Developing Scientific Practices in Primary School: Benzene Ring Heuristic (BRH) Application

Yagmur Gokbulak, Burcu Senler

Abstract


This study aims to develop primary-school students’ understanding of the scientific practices in the Benzene Ring Heuristic (BRH) and to determine how BRH applications would affect student perceptions about science, scientific knowledge, and scientists. An interpretative qualitative research design was used in the study. The study group consisted of 9 fourth-grade students (6 girls, 3 boys) in a public primary school. To identify the students’ thoughts and perceptions about science, scientific knowledge, and scientists, the study employed open-ended questions as well as the “Draw-a-Scientist Test”. In addition, a poster activity was used to determine how well students understood the scientific practices in the BRH. The drawing test results showed that students drew scientists in general as female, young, most often with a neat-looking physical appearance in enclosed areas mainly representing a laboratory environment, and who is experimenting. An analysis of the posters produced by the students as part of the BRH suggested a certain amount of improvement. These results have educational implications and should be helpful for teachers and teacher educators to better understand the effects of using BRH in science education.


Keywords


scientific practices; Benzene Ring Heuristic; primary school; fourth-grade students; interpretative qualitative research

Full Text:

PDF

References


Atas, Y., & Senler, B. (2018). İlkokulda benzen halkası benzetmesi uygulaması [Benzene Ring Heuristic application in primary school]. 13. Ulusal Fen Bilimleri ve Matematik Eğitimi Kongresi. Pamukkale Üniversitesi.

Bayram, E. B. (2018). Scientist image of primary school 4th grade students and the role of textbooks and teachers in the formation of these images, (Master’s Thesis). Bayburt University.

Cakici, Y. (2013). A prerequisite in science education: Understanding nature of science. Marmara University Ataturk Education Faculty Journal of Educational Sciences, 2013(29), 57–74. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/maruaebd/issue/370/2114

Chambers, D. W. (1983). Stereotypic images of the scientist: The draw a scientists test. Science Education, 67(2), 255–265. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.3730670213

Cilekrenkli, A. (2019). Teaching reconceptualized family resemblance approach to nature of science in lower secondary classroom, (Master’s Thesis). Bogazici University.

Çeliker, H. D., & Avci, D. E. (2015). Scientist perception of primary school students: How does attendance to scientific activities affect scientist perception? Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Education Faculty, 2015(36), 90–104. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-

file/181544

Dogan, H. (2015). A study of science and scientist, focussing on the perceptions of 11 to 13 year old students from different countries (Master’s Thesis). Akdeniz University.

Driver, R., Leach, J., Millar, R., & Scott, P. (1996). Young people’s images of science. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Erduran, S., & Dagher, Z. R. (2014). Reconceptualizing nature of science for science education. In Reconceptualizing the nature of science for science education: Scientific knowledge, practices and other family categories. Dordrecht: Springer.

Erduran, S., & Jimenez-Aleixandre, M. P. (Eds.). (2008). Argumentation in science education. Perspectives from classroom-based research. Dordrecht: Springer.

Finson, K. D., Beaver, J. B., & Cramond, B. L. (1995). Development and field test of a checklist for the Draw-a-Scientist Test. School Science and Mathematics, 95(4), 195–205. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-8594.1995.tb15762.x

Guler, T., & Akman, B. (2006). 6 year old children’s views on science and scientists. Hacettepe University Journal of Education Faculty, 2006(31), 55–66. Retrieved from http://www.efdergi.hacettepe.edu.tr/yonetim/icerik/makaleler/830-published.pdf

Irzık, G., & Nola, R. (2014). New directions for nature of science research. In M. R. Matthews (Ed.), International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching (pp. 999–1021). Dordrecth: Springer.

Karabas, N. (2017). The effect of scientific practice-based instruction on seventh graders’ perceptions of scientific practices, (Master’s Thesis). Bogazici University.

