their understanding of other views, and the reasons for justification or rejection. Investigates the way in which 14-year-old boys see the effects of classroom learning experience on their ideas. (Author/YP)

Argues that by examining which concepts of a particular area of physics are fundamental and which are defined, teachers can choose concepts for investigation that progress logically and should minimize students' misconceptions and confusion. (Author)

Describes the MAOF physics education program which is designed to relate large parts of mechanics and electromagnetism to each other via the key concepts of field and potential, while at the same time treat students' conceptual difficulties. Finds that students who studied with the MAOF program significantly improved their physics knowledge…