Teachers' Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter: The Case of Zambian Pre-Service Science Teachers

This study assessed Zambian Junior High School pre-service science teachers' understanding of the particulate nature of matter. A sample comprised 30 pre-service science teachers at a teacher training college. Data was collected through a questionnaire adopted from Ozmen and Kenan (2007). Resul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAsia-Pacific forum on science learning and teaching Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 1 - 16
Main Authors Banda, Asiana, Mumba, Frackson, Chabalengula, Vivien M, Mbewe, Simeon
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hong Kong Hong Kong Institute of Education 01.12.2011
The Education University of Hong Kong, Department of Science and Environmental Studies
Subjects
Atoms & subatomic particles
Biology
Chemical bonds
Chemistry
Concept Formation
Earth Science
Elementary School Students
Foreign Countries
High School Students
Knowledge
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Learning
Middle School Students
Phase transitions
Preservice Teacher Education
Preservice Teachers
Questionnaires
Science Curriculum
Science education
Science Teachers
Scientific Concepts
Secondary School Teachers
Secondary schools
Student teachers
Studies
Teaching
Zambia
Zambia
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Summary:This study assessed Zambian Junior High School pre-service science teachers' understanding of the particulate nature of matter. A sample comprised 30 pre-service science teachers at a teacher training college. Data was collected through a questionnaire adopted from Ozmen and Kenan (2007). Results show that most teachers had correct views on the effect of phase change on speed, spaces and number of particles in a substance. However, most pre-service teachers had poor understanding about the effect of phase change, cooling and heating on the size of the particles in a substance. Most pre-service teachers erroneously believed that when a substance is cooled it contracts because the sizes of its particles decrease, and when a substance is melting the size of its particles increase. Results have implications on science teaching and learning and teacher education. (Contains 3 tables.)
ISSN:1609-4913
1609-4913