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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Published in | Asia-Pacific forum on science learning and teaching Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 1 - 16 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Education
01.12.2011
The Education University of Hong Kong, Department of Science and Environmental Studies |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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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.) |
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ISSN: | 1609-4913 1609-4913 |