Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article 2 (Jun., 2013) Miraç AYDIN, Hasan BAKIRCI, Hüseyin ARTUN and Salih ÇEPNİ Effectiveness of technological design on elementary student teachers' understanding of air resistance, gravity, terminal velocity and acceleration: Model parachute race activity Contents Next

Effectiveness of technological design on elementary student teachers' understanding of air resistance, gravity, terminal velocity and acceleration: Model parachute race activity

 

Miraç AYDIN¹, Hasan BAKIRCI², Hüseyin ARTUN³ and Salih ÇEPNİ⁴

^1,2,3 Karadeniz Technical University, Fatih Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Science Education, Trabzon, TURKEY

⁴ Uludag University, Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Science Education, Bursa, TURKEY

E-mail: miracaydin81@gmail.com

Received 11 Jun., 2012
Revised 24 Jun., 2013

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Contents

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Theoretical Framework
• Research Questions
• Methodology
• Objective of “Model Parachute Race” Activity
• Participants of “Model Parachute Race” Activity
• Steps Followed in Instructions of “Model Parachute Race” Activity
• Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Results
• The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Air Resistance
• The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Gravity
• The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Terminal Velocity
• The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Acceleration
• Discussion and Conclusion
• References

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Abstract

Educational research maintains that, teaching science through designing technology has significant educational potential. Although the literature emphasizes that making technological designs is beneficial for students, it is stressed that studies about technological design generally focus on mental structures rather than hand skills of students and learning by doing and experience. In this study, we tried to determine the effect of a "Model Parachute Race" activity on elementary student teachers' levels of understanding of concepts such as air resistance, gravity, terminal velocity and acceleration using a qualitative methodology. In this context, elementary student teachers' levels of understanding of concepts were determined before and after the activity, and change was revealed through analyzing the difference between them. It was found that elementary student teachers learnt science concepts better during technological design process than during traditional science lessons. In addition, it is thought that if a technological design process is supported with theoretical information, desired change will occur in levels of understanding the science concepts.

Keywords: Technological Design, Elementary Student Teachers, Parachute Race Activity, Air Resistance, Gravity, Terminal Velocity, Acceleration