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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article 2 (Jun., 2013) |
The literature was reviewed in order to examine studies concerning the effects of the process of undertaking technological design in understanding science concepts. According to, a study by Roth (2001) aimed for elementary school 6th and 7th grade students to make technological designs by using various tools and accordingly to learn certain science concepts. To this end, an experimental environment was designed in order for students to lift a heavy object easily. In this study, students were assessed through interviews conducted in 3 stages: before the unit, during the unit, and after the unit. At the end of the assessments, it was concluded that technological design activities enabled students to learn science concepts such as force, energy and simple machines more easily and much better than by traditional methods.
Wu & Hsieh (2006) conducted a study to determine how 58 sixth grade students developed their research skills in a research-based learning environment. In the study, students were required to design an electric motor and factors influencing rotating speed of the motor were determined. In this study, a research skill test was used. This test was administered as pre-test and post-test in order to evaluate research skills of students. At the end of the designing activities, it was concluded that research-based activities improved research skills of students to a large extent.
A study carried out by William et al. (2007) investigated the effect of a “Summer Robotic Camp” in which 21 sixth grade students engaged in science concepts and the scientific research skills that had developed as a result of the camp. During the “Summer Robotics Camp”, students were required to create designs about science concepts such as Kinetic Energy, Gravity, Speed and Weight. In this study, a research skill test was employed. This test was administered as pre-test and post-test to evaluate research skills of students. The obtained results indicated that knowledge of students about science concepts had developed, but their scientific research skills did not improve.
Mettas & Constantinou (2007) included 82 prospective teachers in their study investigating whether a technology fair influenced the interests of prospective teachers in technology and whether this process affected problem solving skills of prospective teachers, and revealed problem solving strategies of students. 82 prospective teachers received a 4-week training program in technological design within the scope of a course at the faculty where they were prospective teachers, and then these prospective teachers were asked to create a technological design. Later, each one of these prospective teachers was sent to an elementary school and elementary school students were asked to create technological designs under the guidance of these prospective teachers. The obtained products were introduced to visitors in an exhibition named Technology Fair. In this study, a technological design evaluation test, interview and reflective journals were used for assessing products obtained at the end of the technological design activities. It was concluded that at the end of this study the application improved technological problem solving skills and motivations of prospective teachers. In addition, all prospective teachers performed the application willingly. It was concluded that this application would introduce an important experience to them for their teaching experiences in the future.
Frazier & Sterling (2008) aimed to teach science concepts to elementary school students by making a “model car” design. Students, working in groups, designed a model car by using tools such as cable, motor and battery. It was realized at the end of the study that students learnt abstract science concepts (concepts such as circuit, current, voltage) better through a technological design process. Nugent et al. (2010) investigated the impact of “robotic and geospatial” techniques on science, technology, engineering and mathematics attitudes and concepts in the study which they carried out with 147 elementary school students. In this study, students were evaluated by means of a 33-question likert type surveys. Students studied at a “Summer Camp”. At the end of this camp, it was understood that the attitudes of students towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics lessons and their conception of these areas were improved.
Barak & Zadok (2009) investigated the learning and problem solving abilities of a group of 7th and 8th grade elementary school students. In the Barak & Zadok (2009) study, students developed a wide range of tools from fishing line to remote operating vehicle by using toy blocks in courses containing content-weighted lessons in the first year, project-based lessons in the second year, and project-based and content-supported lessons in the third year. For assessment of students; journals, conversations, photos of developed tools, video recordings of some lessons, records of discussions with students and their parents were used. Data were presented through a descriptive analysis. According to results obtained, students succeeded in developing solutions to technological problems. However, they encountered various difficulties during this process. Within designing process, students generally used “Qualitative Knowledge” which required the skill of explaining particular events without using physics formulas or mathematical operations. In addition, this study revealed that students collected more information through informal ways rather than formal ways during the designing process. Barak & Zadok (2009) recommended investigation of how teaching methods applied for these concepts would affect understanding levels of students about these concepts.
Bencze (2010) conducted a study that providing 78 prospective teachers with an experience to carry out technological design projects and scientific studies. In this study, case study, anecdote records, student practices, semi-structured interviews and surveys were employed. Within the scope of the study, prospective teachers were asked to create a technological design for a long course period. At the end of the study, it was determined that self-confidences of prospective teachers increased while creating technological designs. In addition, it was realized that technological designs created in Science and Technology lessons improved learning levels of prospective teachers in terms of concepts about this topic.
Hakkarainen, Viileo & Hakkarainen (2010) conducted a study that involved showing 4th and 5th grade students how to use a liquid crystal display (LCD) model in an application, how to provide technological support within a technological design process, and how to shape learning environment around a forum site and designs associated with concepts. This longitudinal study took a total of 13 months (3 semesters). A teacher and a researcher were made to prepare a forum site and databases, journals, and create technological designs about some science concepts for 13 months. Designs created in the study included Motion, Light, Force, Power, Operating Mechanics of Clock and Magnetism. It was concluded at the end of the study that activities carried out during the technological design process contributed rich experiences to the learning environment and improved cooperation between students. In addition, it was seen that teacher took part as a guide in contributing to cooperation rather than controlling the learning environment.
Moore, Chessin & Theobald (2010) examined the way pre-school students developed a tool that allowed them to examine insects without harming them. That is to say, they aimed for students to be able to make a distinction between a spider and an insect and design a tool allowing for examining these living beings without harming them. In this study, teacher’s observation reports were used. Students worked in groups. According to observation reports of teachers, students succeeded in making a distinction between a spider and an insect thanks to these tools they developed. According to results obtained from these studies, abstract science concepts appear in every stage of education from primary school to high school and university. It is understood that technological designs are made for students to concretize abstract science concepts they encounter, and these designs enable science concepts to be learnt better and scientific research skills of students to develop. These studies emphasize the necessity of creating technological designs in order for science concepts to be learnt better. Although the literature emphasizes that creating technological designs is beneficial for students, it is stressed one the one hand, that studies about technological design generally focus on mental structures rather than the hand skills of students and learning by doing and experience (Roth, 2001; Mioduser & Dagan, 2007; Barker et al., 1998; Oliver & Hannafin, 2001). On the other hand, it is stressed that there is a limited number of studies concerning students’ understanding of related concepts while making technological designs (Barak & Zadok, 2009; Silk et al., 2010). Accordingly, this study was carried out for prospective classroom teachers to concretize abstract concepts of science lesson and to ensure permanent learning through technological design.