Kaya, E., & Erduran, S. (2016a). From FRA to RFN, or how the Family Resemblance Approach can be transformed for science curriculum analysis on nature of science. Science & Education, 25(9), 1115–1133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-016-9861-3

Kaya, E., & Erduran, S. (2016b). Reconceptualized “Family Resemblance Approach”: A holistic perspective on nature of science in science education. The Journal of Turkish Science Education, 13(2), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.12973/tused.10180a

Kaya, E., Erduran, S., Akgun, S., & Aksoz, B. (2017). Nature of science in teacher education: A holistic approach. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 11(2), 464–501. https://doi.org/10.17522/balikesirnef.373423

Kaya, V. H., Afacan, O., Polat, D., & Urtekin, A. (2013). Ilkogretim ogrencilerinin bilim insani ve bilimsel bilgi hakkindaki gorusleri (Kirsehir ili ornegi) [The primary school students’ views on scientists and scientific knowledge (Sample of Kırşehir)]. Ahi Evran Universitesi Kirsehir Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi, 14(1), 305–325. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1490669

Kemaneci, G. (2012). Searching for the image of scientists from the point of view of gifted students, (Master’s Thesis). Gazi University.

Kenar, Z. (2008). Prospective science teachers’ views of the nature of science, (Master’s Thesis). Balikesir University.

Kibar-Kavak, G. (2008). Factors affecting the attitudes and perception of the students towards science and scientists, (Master’s Thesis). Selcuk University.

Kucuk, M., & Bag, H. (2012). A comparison of the 4 and 5. grade students’ scientist images. Journal of Bayburt Education Faculty, 7(2), 125–138. https://doi.org/https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/215076

Kuhn, D., Arvidsson, T. S., Lesperance, R., & Corprew, R. (2017). Can engaging in science practices promote deep understanding of them? Science Education, 101(2), 232–250. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21263

Lederman, N. G. (1992). Students’ and teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A review of the research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29(4), 331–359. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660290404

Lederman, N. G., Lederman, J. S., & Antink, A. (2013). Nature of science and scientific inquiry as contexts for the learning of science and achievement of scientific literacy. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 1(3), 138–147. Retrieved from https://www.ijemst.net/index.php/ijemst/article/download/19/19

Lederman, N. G., & Zeidler, D. L. (1987). Science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: Do they really influence teaching behavior? Science Education, 71(5), 721–734. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.3730710509

Matthews, M. (2004). Changing the focus: From nature of science (NOS) to features of science (FOS). In M. S. Khine (Ed.), Advances in nature of science research: Concepts and methodologies (pp. 3–26). Dordrecht: Springer.

Merriam, S. (2002). Qualitative practice in research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). California: Sage Publications.

Ministry of National Education of Turkey. (2018). Fen Bilimleri Dersi Öğretim Programı, 3-8. Sınıflar. [Science Curriculum (3th-8th grade)]. Ankara: TTKB.

National Research Council [NRC]. (2012). framework for K12 science education: Practices, cross cutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington: National Academies Press.

Nuhoğlu, H., & Afacan, Ö. (2011). Evaluation of the primary school students’ view about scientists. Ahi Evran University Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty, 12(3), 279–298. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/kefad/issue/59494/855139%0A

Ocal, E. (2007). Identification and description of 6, 7, 8 secondary school student’s scientist image and schema, (Master’s Thesis). Gazi University.

Ozsoy, S., & Ahi, B. (2014). Images of scientists through the eyes of the children. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(1), 204–230. https://doi.org/10.12973/nefmed.2014.8.1.a9

Peters, M. A. (2006). Special issue – Philosophy of science education. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 38(5), 579–584. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2006.00223

Roberts, D. A. (2007). Scientific literacy/Science literacy. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of research on science education (pp. 729–780). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Senel, T., & Aslan, O. (2014). The metaphoric perceptions of preservice early childhood teachers conceptions on science and scientist. Mersin University Journal of Education Faculty, 10(2), 77–95. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/mersinefd/issue/17394/181827%0A

Stroupe, D. (2015). Describing “science practice” in learning settings. Science Education, 99(6), 1033–1040. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21191

Yontar-Togrol, A. (2000). Ogrencilerin bilim insani ile ilgili imgeleri [Student images of the scientist]. Education and Science, 25(118), 49–57.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.53400/mimbar-sd.v8i3.32382

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Copyright (c) 2021 Mimbar Sekolah Dasar

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

View Mimbar Sekolah Dasar Stats